or where or by whom another Iames than either of the two mentioned by the Evangelist was Constitut a Thirteenth Apostle is a Point I am sure far surcharging the Drs Ability to prove and his proofs here adduced are such as the simplest may Laugh at Whereof this is one That the Scripture makes it evident that this Iames had the great Preheminence in the Church of Ierusalem And next That in the Council Act. 15. he gave the Decisive Sentence calling it his Sentence v. 19. and determined the Controversie after that Peter Paul and Barnabas had declared their Judgment Which Argues saith the Dr. that he had great Authority and Preheminence in that place An odd proof I must confess Behold the Visag of this Argument The Apostle Iames spoke last in the Council of Ierusalem he called the Judgment he delivered upon the Question his Sentence after others had spoken the Controversie came then to an Issue Ergo he was of Special and Eminent Authority in Ierusalem beyond any of the Apostles And this as a supernumerary Thirteenth Apostle Constitut by the rest to succeed in that Office and derive the Office of Apostolat to after Generations It is indeed a Question to me whether this Assertion and Conclusion it self or the Dr's Method of deducing it be more absurd But sure I am both are and that in an eminent degree The Dr. has so wonderful a value for Prelacy that he will needs have this new supposed Bishop of Ierusalem preferred upon that account by all the Apostles to themselves and set up in the Chair to presid in the Council as the Worthiest yea and that his very Judgement upon the account of his high Prelatick Office outweighed all the Apostles Sentiments and ended the Controversie as he expresses it Such a conceit this is and Phantastick account of that Scripture as I dare challenge the Dr. to show if it ever came in the mind of any Protestant Writers It would have suted the Drs. serious Thoughts to ponder whether that which was delivered by others in this meeting and in special by the Apostle Peter was not their Sentence as well as that delivered by James and whether both these Sentences of Peter and James were not the same and delivered upon the same Scripture Grounds and whether the delivering of a Sentence or Judgment in a Judicatory which the Meeting finds equitable and do accord to upon Grounds offered by him and some others speaking before him can conclud an Episcopal Authority over the Meeting But to proceed the Dr. ibid Argues further from the Apostle Paul his going in to James mentioned Gal. 2.9 Upon the account of his supposed Episcopacy at Jerusalem altho none of the Twelve that he is upon this account preferred to Peter John had the Priority of them both in the Church of Jerusalem A conceit sufficiently refuted by a recitation What! The Apostle Paul become so high a Prelatist that a New Constitut Bishop at Jerusalem is by him preferred to Pillar-Apostles as having a Priority above them in that Church I had thought that our Blessed Lord recommended and Authorized his Apostles as the Universal Doctors of the whole Church before this time as the Foundation and Pillars thereof So they are called by the Apostle Paul Eph. 2.20 And that the Lord in Sealing them solemnly by the Spirit the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem from whence the Law was to go forth had recommended them as his highest Doctors and Apostles both to Jerusalem and to all the Churches and that Peter and John's Ministry had the First and Eminent Seals there yea and that the Apostleship of the Circumcision was especially committed to Peter and consequently his Apostolical Authority at Jerusalem singularly conspicuous weighty and acknowledged where his Ministry was chiefly exercised and this by the Apostle Paul's own acknowledgment Gal. 2.7 And that he paid so great deference to this Apostle that he went up to Jerusalem to see and visit him Gal. 1.18 Besides that the Dr. supposing this James not to be one of the Twelve is cross to the current of Protestant Writers and Commentators as we have said As for Paul's going into James with the Elders Act. 21.18 Which the Dr. saith will prove that James was of greatest note and Figure in that Church If the Dr. mean his exercising his Ministry there at that time and that he was of eminent Note among the Elders or ordinary Ministers As who can doubt of this in respect of his Apostolick Office This is easily accorded But the Drs. Inference from this that he was of greatest Note and Figure among the Apostles yea and eo nomine as Bishop of Ierusalem and moreover as in the Capacity of a Supernumerary Apostle and Bishop added to the Twelve he will as soon squeeze Water from a Flint as draw it from this Scripture The Dr. tells us P. 395.396 That as what he has said renders it highly probable that Iames was Apostle at Ierusalem peculiarly and had the Priority of Peter and Iohn therein so the Testimmonyes of early Antiquity advances this probability to a Demonstration Whereupon he Cites Hegesip and Euseb. Lib. 2. Cap. 23. Clement Lib. 2. Cap. 1. and some others That Iames whom the Dr. takes not to have been an Apostle till constitut Apostle and Bishop of Ierusalem appears to the Dr. upon the pretended premised Scripture Grounds upon this account preferred to both Peter and Iohn tho Pillars hath so exposed his Understanding of the Scriptures as doth much save the Labour of an Adversaries discovering his Nakedness in this Point Besides it seems with the Dr. that Human Testimonies of Antiquity and of Human Writers puts the Cape-stone upon and compleats Scripture-proof So that what was upon the Scripture proof but probable upon the high accession of Human Testimonies is with him advanced to a Demonstration But the Dr must be minded that if his pretended Divine Proof which must be both of the Factum and the Ius as to Iames's Episcopacy obliges him to draw his Demonstration of both from Scripture and if by his acknouledgment all his Scripture Proof amounts but to a probability his pretended Demonstration made up by the patchment of Human Testimony added to the Divine as giving the Demonstrative evidence and Strength thereunto is a Demonstration like to the Feet of the Image of Clay and Iron which could never make one intire piece and cleave together Next For his Testimonies the Dr. cannot but know that in the Judgment of Famous Protestant Divines this Proof from the Testimonies of Fathers and the Denomination of Bishops by them put upon Eminent Ministers and even some in the Apostolick times is a very slippery and uncertain Proof The learned Scaliger will tell him Prolegom in Chro. Euseb. That â—tervallum illud ab ultimo capite Actorum c. The Interval from the last Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles until the midst of the Reign of Trajan in which Tract
with Ministers of the New Testament Church The Moral Law being the constant Standart of Truth and Duty in all Ages our Saviour who came to fulfill all Righteousness and establish the Law was therefore concerned to vindicat the same from corrupt glosses but this bears no proportion to his Scope in the Case of the Disciples that old Ministry and Policy being now ready to evanish The Dr. proceeds to another Text and tells his Reader that we Cite 1 Pet. 5.2.3 to serve the same design We have made appear that our design in pleading this and the preceeding Texts is the same with that of Protestant Divines and that the design the Dr. serves in his Glosses and Answers is Popish as to the intentio operis at least a design to support the Popes Triple Crown with Bellamin and his other pleaders and Advocats Our Argument from this Text against the Prelatical Hierarchy is this Looking to the Apostles scope he first dehorts Ministers and none will doubt all ordinary Church Officers from the evils they are constantly tempted to viz. Covetousness Lordship usurpation and Dominion over Gods Heritage evils of a close connection and cognation that they do not Act the Diotrephes seeking Preheminence over their Brethren or affect a Masterly Dominion over the People for that both comes under the Denomination of Gods Heretage none will doubt He likewise dehorts from Reluctancy at their Laborious imployment Next there is a positive exhortation presented to Ministers viz that they be examples to the Flock that is that the Graces they Preach to others shine in their Walk and in special that of Meekness and Humility which most nearly Resembles their Glorious Master the great Shepherd of the Sheep that this appear in their conduct and Government as that of his who leadeth Gently and would not have Ministers to Rule with Rigor as those Reprehended Ezek. 34.4 Hence from the Scope and contexture it appears 1. That the Pastor Labouring in the Word and Doctrin being here addressed as the Apostles Co-presbyter and Fellow-elder is owned by him as the highest ordinary Church Officer and that this Apostle now shortly to put off his Tabernacle doth Aaron-like invest him in his Robe â—or highest Sphere of an Ordinary Minister 2 He enjoyns them to exercise Episcopal Authority As also Paul did the Elders of Ephesus Act. 20. which must respect Ordination and Jurisdiction in the full extent thereof and their equal interest therein 3. All of them are discharged to Lord it or exercise a Dominion over one another or over the Flock but to exercise a humble exemplary Ministry Hence we further inferr against the Hierarchical Prelat 1. That the Apostle ascribing this comprehensive Authority to Pastors which comprehends both the Doctrinal Key and that of Jurisdiction For I hope our Episcopal Brethren will acknowledg that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Episcopal Authority and inspection includs both he cuts off the Hierarchical Prelats pretended super-Inspection paramount thereunto Hence 2 The Pastor being found thus discribed and installed in this comprehensive Scriptural Episcopal Authority the Hierarchical Prelats Office which swallows up this Power and Authority of Pastors and arrogats to it self solely the Name and thing of a Bishop is discharged as unlawful 3 We argue a minore ad Majus against that Office from the Text thus All Masterly power of Pastors over their Flock is discharged Ergola Fortiori much more that of Prelats over Pastors themselves Now for the Judgment of Protestant Writers in corespondence to this our Sense we might exhibit a great cloud of Witnesses but of the whole we offer only these few instances The Belgick Divines make this 2. v. paralel with that which is enjoined Act. 20.28 to the Elders of Ephesus as to the Authority and exercise of a joynt Episcopal inspection competent to Pastors And the 3. v. they Translate not Exercising Dominion the very same thing which our Lord prohibit to his Apostles Pool Annot. 2. Part. doth also make the Command in this 2 v. praralel with Act. 20.28 and Ioh. 21.15.16 and Paraphrases the Command as importing both to feed and Rule and enjoining the exercise of the Doctrinal and Jurisdictional Key jointly yea and hold it to be of such a Nature as to the main designs of the Gospel as was enjoined to Peter himself and his Fellow-Apostles The Clause of taking the oversight they expone thus being Bishops or acting as Bishops over it superintending Inspecting and Watching over it viz. the Flock paralelling this with Act. 20.28.29 where such Pastoral Episcopal Feeding and Rule is enjoyned in Pauls farewell to the Elders or Ministers of Ephesus The prohibition or negative part of the Precept v. 3. not as being Lords they Expone of not exercising such Lordship and Dominion as temporal Lords paralelling this with Matth. 20.25 26. Luk. 22.25 as also with 2 Cor. 1.24 where Paul disowns Dominion and with 1 Cor. 3.5 Who then is Paul or who is Appllo But Ministers Yea even Grotius Comerarius Menochius expone the Command of Feeding v. 2. as importing Government or Rule paralelling this with Ioh. 21.15 16 17. Act. 20.28.29 The Clause of taking the oversight is generally understood of superintending and acting the Bishops Episcopum agentes Beza Piscat Valla. Erasm. Gerard says it s an allusion to their Name as if the Lord enjoined them to be Answerable to it The ensuing Verse is understood of imperious Dominion over GOD's Church Thus Piscat Menoch c. Turret Institut Theol. Part. 3. Quest. 16. Thes. 8. produces the same Text collated with 2 Cor. 1.24 as proving a prohibition of all Lordly Power to Ministers shewing that this is the prerogative of Christ the Chief Sheepherd and that in opposition to such Lordly Power Pastors are called Ministers Messengers Servants Stewards of the Mysteries of God Maccov from this Passage Collated with Act. 20.28 concludes the identity of the Episcopal and Pastoral Office Loc. Commun Cap. 82. P. 845. The Eng. Annot. upon the place do shew That such a Magisterial carriage is forbidden as is Taxed 3 Ioh. v. 9. in Diotrephes Love of Preheminence But now What is the Dr's great Answer to this Text He says It s the Apostles Commentary upon our Saviours Words and Commandment This is very true He next adds That it forbids the Spirit of Pride and Insolence as a thing very unsutable to all Power and Authority in the Church To which I Answer it is certain the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Paralel with Matth. 20. Luk. 22. where Peter learned the prohibition and imports Dominion but not Tyranical Dominion properly It being made use of by the LXX to express Lawful Dominion 2. We have told him that the positive part of the Precept refuts his gloss which the Apostle doth not thus express in the Dr's Sense not proudly or insolently Domineering but using Dominion moderatly as the Apostle would have presented the Precept if a Lawful Lordship had been allowed but
Bishops therein and by clear Consequence the Pastors and Presbyters are supposed the Highest Ordinary Officers of that Church Exercising a joynt Collegiat Power in the Government thereof If I should adduce the Judgment and Testimonies of Protestant Divines upon these Passages correspondent to our Sense and Pleading it were a large Work The Belgick Divines upon Act. 20.28 from that Clause the Holy Ghost has made you Overseers do plead as above For having told us that in the Greek it is Bishops and that from this the Word Bishop is derived they add That these are v. 17. called Elders of the Church from whence it appears that in the Holy Scriptures there is no Difference made betwixt Elders and Bishops pointing to Philip. 1.1 upon which Passage they shew that this Term is common to all Governours and Overseers in the Church referring again to Act. 20.17 28. together with 1 Tim. 1.3 Where they shew That Timothy was appointed to continue at Ephesus not as Bishop but as Evangelist for a time to Confirm the Church Upon Chap. 3. v. 1. they shew That the Word Bishop is to be understood of all Overseers and Teachers of the Church without Difference as appears in the following Description compared with other places citing Act. 20.17 28. Philip. 1.1 Tit. 1.5 7. Diodat on Act. 20.17 shews That by the Elders we are to understand the Pastors and Conductors in v. 28. Upon which Verse he shews That the Word signifies Overseer Guardian c. And represents the Duty of a true Pastor of the Church without any absolute Dominion only for the Profit and Good of the Flock Philip. 1.1 he paralells with Act. 20 17 28. 1 Tim. 5.17 Understanding therein the Ministers of the Sacred Governing Senat 1 Tim. 3.1 he understands of the Bishop or Pastor who has the Charge of Teaching and Governing the Church On Tit. 1.5 the Elders who are immediatly after called Bishops he understands of such Pastors and Conductors as were to be placed in Churches where was a Competent Number of Believers Pools Annot. Vol. 2. understands Act. 20.17 as speaking of such Elders as are Governours and Pastors of the Church And shews that the Term and Title respects not their Age but their place And upon v. 28. they shew That the Overseers there mentioned are the same who are called Elders v. 17. and were certainly such as had the Government and care of the Church committed to them Upon Philip. 1.1 By Bishops they understand Pastors and Teachers asserting that the Name and Office of Bishops and Pastors was all one in the Apostles days and do Cite for Confirmation of this Act. 20.17.28 1 Cor. 4.1.2 1 Thes. 5.12.13 1. Tim. 3.1 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Tit. 1.5 Heb. 13.17 Iam. 5.14 3 Ioh. 9. The very Passages we make use of shewing that this is the Sense both of Ancient and modern Interpreters Thereafter they confute at large Hammonds Notion of Presbyters who takes them for Diocesan Bishops Upon 1 Tim. 3.1 They shew That the Term Bishop is the proper Title of Gospel Ministers pointing at their Honourable Work and Imployment and Paralels this with the Title of Angel mentioned Rev. 2.1 Upon the last Clause of v. 2. where the Bishop is injoyned to be apt to Teach they shew That he must be neither an Ignorant nor lazie Person Eng. Annot. upon Act. 20. understand the Elders v. 17. of the Governors and Pastors paralelling it with these Elders of Ierusalem mentioned Chap. 11 30. Upon v. 28. they shew That the term Episcopus or Bishop is here to be understood of the Pastor of the Church and Minister of the Word as elsewhere Also upon Philip. 1.1 on that Clause the Bishops and Deacons they shew That the Synod of Nice did forbid Two or more Bishops to have their Seats in one City And before that Cornelius Bishop of Rome upbraids Novatus with Ignorance as Euseb. lib. 6. Writes that he knew not there ought to be but one Bishop in that Church in which he could no be Ignorant there were Forty Six Presbyters And Oecumenius and Chrysostom affirm this of Philippi In one City it cannot be supposed say they there were more Bishops in that restrained Sense as the word was afterward taken Here therefore by Episcopi and Diaconi we are to understand the whole Ministry at Philippi consisting of Presbyters to whom the Government of the Church was Committed And Deacons who not only had the Care of the Poor but also Assisted Ministers in their Ecclesiastical Function Upon 1 Tim. 3.1 they shew That the Term Bishop doth properly relate to the Flock referring to Philip. 1.1 And having shewed that Antiquity did appropriat this Term to Diocesan Prelats and consequently as it relates to Pastors But that they Disowne this as not being the Scripture Acceptation is evident not only from that Reference to Philip. 1.1 but also from this that the Clause of Desiring a good Work they paralell with 1 Thes. 5.13 where after the Apostle has v. 12. enjoyned a due Deference and Subjection to such as Laboured among them viz. In the Word and Doctrine he enjoyns to Esteem them Highly in Love for their Works sake asserting thus the Bishops good Work to be one and the same with that of the Pastor and consequently the Office By the Elders mentioned Tit. 1.5 to be Ordained in every Church they understand the Pastors to be Ordained where there was a convenient Number of the Faithful And the Apostles Reason v. 7. For a Bishop must be Blameless c. they paralell with Philip. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.1 2. Thus clearly Corresponding our Sense and Pleading for the Identity of the Bishops and Pastors Office from these places The Professors of Leyden Disput. 42. at large Correspond with our Sense and Pleading from these Passages They assert the Extraordinary Expired Call and Office of Prophets Apostles and Evangelists and that the Pastors Dâ—ctors Elders and Deacons are the only standing ordinary Church Officers Thus Thes. 17.18 19 20. c. Ascribing to Pastors the Authority of Government as the Highest Ordinary Officers of the New Testament Thes. 25.26 Thes. 29. From Act. 20.28 they shew that the Apostle calls the Pastors of the Church of Ephesus Bishops set up by the Holy Ghost paralelling this with 1 Tim. 3.2 where they tell us the Bishop is described from such Qualities and Effects as the Apostle Peter enjoyns and ascribes to his Fellow Presbyters 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Adding that in the Epistle to the Philippians Chap. 1. v. 1. under the Name of Bishops for whom the Apostle prays for Grace he understands such qui Philippi Verbo Gubernationi praeerant who had Inspection of the Doctrine and Government distinguishing them from the Deacons who were set over the Churches Treasure Adding that Tit. 1.5 such whom the Apostle Named Presbyters v. 7. he calls Bishops non correlate ad Presbyteros tanquam ad Secundarios sibique Subordinatos Praesules sed ad Ecclesiam Vigilanti ipsorum Curae
be twice laid For Timothy and Titus we have above spoken to their Authority and Office and made appear that it was transient and extraordinary as that of Apostles and to be Exercised with the Authoritative Official Concurrence of ordinary Officers or Presbyters where they were Planted The Surveyers Fifth Answer and Exception P. 207. is That there is in this Text an Allusion to the Jewish Church Courts wherein there were Chief and Subordinat Rulers both in the Sanhedrin and Synagogues Ans. Unless the Surveyer can make appear that the whole Iurisdictional Power and Authority therein was so Concentred in one Person as there was nothing of it left to any of the Members and that their Work was only to give Assent unto the sole Decisive Determination and Sentence of that one Person this Answer will never help the Hierarchical Bishop whose Power was of this Nature according to our Laws If it be supposed that the Jurisdictional Power was competent to the whole Colledge in these Meetings the Passage stands still in its Condemning Force against the Hierarchical Bishop That the whole Jurisdictional Power in the Sanhedrin was Concentred in the Person of the High Priest none can without extreme Impudence assert We heard that the Learned Iunius and several others do assert that the ordinary Jurisdiction was penes concessum Sacerdotum competent to the whole Meeting of the Priests The Levits as well as the Priests were to shew the Sentence of Judgment in Matters and Questions brought before them Deut. 17.8 9 10. So Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 19.8 9. restoring this Sanhedrin set the Levites as well as the Priests to Judge the Controversies that came before them by way of Appeal And though we find that the High Priest did pronounce the Sentence of Judgment 2 Chron. 19.11 with Deut. 17.12 this will not infer the Surveyers Conclusion of his sole Decisive Suffrage since the Moderator of an Assembly may pronounce the Sentence flowing from their joynt Decisive Votes For the Rulers of Synagogues since we read of them and of Chief Rulers in the plural Mark 5.22 Act. 13.15 compared with Act. 18.8 17. it is evident there could be no peculiar Jurisdiction lodged in one exclusive of the rest His Last Exception to this Passage is That the Remedy here prescribed was presently to be made use of upon the rising of Scandals and therefore was not for Scandals to arise a long time thereafter Ans. This first Seminarie of the Christian Church being at present under our Lords immediat Inspection there was no such Access for a present Use of this Remedy therefore this Rule and Remedy was mainly prescribed for after-times as the Charter of the Churches Jurisdiction The Author of the second part of Pool's Annot. well observes upon this Passage That we are not to understand our Saviour as speaking with relation unto the present time but the time to come and giving Laws which should take place and abide from the gathering of the Christian Church And if the Church be understood of those that have the Authority of Binding and Loosing they shew that the present Church of Apostles was to constitute particular Churches to whom when constituted in force of this precept such Offences were to be told c. The Surveyer asks Suppose Scandals then arising V. G. Iudas giving Scandal to Peter would our Lord have sent them to the Sanhedâ—in of the Jews Upon the Ground I now offered the Negative Answer is clear The Complaint was to be made to this glorious Head of the Church in whom all church-Church-Authority is truely concentred and in telling him the Church was told But the Surveyer tells us of Bucers Assertion That Christ and his Apostles were a sufficient Representative Christian Church And this Primitive Presbytrie and Representative he professes to accept well of where was no Equality of Power in the Members Ans. The Surveyer knew there was here an absolute Dominion of the Churches Glorious Head over a Society of Officers And if he will still have such a standing Pattern of a Representative Church viz. a Supreme Vicar having the Radical Authority thereof the Pope will joyn issue with him in his gladful Acceptance thereof That there was no Equality of Power in the Members contradicts his former Assertion anent an Equality of an Official Power among the Apostles unless he will put Christ the Glorious Head among these Members and degrade Him from his Head-ship He tells us further That in this Primitive Pattern there was no Inter-mixture of Lay-Elders A witty Knack and Notion indeed He hath told us P. 199. of several Classes and Degrees of Church Officers which he thinks exemplifies the continual standing Measures for the Christian Church from that Passage 1 Cor. 12.28 First Apostles Secondarily Prophets Thirdly Teachers after that Miracles and he will not doubt Evangelists likewayes are of the Number who are reckoned Eph. 4. Our Surveyer saw no mixture of these in this Presbytrie nor of the Pastor whom he distinguishes from the Apostolick Office the Bishops being with him their Successors So that the poor Man was upon the Charybdis or Scylla either to acknowledge that this Presbytrie was not so compleat as it ought to have been and thus forced to contradict what he here asserts That according to this Form all others afterwards should be framed for this will make the Pattern and after Copies manck and defective Or else if he acknowledge that in this Primitive Seminary and Embryon of Church Judicatories all ordinary Officers were not present he behoved to confess that his Charge against Lay-Elders as he calls them because not here was impertinent and groundless The Surveyer calls for such a Presbytrie to end all our Controversie That is a Presbytrie with a Head having a Soveraign Absolute Dominion over all the Members And since he would not with the Millenaries have our Lord to reign personally on Earth he here wished for a Supreme infallible Vicar to end the Controversie In his Dislike of hetrogenous Mixtures in Church Judicatories he might have reflected upon the High Commission Court with its threefold Inteâ—mixture 1. Of Members viz. His Reverend Fathers the Bishops and Lay-Lords Nobles and other States-men 2. Of Matters cognoscible and Objects of their Power viz. Scandals and Civil Crimes 3. Of the Actings of the Câ—urt like the Popes Ecce duo gladii Fyning Confyning Imprisonment As also Ecclesiastick Censures of Excommunication Deprivation c. One Remark further I add upon this Passage of Scripture The Surveyer founds his Argument upon the Allusion made to the Jewish Courts But 1. It is evident in general there are Scripture Allusions that will not so much as plead for the Lawfulness of the thing alluded to witness the Psalmist allusion to Charming and our Lords warning that he comes as a Thief 2. Should he plead for a compleat equality betwixt the Iewish and Christian Church Judicatories he would plead for an Oecumenick Bishop and fixed President over the whole
Gifts their immediat Mission their extensive Authority in the Planting and Watering of Churches as some Episcopalians who speak more cautiously than the Dr. do express and limit this Succession then it is easy to make good that the Dr. in this Branch of the Answer is as much in a Premunire and that his Answer may be easily broken with a Wedg of his own setting and that his Adversary may easily pull his Spear out of his Hand and Kill him with it For 1. His Answer to those who alledg the Apostolick Office and Power to be Temporary as suted to the Necessity and Exigence of that Time and Case of the Church without intention of deriving it into a Succession is First That this is said without so much as a plausible colour of Reason And if there be no plausible colour of Reason in denying a Succession to the Apostolick Office the Dr. in embracing this Answer is without all colour of Reason 2. He tells us That we acknowledg our Saviour institut the Apostolick Office and that in His Institution He gave no Intimation that it was but for a Season and that thus in calling the Apostolick Office such we presum to make Christs Institutions Temporary without producing the Intimations of His Will and that upon this Ground we may repeal all Institutions of Christianity c. But I pray whether doth not the Dr. in this Answer make our Lords Institution of the Apostolick Office Temporary as in its Nature suited to that Exigence of the Time and Infant State of the Church And whether he is not upon his own Ground obliged to produce the Intimation of our Lords Will hereanent And if he cannot produce it or rather doth hold it clearly intimat in the Nature of the Office it self then the Dr. must either confess our Exception and Answer to his premised Argument about a Succession to the Apostles to be valid and sound or this his Answer and Evasion to be nought and that he is therein contradictory to himself and liable to that Absurdity wherewith he charges us viz. Of making temporary and cassing all our Lords Institutions and over-ruling the Will of God by arrogant Presumption Which is the high-flown Imputation the Dr. puts upon our Answer But to bring this Matter to a short Issue and to strick out the Bottom of his great Notion and Topick The Power of the Keys or the Power of Order and Jurisdiction lying in authoritative Dispensing of Gospel Ordinances viz. The Preaching of the Word and Administration of the Sacraments together with the appendent Power of Disciplin and Government which was the substantial main Piece of the Apostolick Authority and Office and to be derived in a Succession as necessary for the Churches Preservation in all times we hold to be seated properly in the Pastoral Office which succeeds to that of the Apostles in the respect and for the end mentioned and in point of this Authority and Power we hold that any Pastor is equal to an Apostle which beside many other Reasons that might be adduced appears demonstratively by this Scripture Ground viz. That it is evident in Scripture that the Apostles in the first Constitution of Churches planted Presbyters or Pastors therein as the highest Ordinary Officers to feed with the Word and Government Acts 14.23 Tit. 1.5 with Act. 20.17 1 Cor. 5.4 12. v. compared with 2 Cor. 2.6 c. And not only so but left these Presbyters or Pastors as their immediat Successors committing the whole Government to them in their last Farewels to the Churches without the least hint of a Super-institution of any Officers of an higher Order Act. 20.17.18.28 1 Pet. 5.2 3 4. compared with 1 Thess. 5.12 13. c. Hence it may be thus Argued These whom the Apostles placed as Chief in the first Constitution of the Churches and left as their immediat Successors in their last Farewels which they gave to the Churches these have no ordinary Officers superior to them in the Church by Divine or Apostolick Warrant But the Apostles placed first Presbyters or Pastors feeding immediatly with the Word Doctrin and Government as their proper immediat Successors and to these they committed the Churches in their last Farewels Therefore the Pastor hath no ordinary superior Officer to him in Church Government by Divine or Apostolick Warrant Thus we see the utter Insufficiency of the Drs. Proof from this Argument anent the Seventy Disciples which may save us the labour of pursuing such Advantages as the Exact and Critical Disputant might have against him in his way of handling this Argument It is not clear from his Discourse whether he place these Seventy Disciples in the Office of Evangelists or of ordinary Ministers If he suppose and assert the First the Strength of his Argument is sufficiently Refuted by what is said above it being palpably absurd to infer different Degrees of the Pastoral Office from the Superiority of Apostles to Evangelists If the Second the Consequence is as absurd the many Prerogatives of Apostles above ordinary Pastors making such an Inference palpably ridiculous His Proof of the Succession of these Seventy to Apostles in their Office upon which he founds his Assertion of the Subordination of the one to the other is drawn from the Succession of Simeon to Iames at Ierusalem Philip to Paul at Cesarea Clemens to Peter at Rome In which he palpably falls short as to two essential Points thereof 1. He offers no Divine but an Human Testimony as to this Matter of Fact viz. of Dorotheus Eusebius 2. He offers no Proof from Scripture that the Persons instanced were of those Seventy mentioned Luk. 10. whom our Lord sent forth after the Twelve Apostles That the Apostles were chosen from among the Disciples or that they are first named in the Catalogue of Church Officers Ephes. 4. is a pitiful hungry Proof For the Dr. will not say that the Seventy were not also taken from among the number of Disciples or that all coming under this general Denomination were Church Officers And as to the other point of the Nomination of the Apostles first in the Catalogue of Church Officers even supposing it will import some special Prerogatives of these Twelve it is utterly remote from proving either First that these Seventy might not have been in the character of Evangelists and consequently had a correspondent Authority eo nomine Or Secondly That supposing them by their Mission to have had the same extensive Authority with the Twelve Apostles that the foresaid Prerogatives of Apostles did enervat this their Authority and Commission which was immediatly from our Lord as well as that of the Apostles and in its Nature and Extent never retracted or limited for any thing can be seen in Scripture For what the Dr. objects anent the Superiority of the Apostles over the Seventy as being in Office not in Power and Jurisdiction To which he answers That the Office including the Power must import a Superiority
in Power It is 1. here impertinent to the Purpose and Point he has to prove For upon supposition that both Offices were Extraordinary and Ceast even admitting a Superiority of Apostles to the Disciples it will never prove essentially different Degrees in the Pastoral Office as is said And 2. Admitting some special Prerogatives in the Apostolick Office above that of the Seventy with a special respect to their Gifts the Jurisdiction and Power of both the one and the other with a general Respect to Church Government and the great and standing Ends thereof might notwithstanding be of the same Nature and Extent It is also here very noticeable how the Dr. prevaricats p. 393. and falls off the Hinges of the Point when he makes it to ly in this That our Lord appointed a Superiority and Subordination between Ecclesiastick Officers Which in general he cannot but know that Presbyterians do accord unto since we hold the Pastoral Office to be above that of the Elder and that of the Elder above the Deacon Whereas the State of the Question and the Drs. Undertaking therein is anent a superior Order of Officers called Bishops to whom the Order of Pastors is subject and subordinat or essentially different Functions in the Pastoral Office or Degrees thereof Now to prove this special specifical Subordination instanced from a Subordination of Ecclesiastick Officers in general is to argue a genere ad speciem affirmative Est animal Ergo est homo By which Reasoning our poorest Tyrones in the Logicks would thus derid their Fellows I shall not say the Dr. for good Manners sake Es animal Ergo es brutum And so I dismiss the Drs. first Argument CHAP. II. The Drs Second Argument taken from the Practice of the Holy Apostles Examined THE Second Argument whereby the Dr. undertaks to prove the the Divine Right and Institution of Episcopacy is from the Practice of the Holy Apostles And this he prosecutes at large from p. 393. to p. 404. His Proofs may be thus generally summed up and run to this issue viz. That the Apostles did not only exercise that Superiority in their own Persons which their Office gave them over the inferiour Clergy but also derived it down with their Office to their Successors And that therefore they look not upon the Institution of their superior Office of Apostolate as a temporary Expedient only but as a standing Form of Ecclesiastick Government to be handed down to all succeeding Generations In Answer to which I do observe that the Dr. holds the Apostolick Office in a Formal Sense and in its proper Nature with all its Ingredients viz. immediat Mission universal unconfined Inspection infallible directive Power their Apostolick Power of Coertion by Judgments their Gifts of Tongues and Miracles c. all which were included in the Apostolick Office to be an ordinary standing Function in the Church and succeeded unto in this its whole Nature and Extent and as he expresses it Handed down to all succeeding Generations Wherein as the Dr. palpably contradicts not only clear Experience of all Generations the body of all Protestant Divines yea all Men of Sense that have ever bestowed their Thoughts upon this Subject but also his very Fellow-Pleaders in this Cause One of their late Writers of no small Repute in answer to this Objection viz. That the Apostles Superiority over the Seventy was Extraordinary and Temporary grants That in some Things their Priviledges were Extraordinary and to Cease with themselves instancing their immediat Calling their sending to all Nations their Infallibility their Gifts of Tongues or whatever was necessary for the first Founding of the Christian Church Clearly contradicting the Drs. absurd Assertion of a Succession to the Apostolick Office without all Limitation But it s no strang thing that Midianites deal Stroaks among themselves when encamped against Israel By that Superiority which their Office gave them over the inferior Clergy he must needs understand an Official Superiority proper the Apostles as such and without any Restriction as is said since he makes the Apostolick Office to be institut by our Lord as Ordinary and Perpetual and the Practice of the Apostles in this pretended Derivation of their Office â—o Successors to be pursuant to the Institution of our Saviour He holds there was nothing of the Office of Apostolate of a Temporary Nature or as suted to the Exigence of that Time that it was the very same Office without any Restriction or Limitation which they did transmit unto Successors Thus he expresly p. 394. Now to raze this Foundation of the Drs Proof let these Things be considered First That our Divines do Harmoniously assert the extraordinary Nature of the Apostolick Office as such and that they could not be Succeeded to in idem officium eundem gradum Particularly the Learned Polanus in his Syntag. lib. 7. Cap. 11. P. mihi 537.338.539 reckons up these their Prerogatives beyond ordinary Church Officers 1 Their immediat Institution by Christ therefore Paul was called from Heaven to be an Apostle 2 Their immediat Mission to Teach 3. Their Universal Legation to Plant and Found Churches through the World 2 Cor. 11. 4. It s visible Badg Viz conferring the Spirit by Laying on of Hands 5. Immunity from Error in Teaching 6. Their singular Right of Spiritual Coercing the Rebellious and extraordinary Authority hereanent and extraordinary Spiritual assistance 2 Cor. 10. 7. The Gift of Fore-telling Things to come Rom. 11.25 26. 2. Thess. 2.3 8. Their extraordinary Authority beyond any Successors as being over the whole Church c. It would consume much Time and Paper to set down the vast number of Testimonies correspondent to this and the thing were Superfluous All who are acquaint with our Writers being convinced hereof From hence we may thus Argue They whose Call whose special Work and Duties whose Qualifications for their Work are ceased their Office is ceased and they are not Succeeded therein But the Apostolick Call special Work and their proper Qualifications are ceased Ergo c. The Major is evident it consisting of a sufficient enumeration of ingredients to make up an Office and further undenyably Confirmed by this That our Divines take in these very things mentioned in the Definition of an extraordinary Office and as the evidences of it The Assumption is as evident the Appostles Call was immediat who will deny that this is ceased Their special Work and Duty as Apostles was to Plant Churches and the Gospel Ordinances and Government among them throughout the World and that by a special Commission intrusted to them of all which Churches they were in an immediat Sense and in actu exercito Officers And what Church Officer dare now arrogat that to himself Their Gifts Qualifications were extraordinary such as the working of Miracles Gifts of Tongues infallibility in Doctrin And can any deny that these are ceased Secondly Hence as whatever he would draw the Episcopal Preheminence from will necessarly
Quadratus Ignatius flourished let the Dr. observe this as to Ignatius here Cited by him may be truely called with Varro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or obscure wherein nothing that is certain has come to our Hands concerning the Affairs of Christians except some very few things which the Enemies of GOD has catched up by the way such as Suetonius and Corn. Tacitus Which gap that Eusebius might fill up he drew somethings without Discretion and choise out of the Hypotyposis or Examples of I know not what Clement for he is not that Learned Clement that wrote the Strommata and out of the Five Books of Hegesippus a Writer no better Let the Dr. observe this as to Hegesippus and Clement here Cited by him Yea and Hegisipus himself as he shews lib. 3. Cap. 28. Holds that immediatly after the Apostolick Age was gone tunc impii erroris conspiratio per seductionem eorum qui alienam Doctrinam tradebant initium caepit Error began to Spring and advance The Learned Iunius controv 3 lib. 10. Cap. 23. Not. 3. Mentions and proves an equivocal acceptation of the Word Bishop in the Writings of the Ancients The Learned Whittaker also will Inform the Dr. De Pont. Quest. 2. Cap. 15. That Patres cum Iacobum Episcopum vocant c. The Fathers when they call Iames Bishop or Peter take not the Name of Bishop properly but they call them Bishops of those Churches wherein they stayed for a time He adds That it is absurd to say that the Apostles were Bishops since he that is properly a Bishop cannot be an Apostle the Bishop being set over one Church and the Apostles Founders and overseers of many Churches Yea he is so Bold as to add further without craving Pardon of such as are of our Drs. Judgment That non procul distat ab insania c. It differs little from madness to say That Peter or any other Apostles were Bishops And to this purpose he speaks at large Cap. 3. Sect. 9. making good his Assertion from the unfixed extraordinary Nature of their Office who were to follow the Spirits conduct towards all places wherever they were called The Dr. might have also learned from Fran. Iunius Contr. 3. lib. 2. Cap. 5 the cause of the Error and mistake of the Ancients in terming the Apostles or Evangelists Bishops and drawing from them Supposititious patcht Catalogues of Bishops which are found contradictory to one another Viz. That such Ministers as they found in the Church Records more famous such they cull'd out to make up their Catalogues even tho they were contemporary and those they named Bishops in conformity to their own times whereas saith he there were many Bishops or Presbyters at once appointed by the Apostles in the Churches Hence has proceeded this Confusion in the Catalogues for instance they make Peter Bishop of Rome and having a Seat there a Fable contradicted by many of the Learned and proved by them to be such but whether Clement was First or Third and who or in what Order next after Succeeded them whether Linus or Anacletus is never yet cleared Some make Titus Bishop of Crete some Arch-Bishop some Bishop of Dalmatia Timothy and Iohn are made by many Bishops in the same Post at the same time Some say Polycarpus was First Bishop of Smyrna some make him to Succeed one Bucolus some make Aristo First Some give Alexandria one Bishop some Two at once See Append. ad jus Divinum Minist Evang. Clearing this at large The Dr. also should have done well to have considered the important difficulty offered by Iosephus Scaliger about the Succession of the Bishops of the Church of Ierusalem related by Didoclav Cap. 4. P. 123. wherein he proves Eusebius Relation to be contrary to our Lords Prophesie anent the Destruction of Ierusalem and to Iosephus's History As likewise what this Learned Author hath observed and written to invalidat the Credit of Eusebius's History and the discovery he has made of his many gross Errors therein as well as in other Points So that our Dr. and his Fellow-pleaders might have observed this their grand Magazin to be but a corrupt Treasure and Poisoned Fountain How Fabulous is the Epistle of Christ to Agbarus King of Edessa related by him That which Philo the Iew wrote of the Esseans a Sect among the Iews Eusebius affirms that he Wrote it of Christian Monks which Scaliger in his Elencho tri Haeresii hath convict of falsehood out of Philo himself He proves Peters Crucifixion at Rome by a Tomb-proof In the Computation of Times Scaliger observes his gross Errors Nay which is more considerable he discovers gross ignorance of Scripture in saying that the Cephas reprehended by Paul was not the Apostle Peter but another of the Number of the Seventy Disciples To which might be added many things in his personal Carriag and Qualities which doth weaken the Credit of his History as his presiding in the Council of Tyre against Athanasius and standing upon the Arrian side Scaliger in his Thesaurus temporum Animad P. 268 Sets down the Testimonies of the Ancients concerning his Errors and Arrianism wherein some affirm that he died When he Wrote the History he was in the Judgment of some an Arrian And even admitting the unexceptionableness of his History when first Written yet that it hath been corrupted by some ignorant Impostor is by Didoclav Cap. 4. P. 111. Demonstrat from this that he makes mention of Sozomen who was born an Hundred Years after his time Had the Doctor also Perused the Learned Reynolds he might have found that in his Epistle to Sir Francis Knolls he proves at large from Chrysostom Ierom Ambrose Augustin Theodoret and many others both Ancient and Modern Authors that in Scripture Presbyter and Bishop are all one The Epistles of Clement of the first Century are very pregnant against the Divine Right of Prelacy particularly his Epistle to the Philippians wherein he makes but Two Orders of Ministry Bishops and Deacons which he says the Apostles set up to propogat the Ordinances to Believers But I am too prolix in a Matter of it self clear and plain and which we may probably have occasion again to touch Only before I part with the Drs. First Instance I cannot but in this place observe and again leave it to the Readers consideration that the Dr. affirms this Apostleship which Iames did derive from the Twelve was only an Episcopal Inspection of the Church in Ierusalem A strang Apostleship indeed and so very far unlike and disproportioned to the Apostolick Office that he might as well affirm that any Curat of the Church of England when set over a Flock or Cure has an Episcopal Authority committed to him The Drs. Second Instance to prove the Apostles committing their Apostolick Authority to Successors is taken from Epaphroditus Philip. 2.25 Who is Styled the Apostle of the Philippians Citing Ierom on Gal. 1.19 Who shews that others were Ordained Apostles as Epaphroditus And
Theodtret holding that he was Constitut their Bishop I answer 1. Tho his Episcopal Authority over this Church of Philippi were granted to the Dr. it will never come up to prove his Point and Assertion of devolving the Apostolick Office upon him but rather proves the contrary it being evident both from the Nature of the Thing it self and in the Judgment of Judicious Divines that these Two Offices are incompatible and inconsistent and it is a greater degrading of the Office of Apostolat as it stands delineat in Scripture to restrict it to any Particular Church than to make the Primat of England Curat of any Parish 2. The Dr. doth grosly mistake this Denomination of Epaphroditus while making it Import his being their Bishop as is obvious to any that Reads the Text and will view Commentators upon the place as might be easily and at large made appear if our intended brevity did permit The Belgick Divines upon the Passage tells us That the Word Apostle signifies one who was Called and sent forth by Christ himself to Preach the Gospel through the whole World meaning in its Strict and Proper acceptation for clearing which they Cite Gal. 1.1 Eph. 4.11 And here the Dr. may observe how they take the Nature and Extent of the Apostolick Office Then they add But here it is taken more largely in General for one who is sent forth by any one to act any Thing in his Name or for him He was by the Philippians sent unto Rome to Paul to carry him that which they had Contribut for his Maintinance Citing Chap. 4.18 Where the Apostle shews that he had Received what was sent by Epaphroditus Which discovers the Folly of the Drs. gloss They add That if it be rendered their Teacher the Word is sometimes taken so in a General Sense for any kind of Teacher Rom. 16.7 Where the Phrase of Note among the Apostles doth import among them who Preached the Gospel here and there paralelling this with that of 2 Cor. 8.23 Where the Phrase of Messengers or Apostles in the Churches is ascribed to other Brethren together with Titus and imports only Messengers and Teachers So That altho the Phrase of your Messenger or Apostle were in this place admitted to import a Pastoral Relation to Philippi it is as far from coming up to a Proof of the Drs. Gloss as East from West Grotius upon the place shews that Graece loquentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocabant qui sacras pecunias colligebant atque portabant at Diximus ad Math. 10.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dixit Ignatius That the Word Apostle is here taken late or largly and for Honours cause put upon this Person as a Minister only is Asserted by Erasm. Simplicius Vorstius That he is thus called quia missus fuit cum Eleemosyna and that this is Confirmed by the ensuing Clause of Ministring to the Apostles wants has a large Harmony of great Judgments Thus Zanch. Simp. Estius Beza Collating this with 2 Cor. 8.23 For what the Dr. adds ubi supra of Ierem and Theodoret It is easily answered that the Word Apostle ot Bishop is by them used in a General Acceptation as might be cleared from many Passages of the Fathers especially Ierom holding that through the Apostolick times communi Concilio Presbyterorum Ecclesiae gubernabantur Thus in his Comment upon Titus where he proves this from Phil. 1. Act. 20. Heb. 13.17 1 Pet. 5. And if the Word Apostle in Scripture have this General Acceptation as we have heard why not also in the Writings of the Fathers The Drs Third Instance P. 398 is of Titus and some others whom the Apostle 2 Cor. 8.23 Calls Messengers or in the Greek Apostles of the Churches which the Dr. takes to hold out their Apostolick Authority over the same and will not have the Phrase to Import their Relation to these Churches whose liberality they carried Thereafter he Insists upon the Instance of Titus whose Episcopal Authority over Crete he endeavours to prove from the Epistle written to him To the Instance First in the General I Answer that the Drs. Sense of the Passage Cited is but his own Imagination without the least Shaddow of Ground in the Words or Context especially taking it to Import an Apostolick Authority in his Sense as might be cleared by multiplyed instances if needful We heard that the Pâ—lgick Divines take the Phrase to Import Teachers in a General Sense The Authors of part 2. Pool Annot. Thus Sense the Passage Viz That the Apostle calls Titus his Fellow-helper in the Business of the Gospel for the others he tells them they were such as the Churches thought fit to make their Messengers and had the Credit of the Churches whose Messengers they were since the Churches would not have Instructed them if they had not Judged them Faithful Both which Senses stands clearly cross to that which the Dr. Grounds upon And to discover further the weakness of his Reasoning even granting that this Text would Import a Fixed Episcopacy of Titus and these other Messengers over some Churches how doth it prove the Apostles devolving upon them the entire Apostolick Office in the same Nature and Extent as it was committed to the Twelve by our Saviour The Dr. will never be able to knit this Antecedent and Consequent by Scripture or Divine Reason And this being the Point he is all along undertaking to prove any may see how palpably he mistakes and misses his Mark in these Instances But now to examin the Drs. proof of Titus's Episcopacy these Things I do in general premise which do cut the Sinews of his or any others Arguings for the pretended Episcopacy of Timothy or Titus over these Churches 1. In Churches already constitut this Authority was not solely seated in them they were only to go before the Churches in wholesome Counsels in relation to the planting of Ministers not to do as they pleased excluding others as judicious Calvin expresses it Instit. lib. 4. cap. 3. since Paul himself neither imposed Hands nor Excommunicat alone in Churches constitut And a whole Colledge of Apostles had the ordinary Elders going along with them in a Synodal Procedure Act. 15. far less could Timothy or Titus assum this Episcopal Preheminence who were inferior to Apostles 2. After the Church of Ephesus was Exedified and Compleated in its Organick Beeing and after Timothy had gotten his Charge as to Ordination and Jurisdiction in Ephesus in the first Epistle directed to him wherein the Dr. and his Fellows hold him to be instructed with Episcopal Authority Paul committed the whole Episcopal Power and Charge to the Elders before Timothy's Face in his last Farewel to that Church calling these Elders the Bishops and enjoyning them the Exercise of their Authority as appointed by the Holy Ghost and this without the least Hint of any Inspection or Authority that Timothy had over them hereanent or of any relation they had to him in this Matter thus Act. 20. And
the same Judgment by necessary consequence we must make of Titus since the Dr. and his Fellows draw their proofs equally as to both from these Epistles 3. In these Epistles themselves their Power stands so described and circumstantiat as to Ordination and Jurisdiction over these Churches as it clearly excluds an Episcopal Preheminence and Authority For First As Diocesan Bishops they ought to have been designedly set and fixed as Officers in these Churches but the contrary appears in the Text I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus saith Paul to Timothy And again to Titus I left thee at Crete and to set in order things that are wanting Which words point at an occasional transient Imployment there not a fixed Instalment Secondly In these Epistles they are both called back without the least intimation of their returning Thirdly If their Power was Episcopal and Ordinary then in the Apostles Prescriptions and Rules anent their Successors the Power and Authority of these Successors ought to have been described and Rules given touching the Gifts Call Ordination c. of the Diocesan Bishop especially since the Dr. holds that the Description of and Authorizing such a Bishop is the great scope of both these Epistles and he will not say that this Office was to die with Timothy and Titus But so it is that the Apostle prescribs no Rules for any Church Officer higher than a Pastor and supposes still that he is the highest Ordinary Church Officer in all his Rules and Prescriptions in point of Church Government delivered either in these Epistles or any where else in Scripture Fourthly As Timothy is expresly called an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4.5 and consequently Titus is supposed to hold the same Office so this Office in the Judgment of Protestant Divines is acknowledged and held to be Extraordinary and Expired as that of the Apostles The Work and Exercise thereof consisting in a planetary Motion to Water where the Apostles Planted to bring Instructions from the Apostles to the Churches touching the Duties of both Pastors and People and Reports of the Churches State to the Apostles So their Office supposing the Churches in fieri as to their Organick Beeing in a great measure at least and also the Existence and Exercise of the Apostolick Office they must needs be as the Apostles themselves Extraordinary Officers And in special Timothy and Titus accompanying Paul in his Travels and continual planetary Motion being so clearly held out in Scripture concluds the Impossibility of their being fixed to any Station and proves that Character given to them by Ambrose as Evangelists viz That they did Evangelizare sine Cathedra Their continual planetary Motion is by some largly described from the Apostolick Epistles and the Acts of the Apostles Thus first Timothy is found at Berea with Paul Act. 17.14 then at Athens v. 15. thence Paul sends him to Thessalonica 1 Thess. 3.1 2. Then having been at Macedonia with Paul he came to him to Corinth Act. 18.5 Then he is with him at Ephesus and thence sent to Macedonia Act. 19.22 whether Paul went after him and was by him accompanied into Asia Act. 20. He is with him at Troas v. 5. and at Miletus v. 17. where Paul gave the Elders of Ephesus their last Charge as the Bishops of that Church And after this he is found either in Journeys or absent from Ephesus For after he is found a Prisoner with Paul at Rome being mentioned as his Companion in these Epistles written while Paul was there as the Epistle to the Philippians Philip. 1.1 Philem. v. 1. Col. 1.1 And he is never found again at Ephesus But towards the end of the Apostles Pilgrimage is sent for to Rome So Titus is found at Ierusalem before he came to Crete Gal. 2.1 thence is sent for to Nicopolis Tit. 3.12 then to Corinth Then he is expected at Troas 2 Cor. 2.12 13. and meets with Paul at Macedonia 2 Cor. 7.6 whence he is again sent to Corinth 2 Cor. 8.6 And after this near the time of Paul's Death is found at Rome from whence he went not to Crete but to Dalmatia 2 Tim. 4. 10. And after this is not heard of in Scripture So that whether we consider 1. The various Journies 2. The order of them 3. The time spent in them 4. The nature of their Imployment which was as the Apostles Co-adjutors to negotiat the Affairs of the Churches where they travelled and especially the Scripture-silence of their being Bishops of any one Church their supposed Episcopal Authority in these Churches of Ephesus and Crete doth palpably appear to be an Anti-scriptural groundless Fiction This Conclusion upon the premised accurat Search and Scripture account of Timothy and Titus is thus inferred by the reverend and learned Divines in their Conference at the Isle of Wight The Authors of Ius divinum minist Evangel In whose Words I have represented this Account both because of the judicious Concisness thereof and also because these Peices are but in few Hands These things thus premised its easie to discover the Absurdity of the Drs reasoning from his Third Instance to prove an Apostolical Authority Devolved upon Titus His Proof is from Chap. 1.5 For this Cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and Ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee From whence the Dr. First Argues That Paul gave him the Supream Judgment in things that were wanting with an absolut Power to Reform and Correct them It is Answered 1 mo Tho an Episcopal inspection over this Church were granted the Dr. is infinitly behind in his Proof of Paul's devolving upon Titus an Apostolical Authority in the Scripture Sense and Extent as we have often told him 2 do Upon supposition of that which we have before made good Viz That both Paul as an Apostle and Titus as an Evangelist had extraordinary Offices and suted to such a Case and exigence of the Christian Church as is now gone off this direction and Command proper and peculiar to the one and the other as Apostle and Evangelist and supposing this Exigence of the Church can lay no Foundation of the Duty of Ordinary Officers 3 tiâ— By what consequence can the Dr. infer an Episcopal Authority and Inspection from these prescriptions to Titus unless he can prove the absolut seclusion of Ministers from the Work here enjoyned or any interest therein in Churches Constitut For as for what they did in the Constitution of Churches in fieri is not to the purpose I mean in respect of the Organick being especially since we find that the laying on of Hands in Ordination and the Authority thereof is in Scripture held out to be competent to a Presbytrie which they exercised upon Timothy himself one of our Drs supposed Apostles or Bishops and that tho Paul was present 1 Tim 4.14 2 Tim. 1.6 So that it is evident that neither Timothy nor Titus were instructed with any singular
Episcopal Authority in this Matter among Churches Constitut in their Organick Beeing In the 4 th place the Drs absurd Assertion of a Supreme and Absolut Power to Reform and Correct drawn from this Passage doth obviously appear to the meanest Reflection For 1. The Apostles themselves arrogat no absolut or supreme Power Paul disowns a Dominion and asserts a Ministerial Authority only competent unto him 1 Cor. 4.1 2 Cor. 1.24 I had alwise thought that in the Judgment of all Protestants yea of all Men of Sense who ever read the Scriptures there is none hath a supreme Iudgment or absolut Power over the Church of God but He who is the Churches Head and Husband there being but one Lord and all Ministers being Brethren one Master of the House of God who hath Dominion over the Ordinances under whom even Apostles are but Stewards and Servants which I suppose none if not this Dr. will deny 2. It s strang that in reading this Passage the Drs. Eyes and Thoughts could not fix upon and ponder the important last Clause of the Words viz As I had appointed thee which doth very clearly suppose and import both the Apostles superior Authority to Titus and his restricting him to his Rules and authorizing Information in this Matter And how these can consist with Titus's supreme Iudgment herein and absolut Power will sute the Drs. greatest Skill to prove and demonstrat In a word this odd Inference of such a supposed Power in Titus is disowned by all sound Interpreters as might be easily made appear And in special the Belgick Divines tells us upon this Passage That Titus was not to perform this by his own Authority and good Pleasure only as the Dr. holds but according to the Order which the Apostle prescribed and did observe himself paralelling this with 1 Tim. 4.14 where it appears that the Elders concurred with Paul in Timothy's Ordination And this last Clause of the Verse they render As I commanded thee The Drs. Second Proof of Titus's Apostolick Authority is P. 399 That he is authorized to ordain Elders in every City And there being Presbyters and Elders in Crete left by the Apostle before Titus was left there who yet had no power to Ordain else Titus's power of Ordination had been in vain and an invasion of their power as a Preshytry Therefore this power of Ordination was competent to Titus only not to Presbyters especially since it is extended not only to Ordination of Elders but also to Rebuking with Authority to the Correction of Offenders with the Rod of Excommunication chap. 2.15 To Admonish Hereticks and to Reject them from Communion of the Church if obstinat chap. 3.10 From all which the Dr. concluds his Apostolat in the Church of Crete to be the same that the first Apostles themselves had in the several Churches planted by them I Answer 1. The Dr. doth nothing but here again beg the Question and argue ex ignoratione elenchi and this one point being but supposed That the Office of Apostles and Evangelists was Extraordinary and we may justly suppose it having above made it good this Arguing appears mere puerile Sophistry But 2. To come more closly to the Drs. Arguing As for the laying on of Hands in Ordination we have told him That it is a Presbyterian Act competent to mere Presbyters And therefore neither Timothy nor Titus could have a Sole or Episcopal Authority therein unless the Dr. will make the Scripture inconsistent with it self Next as for his Authority in his Rebuking and Censures supposed in these Directions I answer That neither can this be Titus's sole Prerogative For either it is meant of a private Rebuke and this every Christian hath Authority in thou shalt in any wise Rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him Levit. 19.17 or of a Ministerial Rebuke and this is competent to every Minister of the Word Isa. 58.1 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Tit. 1.13 2 Sam. 12.7 And besides Institutions and Reproofs of Church Officers will not prove a fixed Episcopal Power Prophets Rebuked but had no Jurisdiction over Priests nor Paul over Peter tho he reproved him Moreover we find the Authority to receive Accusations and to Correct Delinquents by Reproofs and Censures competent to the Juridical Courts and Church Mat. 18.16 17. 1 Cor. 5.4 5. Gal. 6.1 2. 1 Thess. 5.12 In which places a judicial Rebuke and Admonition is attributed to the Juridical Court of Pastors not to one Prelat not uni but unitati 3. As for the Drs. Notion of a supposed existence of Elders in that Church who had no power of Ordination else this Prescription which the Apostle gives Titus to Ordain had been fruitless and an Invasion of their Power in the Drs. Judgment I deny his Consequence as having no twist of a Connection For 1. Upon supposition of Apostles or Evangelists extraordinary Offices Pauls instructing Titus and his Authority in Ordination thereupon was a power and Authority Cumulative unto but not Privative of the Ordinary Officers and Elders their standing and ordinary Authority herein It being certain that this Authority of Apostles and Evangelists as is above described could not bevoided whatever advance of Gospel Ordinances there was in Churches these extraordinary Officers had still their Authority and Inspection vigent I suppose the Apostle Paul had in the presence of Titus the Bishop of Crete in the Drs. sense ordained Ministers or Elders in this Church will he own the consequence that this did nullify Titus's Authority herein as Bishop Surely not And thus he must acknowledg our Plea to be clear as to the reserved Authority of Pastors or Elderships notwithstanding of the Apostolical Prescriptions instanced 2. Elders once ordained its true have power to ordain Elders yet the bene esse did call for the Inspection and Direction of such highly gifted and extraordinary Officers as Evangelists and their interposed Authority in that infant-state of the Church wherein Apostolick Precepts and Rules in reference to Government were to be delivered to the Churches and practised accordingly And in a word the Dr. neither hath nor can prove that Titus did ordain here alone or solely perform any other authoritative Act where Elders were present and the Churches reduced to an Organick Mould and Form which is the consentient Judgment of sound Protestant Divines Judicious Calvin upon the place will tell him That Titus here acted only as a President or Moderator which is clearly evinced from the Authority and Power of Elderships asserted in Scripture And we may retort upon the Dr. thus If neither Apostles nor Evangelists extraordinary and highly gifted Officers did exercise their Power to the prejudice of standing Elderships or juridical Courts of Pastors much less ought any ordinary Church Officer arrogat such a Dominion and Authority over the Courts of Christ and Judicatories of His Church when the Office of Apostles and Evangelists is ceased I need not here stand further to tell the Dr. That the power of
send it back to the Dr. with a Censure of Impertinency till it be returned with a Testimonial of a better proof than of his bare Assertion and ipse dixit The Dr. enquires how we can argue a perpetual power of Ordination in the Church from the Ordination of Timothy and Titus citing Ius divinum Minist Evang. p. 159.167 if the Office they were ordained to were not perpetual And if perpetual then so is Episcopacy nothing different therefrom Answ. We hold the Ordination instanced to examplifie a Presbyterian Ordination as well as in General a Power of Ordination in the Church Timothy's Ordination having this Scripture account that it was by Laying on of the Hands of the Presbytrie which Power and Authority of a Presbytrie the Apostle Paul's presence and his Imposition of Hands tho supposed doth rather Strengthen than invalidat since neither the Eminent Gifts of Timothy nor his designment for such an Eminent Office nor Paul's Imposition of Hands the Great Apostle of the Gentiles did Swallow up or exclud the Presbytries Ordinary Power and Authority but Timothy must pass through this Door of a Presbytries Authoritative Ordination and Imposition of Hands in order to the Exercise of his Office therefore much more doth this Authority belong to the Presbytrie now when the Office of Apostles and Evangelists is ceased And for Titus's Ordination in an active Sense or his Ordination of Elders the Apostle tells him expresly Chap. 1.5 the Passage wherein the Dr. places his Chief Strength that it was to be performed according to the Apostles appointment which appointment in the Sense of our Divines is none other else than that which himself examplified and is Intimat 1 Tim. 4.14 2 Tim. 1.6 i. e. with Authoritative concurrence of the Presbytrie or Eldership So that Titus had no Episcopal Authority therein notwithstanding of his Evangelistick extraordinary Office And this is invincibly made good in opposition to the Drs Design and pleading in that the Apostle in the same very Text wherein he enjoins Titus to ordain Elders doth identify and make one and the same the Office of the Bishop and Elder which were a mere implicantia in terminis if the Apostle in this Precept did Authorize or enjoyn the Drs. supposed Prelatical Power in Ordination as Competent to an higher Order of Bishops Superior to Prerbyters For the Drs. asserting the Office of Episcopacy and that of Timothy to be one and the same he therein beggs thâ— Question and supposes what he has to prove The Office of the Prelat and Evangelist being so vastly different as we have already made appear And therefore his Reason and Argument is pitifully absurd from our assertting the Power of Ordination as inherent to the Church upon the Ground of the Apostles Ordaining Presbyters and Evangelists to conclud the standing Office of Prelatical inspection or Ordination The Dr. should also know that the asserting that a Church Officer such as an Apostle hath an extraordinary Authority conversant about Ordination can neither infer that the Power of Ordination it self is extraordinary and expired nor that every Person Ordained hath an ordinary standing Function Which the â—postles extraordinary Authority in the first Planting of Presbyters while the Churches were in fieri as to their Organick Being their Ordaining Evangelists extraordinary Officers together with their exercing extraordinary Gifts and Authority as well in their Actings of the Power of Order and Preaching with Miraculous Gifts of Tongues and Confirming their Doctrins with Miracles as in Point of Jurisdiction their Extraordinary Censures above exprest doth evince and make evident The extraordinary Mission of the Twelve Apostles hath derived from it a Ministry and Ecclesiastick Authority diffused and spread among all the ' Church Officers in the World none of which doth Succeed them into the same formal Office So Timothy's Evangelistick extraordinary Authority is derived handed down into and seated in a Presbytrie tho the Evangelistick Office is extraordinary and as such not Succeeded unto The Service and Work of Teaching and Governing to continue in all Ages and in all times doth not render the Apostolick Mission or Commission ordinary nor infer their being Succeeded in idem Officium eundem Ministerii gradum the ordinary Power being Institut and settled in the Hands of ordinary Officers by a New warrand and Commission according to the Scripture Rules of Ordination The Office of Moses was not rendered ordinary because many Works of Government exercised by him were recommitted to the Elders of Israel and so the Case is here The Evangelists extraordinary Office and Commission necessary as that of the Apostles for the First founding of the Churches for Watering the Apostles Plantation Building up the Churches in their Organick being and settling all the ordinary Officers thereof is changed into the Presbytries ordinary Collegiat Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction which we find was in the Apostolick Church exercised and even in this of Ephesus For the Drs Proofs from Antiquity upon this head and touching Timothies Episcopacy over Ephesus they are sufficiently obviat by what is said above and in special by what we have offered and evinced anent the Fathers various acceptation of the Names of Bishop and Apostle The Dr. brings an Anonymous Author to prove that Timothy was Enthroned forsooth Bishop of the Metropolis of Ephesus by Paul A pityful Proof indeed and fit only for a nameless Author It being evident by the best searchers of Antiquity that the Office of Metropolitans had not a Being till several Ages after Timothy For Chrysostom his asserting that Timothy was intrusted with a Church or whole Nation If we shall assert that this is applicable to his transient or temporary Evangelistick Trust in correspondence to the extensive Office of Apostleship it says nothing to our purpose And the Dr. should know that Chrysostom upon Tit. 1.5 makes the Office of Bishop and Presbyter one and the same and therein cuts the Sinews of the Drs. design and arguing For other Authors who do call Timothy together with other Bishops then in being Apostles which the Dr. further Pleads it doth sufficiently evince what is said above of their improper equivocal acceptation of the Term since no person of Sense who ever Read the New Testament can take the Office of Apostle as delineat in Scripture to be applicable to Timothy far less to ordinary Bishops fixed in certain Posts Nay the Dr. himself and in contradiction to himself doth unawares bewray this in his Greek Citation of Theodoret who asserts that the Twelve Apostles were more strictly called so or rather according to the Truth of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostles according to Truth or in very deed Clearly importing that the Name appropriat to other Officers was but used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or improperly as any Minister or Messenger of Christ may be thus called And if this be Theodorets general Rule as the Dr calls it that the Twelve Apostles were only such
Moderators had no Authority over the Presbytrie tho ordinarly thus termed And which clears this to Conviction Polycarp himself in his Epistle to the Philippians makes but two Orders of Ministry viz. Elders and Deacons as the Apostle Paul doth in his Epistle to the same Church and exhorts them to be subject to the Presbyter as unto God and unto Christ. And sure the Dr. will not make him cross this in his practice so that he falls utterly short of proving an Episcopacy of his Mould much more a derived Apostolat from these blind Testimonies The Dr. adds That it cannot be imagined that all Churches would have universally admitted Bishops in Ignatius's time the Apostles being alive had not some of them derived their Authority from the Apostles immediatly But 1. The Dr. hath given no shadow of proof for this universal Reception For I pray what proof is this Such and such Authors say there were Bishops in such and such Posts or rather put this general name upon such Persons Therefore the Christian Church received the Hierarchical Prelat universally or the Prelat with sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction as an Officer of Divine Institution For besides that the Dr. will never prove from the bare Assertion anent Bishops that they were of his Cutt and Mould the contrary being apparent especially in these early Times And many Fathers asserting the Identity of the Office of Bishop and Presbyter he must prove and instruct the universal Judgment and Practice of all the Churches as to the Reception of the Hierarchical Bishop of his Mould before this Assertion can be made good 2. The Dr. cannot deny Scripture Instances of the very early Reception of Corruptions in the Church both under the Law and Gospel As in the times of the Old Testament he knows the early Reception of the Idolatry of the Golden Calf by the Church of Israel together with Aaron himself but Forty Days after the delivery of the Law from Mount Sinai And besides many such Instances in the Old Testament we have Scripture Instances of the Devils sowing his Tares early in the Church of the New Testament such as the Error about the Resurrection the worshipping of Angels Justification by the works of the Law the necessity of Circumcision and other Ceremonies the Error of the Nicolaitans c. And look a little forward in the early times of the Church we will find Errors Traditions pretended to be received from the Apostles and owned by some of the Fathers themselves which notwithstanding the Dr cannot but acknowledg to be Errors Such as the Millâ—nary Error the Error of Children's receiving the Lords Supper c. whereof afterward The Dr. thinks it inconsistent with the Churches veneration to the Apostle Iohn that they should receive a new Order of Men without his Authority But this Universal reception of such an Order as the Dr. supposes is not yet proved Besides that the Dr's supposition of this impossibility of such a corruption early creeping in because of some Apostles or even of Iohn yet alive he will find not to be solid when he ponders duely the working of the Mystrie of iniquity and the Seeds of a Papacy even in Paul's time and a Diotrophes seeking Preheminence even in Iohn's time yea and directly contradicting and opposing the Holy Apostle The Dr. should know that it is not the slippery Principle of a supposed impossibility of this Nature while the Apostles were alive that we must found our Perswasion upon but the lively Oracles and living Doctrin of the Apostles is our Rule and whatever Doctrin or practice is cross thereunto tho all the Church should receive it yea tho an Angel from Heaven Preach it we ought to reject it and might call that Angel accursed For what the Dr. adds out of Bishop Taylor of Episcopacy Sect. 18. That de facto the Apostles with their own Hands Ordained several Bishops over Churches Viz Dion Areop Bishop of Athens Caius of Thessalonica Archippus of Coloss Onesimus of Ephesus Epaphroditus of Phillippi Titus of Corinth c. I Answer the Dr. does well to add the Caution if Credit might be given to Ecclesiastick History And truely this History must be of mighty force that must be believed against clear Scripture and the Credit and belief founded thereupon must needs be distinct from that Faith which God allows Nay the Drs. Credit of such History must needs set him at odds with himself For as to the First we find the Apostle Paul enjoyning the Church of Thessalonica Obedience to their Pastors jointly as their Spiritual Rulers and Governours without the least hint of any Super-eminent Prelat and enjoining to these Rulers Authoritative admonition of the Flock 1 Thess. 5.12.14 And will this Bishop and our Dr. Charge such a Contradiction upon the Apostle Paul as to settle a Presbytrie of Pastors in that Church with Authority to Rule and Govern while this Authority and Power is entrusted unto one Bishop or to take it afterward from them and put it in the Bishops Hands How I pray shall we believe such History against such plain Scripture And whether I pray deserves most our Credit the Apostles Divinly inspired Epistle enjoyning Obedience to the Pastors of that Church of Thessalonica jointly as their Spiritual Rulers and Guids or an after Apocryphal History declaring that this Authority was by the Apostles appointment monopolized in one Bishop either at that time or thereafter set up and Ordained by Paul Whether are we to believe the Scripture account of the State and Government of the Church of Ephesus as entrusted by Paul in his last farewel to the inspection and Government of the Elders jointly as the Bishops thereof Authorized by the Holy Ghost or an Historical account of Onesimus as their sole Bishop who had this Power Monopolized in him in Contradiction to the Apostles last prescriptions unto that Church either at that time or thereafter I dare pose this Dr. or any man of Sense and Candor upon it And whether upon such ground as this we might not cast off all Divine Institutions and receive all fopperies and Superstitions which Man 's wicked Heart by Satans influence might suggest The like might be said of Philippi the Apostle in the Preface of his Epistle to that Church saluting the Bishops as their Pastors in common calling all the Ministers Bishops and thus applying to them that Name and Office which the Dr. and his Fellows will needs appropriat to a Prelat And sure Paul writing by instinct of the un-erring Spirit of God gave not empty complemental Titles to these Pastors or Bishops but supposes them to have a standing joint Authority over that Church as the Spiritual Guids and Rulers thereof And it is a fearful and Gross imputation upon the Wisdom of God to suppose that either now or afterwards such a pretended Prelat as the Dr. maintains either had or was to have by Divine appointment all this Authority of the Pastors enhansed
Government that it occasioned Schisms For upon supposal of the soundness of Ierom's Scripture proofs the parity of Bishop and Presbyter being the mind of Christ and his Apostles this Government could never give ground to Schisms nor could the Church warrantably alter it upon any such pretence So that whensoever and by whomsoever the change was made it was made contrary to the revealed will of the great Law-giver The Second Point of unsoundness the Dr. is Chargable with is that in the beginning of his discourse upon Ierom's Testimony he professes that he will not disput with us the Sense of this Passage but allow it to bear our Sense Yet in several of his Answers he impugns our Sense Especially his 4.5 6. and not only our Sense but the Sense of sound Protestant Divines as is above evident His Conceit about Ierom's making the Decree or Custom he speaks of to be the Schism at Corinth which is his Fourth exception and his Supposition That Jerom by toto orbe decretum understands a formal joint Decree of the whole Church not a gradual Custom and that Jerom makes the Church to redress upon necessary grounds the Government appointed by Christ and his Apostles and thus to impeach his Divine Wisdom which are his other exceptions All these I say as they are Distortions of Jerom's sense so directly opposit to the Sense given by us and by all sound Divines yea and such as have been long since refuted by Protestant Writers in Answer to Popish glosses and exceptions with whom our Dr. and his Fellows does here join Issue So that we may judg of the affinity of both their Causes by the near cognation of their Pleadings CHAP. IV. The Dr 's Fourth Argument Examined taken from our Saviour's alledged allowance and Approbation of Episcopal Government in his Epistles to the Seven Asian Churches WE do now proceed to the Dr's last Argument to prove That the rightful Government of the Church is Episcopal taken from our Saviours Allowance and Approbation thereof in his Seven Epistles to the Seven Churches of Asia directed to the Seven Angels called Seven Stars in His Right Hand or the Seven Lights of the Seven Churches Rev. 1.20 and 2.1 And in every Epistle owned as his Angels and Messengers The Dr. tells us that if he can prove them to be Seven Bishops presiding over Clergy and Laity of these Churches at that time they are unanswerable instances of Christs Allowance and Approbation of the Episcopal Order This trite and often Baffled Argument taken from the supposed Episcopal Power of the Seven Asian Angels has been so frequently scanned and tossed by Writers on this Controversie that the Dr. since he makes here such a Parade should either have brought some new Strength upon the Field or offered an Answer to the many clear returns given to this Argument However to clear our way in examining what the Dr. says upon this head which is nothing else but some Old Musty stuff repeated I premise two things 1. That the Collective Sense of the term Angel is most suitable to Scripture and the Scope of these Epistles 2. That allowing the Angels to be single Persons will nothing help the Drs. design and pleading For the First that the collective Sense of the term Angel is most suitable to Scripture and the Scope of these Epistles appears thus 1. This suits best the Stile of this Book which is by mystick visional Representations to includ many individuals As one singular so all the individuals of the Church both Members and Officers are represented by One Candlestick And why not also all the Ministers by one Angel A term which of it self and in this place imports no Jurisdiction properly but is immediatly referred to the Angelical frame and qualities of Ministers 2. This is also suitable to the style of this Book as it is Epistolare the Address may be to one but it will give no Authority to that one over the rest As an Address from the King to a Speaker in Parliament will give the Speaker no Jurisdiction and Authority over his Fellow-Members When our Lord said unto Peter only expresly not to the rest of his fellow-Disciples I will give unto thee the Keyes c. who but brutish and partially affected Papists will conclud that he was Prince or Primate over the Apostles And that they had not and even by this promise an equal Authority with him in the use of the Keys This the Dr. must acknowledg unless he will justify the Popes Pleading from this Text. 3. This is suitable to Scripture Prophetick Writings and to this Book as such to represent many Individuals by one singular The Four beasts the Twenty Four Elders do not signify so many individual persons The singular Names of Woman Beast Whore Dragon signify a collection of many individuals So the one Spirit of God is called the Seven Spirits with reference to his manifold operations Dan. 8.20 One Ram signifies many Kings of the Medes and Persians He that will not hearken to the Priest Deut. 17.12 i. e. The Priests in the plural So the Priests Lips should keep knowledg and the Law sought at his Mouth Mal. 2.7 Here also the Priest for Priests in the Plural Blest is that Servant whom the Lord c. i. e. Those Servants Particularly as to the term Angel It is said Psal. 34. that the Angel of the Lord encampeth about the Godly i. e. many Angels since they are all Ministring Spirits to them 4. It is suitable to Scripture and this Book to represent an indefinit number by a definit Thus all Iudahs Adversaries are represented by the Four Horns Zech. 1.18 All the Godly and the Ungodly are represented by the Five Wise and by the Five Foolish Virgins The Seven Angels standing before God Represents all the Angels Ch. 8. of this Book for in Ch. 7. mention is made of all the Angels who do thus stand And with the same indefinitness we are to understand the Septenarie number frequently elsewhere as the Seven Pillars which Wisdom Hews out Prov. 9. The Seven Pastors or Shepherds Micah 5. The Seven Eyes Zech. 3. And in this very Book Ch. 4.5.15 The Seven Candlesticks Lamps Viols 5. As we find the Scripture and this same Apostle First Naming a Multitude and then contracting it into a Singular as 2 Ioh. 7. v. Many deceivers are entred into the World Then This is a Deceiver and an Antichrist And sometimes the Individual in one Sentence turned into a Multitude as 1 Tim. 2.15 She shall be saved i. e. the Woman bearing Children if they continue in Faith and Charity i. e. such Women in general So this single Angel is turned into many and spoken to in the Plural in one and the same Epistle Thus Rev. 2.24 Unto you I say and unto the rest in Thyatira Rev. 2.10 We find John changing the singular Angel into a Multitudâ— Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast
some of you into Prison that ye may be tryed In a word what ever Characteristick of this Angel the Dr. shall produce we can make it appear to be applicable to Presbyters or Pastors First Is it a Commission to Preach and Baptize This he will grant belongs to all Pastors Is it the Power of Ordination The Scripture shews us that this is Seated in a Presbytrie 1 Tim. 4.14 Matth. 18.17 Is it the Ruling Governing Power All Ministers are such Angels All that Watch for Souls do Rule over them and all Labourers in the Word and Doctrin have an equal joynt Interest in Feeding Censuring and Ruling in the Churches over which they are set Heb. 13.17 1 Thess. 5.12 And People are accordingly to submit themselves to them Therefore this Prostasie and Ruling Power is no sole Prerogative of a single Angel or supposed Bishop Thus it was with the Church of Ephesus Act. 20. And it is much more suteable to understand the Angel of Ephesus of a Plurality of Ministers to whom in a plain Scripture the whole Government is found intrusted rather than to Explain that plain Text by a Metaphor and contrary thereunto to set up one Angel or Diâ—cesan Bishop over that Church with sole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction The Dr. will find this our Sense of the Angel to be no new Opinion when he considers that Augustin Homil. 21. upon this Book thus takes it Expounding the Angel of Thyatira the Praepositi Ecclesiarum or Governours of the Churches So Aretas Lib. 1. Cap. 1.2.9.10 Primas in Apoc. Cap. 2. Ambros. Ambert Anselm Pererius Victorin Tirin Haym Bed Perkins Fox in his Meditations on the Revelation pag. 7 8. Pilkintoun Bishop of Durham in his Exposition of Hag. Ch. 1. v. 13. The second thing I premise is that the Dr. hath no advantage tho it be yielded that the Angel is a single Person For 1. He may be the Angelus Praeses or the Moderator Angel not the Angelus Princeps or the Lord Angel yea and the Praeses or Moderator for the time as a Speaker in Parliament Ephesus had many Angels Act. 20.28 1 Tim. 5.17 of equal Authority who were made Bishops by the Holy Ghost and set over that Church accordingly and they are spoken to in the Plural though the Angel is named in the Singular Number 2. This Angel is said to have no Jurisdiction or Superiority over the rest of the Ministers nor can the Dr. shew where this Angel is spoken to with reference to Ministers as subject to him which notwithstanding is his begged Supposition and Petitio Principii all along in this Argument 3. The Parochial and Diocesan Division of the Churches were long after this and not until the 260 year after Christ in the Judgment of best Antiquaries 4. Nothing is required of this Angel but that which is the common Duty of all Pastors Finally suppose it were granted to him that a Superiority were imported in Naming this Angel it may be a Superiority of Order Dignity or Gifts and in such Moral Respects not of Power and Jurisdiction The Dr in Order to this his Scope proposes generally the Method of his Proof shewing That he will prove that they were single Persons 2 ly That they were Persons of great Authority in these Churches 3 ly That they were the Bishops or Presidents of these Churches Before I examin his Proofs it is pleasant to consider how well this Undertaking of the Dr. answers his Scope which all along in this Dispute is to prove a Succession of ordinary Officers in the Office of Apostolat as he calls it and in their whole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction excluding Pastors from the least Interest therein By his Principles these supposed Succeeding Prelats are the sole Governours of Churches have the sole Legislative Power wherein he says the Essence of Government consists the Power of Consecration and Ordination to Ecclesiastick Offices and that of the same Nature and Extent as he supposes the Apostles had it by vertue of their Apostolical Mission The Bishops also have by his Principles the sole Executive Spiritual Jurisdiction Monopolized in them as their peculiar Prerogative viz. as the Dr. explains it to Cite Examin Admonish Offenders Exclud from or Admit to Church Communion Censure or Absolve Bind or Loose The twelve Thrones to Judg Israels Tribes promised to Apostles he understands of the Authority of Judging and of all Spiritual Jurisdiction in the Church Visible committed to them and by them to the Bishops as their only Successors in this Authority To which we may add the Confirming of the Baptized by Imposition of Hands which he also ascribes to them as their sole Prerogative This the Dr. at large insists upon from P. 433. to P. 438. Now to prove all these Prerogatives of the Bishops and this Extensive Power so paramount to all Authority or Interest of Pastors in Government as it renders them mere Cyphers without a Figure from the seven Asian Angels Because they were single Persons or of great Authority in the Churches or President-Bishops in these Churches is such a Proof as the Simplest may Laugh at For 1. Will any Man think that their being Saluted as single Persons will prove this Extensive Authority Why may not a Senate be Saluted in the Consuls a Parliament Addressed in the Chancellor or the House of Commons in an Epistle to the Speaker 2 ly Say that they were Presidents and admit that they had Deference and Authority as such as the Consul in the Senate will this suppose or by any Shadow of Consequence or Connection inferr that they had such a Power as is here described and such as swallows up wholly and absolutly all Authority of the Members of Church Judicatories Nay the Dr. will as soon joyn the Poles together as unite this Antecedent and Consequent Besides in calling them Presidents he discovers this and confutes himself since the Terme both Name and Thing in all Languages and in the Sense of all Men is appropriat to such as are set over Juridical Courts Civil or Ecclesiastick the Members whereof are still supposed to have a Decisive Suffrage and Interest in the Government Again 3 ly The Dr. says he will prove that they were Persons of great Authority in these Churches But if he speak to the Point and prosecut his Scope he must call it Absolute and Sole Authority intirely exclusive of all Interest which Pastors or any other Church Officers may claim therein Come we to the Dr's Grand Proofs First That they were single Persons he proves from this That they are mentioned as such the Angel of Ephesus the Angel of Smyrna And thus all along Addrest in the Singular Number I know thy Works I have a few things against thee Ans. This Argument is abundantly removed by what is premised anent the Collective Sense of the Word Angel which our Lords Addressing the the Epistle to one Angel doth no whit Impugn in the sense of sound Protestant
good of the Church in general so by their own Authority for particular Churches to which they were more particularly related Here is I must say odd and confused stuff First The Dr. supposes that the Decree Act. 15. had no previous Scripture Foundation contrar to the express tenor and scope of the place where it is evident 1. That in this Disquisition there are Grounds of the Sentence laid down yea and Scripture Grounds 2 ly The Sentence runs in these terms It seemed good to the Holy Ghost viz. speaking in the Scripture and to us 3 ly Upon these previous Scripture Grounds of Charity and Union-and the esehewing the Offence of the weak Iews apparent in the debate and disquisition the things enjoined are termed necessary things and thus supposed materially such antecedaneously to the Decree Hence 4 ly The Dr. in saying That this Abstinence he must understand it in the present Case and circumstances of time place and persons was never prohibited by any standing Law of Christianity expugns from being Laws of Christianity all our Lords Precepts in point of Love and Unity and the eschewing the Offence of the little Ones For these Rules did clearly found this Abstinence and ground the necessity thereof in the present Case and exigence Again in the nexplace The great point the Dr. has to prove is That this supposed Legislative power is the Bishops sole prerogative secluding Pastors This he proves by the Apostles together with the Elders and Brethren their comming together and determining this matter One would think this makes fair to prove the contrary The Apostles here meeting with and taking into the disquisition and Decree and into every step of the procedure the ordinary Ministers and Elders as persons interested and concerned and who are found to concur with them in enacting and enjoining the thing Decreed in order to the Churches Obedience Ay but the Dr. tells us That by consent of all Antiquity by these Elders we are to understand the Bishops of Iudea for which he Cites Dr Hammond on Act. 11. A Dr. no doubt of a like soundness with himself But 1. If the Dr. adhere to Dr. Hammonds notion of Elders he must Esteem them Bishops where ever mentioned and deny the existence of any Pastors the true Scripture Bishops at this time wherein our Dr. will and must needs justle and deal stroaks with Dr. Hammond For to omit other instances he holds the Elders present with Iames when Paul went into him to be Pastors over which Iames as Bishop of Ierusalem did preside 2 ly None can imagin these Elders to be Bishops of Iudea without the most ridiculous Forgery imaginable For in the context it is evident that at this time the Apostles were but founding and gathering Churches in Iudea settling Churches therein and taking inspection of them by their Apostolick Authority And therefore it is a strange phantastick conceit to imagine Churches by this time grown up to a Diocess in Iudea and of such a bulk and number as to have Diocesan Bishops set over them yea and Diocesan Bishops of so considerable a Number as the Elders may be rationally supposed to be at this time and in this meeting yea and these besides the far greater Number of Ordinary Teachers and Pastors which this Man will not deny the Apostles to have ordained where Churches were planted Again why I pray the Bishops of Judea only gathered here in order to this general Decree for all the Churches and no Bishops of the Gentile Churches which he will say were by this time set up Besides that looking to the occasion of this debate anent the Circumcision which had its rise from some of them that went from Judea as from the Apostles and thus troubled the Churches the design of the Gentiles appears evidently to be to send Paul to the Apostles and Elders residing at Jerusalem without the least hint of any more enlarged Advertisement of others than such as were there at that time Again the Dr. says That Apostles and Primitive Bishops made general Laws for the whole Church and Bishops particular Laws for their particular Churches Thus saith he Paul gave Rules to the Corinthians for more decent communication of the Lords Supper Strong reasoning indeed and hanging well together First he supposes the Apostles made by their Apostolical Authority the general Rules for the whole Church as proper to them with concurrence of ordinary Bishops the ordering of particular Churches being peculiar to the ordinary or Primitive Bishops And presently to prove this he puts the great Apostle of the Gentiles into the class of Ordinary Bishops in giving Rules to this Church of Corinth and wisely supposes that Pauls Apostolick Prescriptions about Right and decent Communicating concerned only this Church of Corinth and were Authorized and enacted by no Apostoick Authority nor by the Apostle Paul as in that capacity To this scope the Dr. with as much Sense and soundness instances Paul's giving Laws and Canons to the Churches of Galatia contradicting therein the Relation of these Canons to particular Churches since they did respect both the Churches of Corinth and the Churches of Galatia Of the same nature is that which he here mentions of Pauls Charge to Timothy and Titus 1 Tim. 5.7 Tit. 1.5 touching the redressing disorders and supplying defects in these Churches For besides that Paul exerced an Apostolical Authority in these Directions to the Evangelists extraordinary Officers as Paul himself which clearly excludes Director and Directed from the compass of the Dr's Argument he will not deny several of these directions at least to have been of universal concern and necessity and in this respect also as remote from his Design The Dr. adds That what the Apostles and Primitive Bishops did to be sure they had Authority to do and whatsoever Authority they had they derived it down to their Successors That Apostles and Evangelists exercised a Lawful Authority is indeed very sure and no less sure than the Dr's Argument here is loose and unsure from Apostolical directions to Evangelists to conclud the Nature and Mould of the supposed Episcopal Authority of Prelats in reference to making Laws as is above evinced since the Dr. cannot shape out nor by any twist of reason and sound consequence inferr his supposed Hierarchical Prelat with sole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction from the Office of either Apostles or Evangelists The Dr will not have any Officer beneath a Bishop to have been allowed suffrage in any of the First Four General Councils yet immediatly after some way retracting and correcting himself he allows them a place in General Councils but tell us it was only for debate and preparing the Matter of Laws but the form of Laws he says proceeded from the Bishops suffrage This is pretty First The Dr. will never prove that in the First Councils there were Prelats of his stamp and Mould Next its strange that in Councils Presbyters were sitting for
Conference and as no members I would fain know if the Dr. will say that these Elders meeting with the Apostles Act. 15. which he will no doubt acknowledg was one of the best Moulded Councils yea and a Standart for after-Councils were no Members but called and meeting for conference only since in the Scripture account and three fold Partition of those that mett Viz Apostles Elders Brethren there is an intire joint concurrence with the whole procedure viz both in the Disquisition the Sentence the decretal Epistle and Appointment in reference to the Churches obedience It does also sute the Dr's consideration to shew how it can consist with reason and the Nature of a Church Judicatory that such persons as are no Members nor fit to be Members are in tuto to prepare Matter for Laws and take share in debates But the Dr's Forgery here is evident For 1. If Presbyters concurrence in Ordination was Authoritative not by consent only and they imposed hands as proper Ordainers even when Bishops had obtained Power in Judicatories by confession of Episcopalians themselves see Dr. Forbes Iraen lib. 2. Cap. 11. I would fain know why such Ecclesiasticks or Church Officers as had Authority to Ordain which is one of the greatest Acts of Ministerial Authority had no Authority in enacting Laws in Councils but sat as Cyphers 2 ly The Dr. will find Antiquity against this deputed kind of conferring or consulting Power which he allows to Presbyters in Councils without Authority in enacting Laws Chrysostom hom 17. on Matth. calls Presbyters expresly Christi vicarios Christs Vicars or Deputes And its strange that such to whom Christ entrusted this Vicarious Power had no interest and Authority in enacting Laws in his Church and in the Government thereof Cyprian lib. 4. Ep. 8. shews that Dominus Sacerdotes in Ecclesia c the Lord condescended to elect to himself Priests or Ministers in the Church the Dr. will not say that he put this designation only upon Prelats And did he elect and constitute them for no interest in the Government thereof Nay on the contrary the Judgment of the Ancients is clear in this that the Power of external Jurisdiction and consequently the Authority of enacting Laws or Canons was common to Bishops and Presbyters Ignatius in his Epistle to the Trallians called the Presbytrie Senatum Dei Gods Court or Senat non consiliarios solum as our Dr. makes them sed assessores Episcopi not his Advisers only but his Authoritative fellow-Counsellors And I hope such he will grant as are in this Character have interest not only in preparing matter for Laws but an essential Official Right in the Authoritative enacting of them Irenaeus lib. 4. Cap. 44. calls them Principes Princes or Chief And if such in his Judgment the forementioned Authority is clearly by him attributed to them Augustin Serm. 6. calls the Brethren in Eremo Patronos Rectores Terrae And what pitiful Patrons or Rectors are they who have no Authority in enacting Laws Chrysostom asserts expresly on 1 Tim. 1. hom 11 That they presided over the Churches as Bishops and received together with them the Office of Teaching and Governing the Church And if this with the preceeding Testimonies give not the Lie to the Dr's forementioned distinction anent Presbyters sole consulting interest in Councils and upon the Bishops Call allennarly without any Authority in enacting Laws let any Judg. Chrysostom moreover in the beginning of that Homily stating the Question wherefore the Apostle after he had spoken to the Office and Duty of Bishops passes over to Deacons omitting the order of Presbyters returns this Answer and Reason Because betwixt the Bishop and Presbyter there is almost no difference and because that unto Presbyters also the care of the Church is committed And what he said concerning Bishops the same things also do agree to Presbyters And if with the Dr's good leave I might draw an inference from Chrysostom's assertion I would thus subsume But so it is that the Authority of Government and the enacting of Laws in Church Judicatories is by the Apostle ascribed to the Scripture Bishop whom he mentions Ergo the same Authority and Power is by the Apostle ascibed to Presbyters in Chrysostom's Sense Gratian in Decret Caus. 16. Quest. 1. Cap. shews that Ecclesia habet senatum Presbyterorum A Senat of Presbyters without whose Counsel the Bishop can do nothing They were not then called at the Bishops pleasure for debate only and preparing matters as the Dr. pretends but were the sine quibus non in the enacting of the Laws themselves The Dr. makes Prelats to enhance all decisive suffrage in Judicatories yet Cyprian Ep. 6. and 28. professes He neither could nor would do any thing without the Clergy And the Fourth Council of Carthage condemns the Bishop's Decision unless Fortified by their Sentence So far was it that the Bishop's sole Suffrage gave the Strength and Formality to Laws that they were null without Presbyters Authoritative Concurrence This is clear by so full a consent of Antiquity that we will find That neither in Censuring of Presbyters Nor 2 ly In Judging the conversation or Crimes of Church Members Nor 3 ly In Excommunicating or Receiving of Penitents Bishops could do any thing without Presbyters Tertulian Apolog. Advers Gentes shews vs That the Churches Exhortations Castigations and Divine Censures were put forth by the Probati quique Seniores who did preside the accused Person being brought into the Congregation And this Authoritative Sentence of Presbyters was more approved than when passed by one Man As when Syagrius and Ambrose passed Sentence in the same Case The Church was unsatisfied with the Sentence of Syagrius because he passed it sine alicujus Fratris Consilio without the consent of any of his Brethren But were pacified with the Sentence of Ambrose because saith he hoc judicium nostrum cum Fratribus consacerdotibus participatum processerat This his Sentence proceeded jointly from him and his Fellow Presbyters or Ministers Yea the very Admonition of Offenders were not given by the Bishops alone but by the Elders August De verb. Apost Serm. 19. Thus also Origen contra Celsum lib. 3. Excommunication it self Tertullian tells us was vibrated by those that laboured in the Word and Doctrin and the Presbytrie that delivered unto Satan as Jerom shews Epist. ad Heliod So Epist ad Demet. they also Received and Absolved the Penitents Cyprian Epist. 12 shews that this was the custom nec ad communicationem venire quis possit nisi prius ab Episcopo clero manus illi fuerit imposita such as were Excommunicat returned not to Church Fellowship before hands were laid upon him by the Bishop and Clergy And writing to his Charge anent lapsed Christians he tells them exomologesi facta manu iis a vobis in poenitentiam imposita After Confession and laying on of the Presbyters hands they might be commended to God And such as returned from
Heresie and were to be Received in the Church at Rome in the time of Cornelius Cyprian tells us Epist. 6. compared with 46. they came before the Presbytrie and Confessing their Sins were Received Now if Presbyters had such Authority and the Episcopal Power was of this Nature and thus Limited let any Judg how the Dr's Assertion can subsist viz That in Judicatories Pastors had no decisive suffrage For the Dr's after-discourse P. 436. anent the Civil Soveraigns Decrees in case of a supposed interfeiring with the Churches Legislative Power as he calls it I shall not it being some what out of our way much digress in examining the same tho I judg it very lax and liable to considerable exceptions yea and hardly reconcilable with it self or sound sense and Divinity The Dr. holds That the Churches Legislative Power cannot reach to controll the Civil Decrees And yet holds That these Decrees cannot countermand Gods Laws Now the Dr. will not say that the Churches Legislative Power is not founded upon and Authorised by Gods Laws nay he positively asserts that it is He adds That next to the Laws of God the Soveraigns Laws are to be obeyed And thus makes the Law of God the overruling Law the Regula Regulans and paramount to those of the Soveraign And therefore by good consequence from this Assertion the Churches Legislative Power in exhibiting and declaring Gods Laws must likewise be thus Paramount thereunto and first obeyed Especially if he stand to that instance of his Act. 15. as exhibiting the Plat-form and Standart of Church Laws wherein the enacted Canon and Decree is said to be the mind of the Holy Ghost and thus a Divine Law the Authority of God being thereto interponed Yet in the very next Words he lays down this Assertion That next to the Laws of the Soveraign the Laws of the Church are to be obeyed And so here these Civil Laws are set in an higher Sphere and made Paramount to all Church Laws and this without any exception or Limitation whether they be consonant to the Divine Law or not or any Limitation of Consonancy to the Divine Law in the Laws of the Church The person who will reconcile and soudder these must in my apprehension be better skill'd than all Vulcan's Gimmerers and no doubt better seen in logical Rules and subtilties than I. So much for the Dr's First Prerogative of a Bishop as distinct from a Presbyter in the Power Legislative and of making Canons The Second Peculiar Ministry and Prerogative of the Bishop above Presbyters the Dr. tells us is To Consecrat and Ordain to Ecclesiastick Offices Thereafter the Dr. spends much discourse upon Christs Mission of the Twelve Apostles as the Father sent him including a Power of Ordination of others which he Confirms by Luk. 24.33.36 Mark 16.14 Matth. 28.16 Which Commission he tells us was transferred Originally upon the Apostolick Order So that Ecclesiastick Commissions were either given by the hands of these First Apostles or by such Secondary Apostles as were by them admitted into Apostolick Orders and these Secondary Apostles were the same with Bishops Ans. We need not spend time in resuming what is said already in Answer to this There 's no doubt but our Lord gave a Power of Mission and of Ordaining Ministers to His Twelve Apostles A Power to Plant Churches through the World and a Gospel Ministry and Ordinances in them But that by vertue of this their Mission they were to transferr their Apostolick Office and Authority to ordinary Succeeding Officers is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Quaesitum or Question which the Dr. still beggs and supposes but will never be able to prove from either the Nature and intendment of their Mission or the Power and Authority of Succeeding Officers whom they Ordained as we have above evinced The Dr's Proofs are pitifully claudicant he tells us That tho the whole Disciples were present the Apostles only Imposed hands upon the Seven Deacons Act. 6. And why not The Authoritative Imposition of Hands in Ordination is no doubt proper to Ecclesiastick Officers not to the People but where were the Succedaneous Bishops here who had solely this Power tho Ministers were present The Dr. has let us see no shaddow of this from the Text. He next tells us of Paul and Barnabas Ordaining Elders in Antioch Iconium and Lystra A mighty proof The Apostles in planting Churches ordained Ministers in them Ergo Suceedaneous Bishops have an Apostolick Authority of Ordaining derived to them solely as their peculiar Prerogative above Pastors This Consequence is denyed If the Dr. own these Elders for Pastors it should seem they had an Ordaining Power else the Apostles settled these Churches in a very mank frame and lame posture and wanting the Essentials of an Organick Church If the Dr. allow them an Ordaining Power he crosses the Scope of a proof of Succeedaneous Bishops with Power of Ordination set up by the Apostles since thus he ascribes it unto Pastors And if he deny it he is liable also to the same absurdity and that mentioned above and will cross his Notion of the Bishops Office ascribed to the Elders of Ierusalem who mett with the Apostles in that Council Act. 15. Besides if the Dr. put an Episcopal Mitre upon these Pastors or Elders and make them Bishops in his Sense it is very odd that among these little new gathered Churches such highly Authorized Diocesan Prelats were set up before any Pastors for Feeding with the Word and Doctrin For discovering the folly of which Gloss and Assertion I dare appeal to the Current of Interpreters Or if the Dr. imagin the strength of his Proof to ly in this that these Officers were Ordained by Apostles solely he should know that as we all allow an extraordinary Power in Apostles in Churches not yet Constitut not competent to Ordinary Officers so his Assertion is anent an ordinary Power of Succeedaneous or Secondary Apostles as he calls them as sole and singular in Ordination But the Dr. finds a Difficulty in his Way viz. That Paul and Barnabas were ordained Apostles of the Gentiles by certain Prophets and Teachers in Antioch Act. 13.1 2. To which he makes this Return That these Prophets and Teachers had no doubt received the Apostolick Character being ordained by the Apostles Bishops of Syria For otherwise saith he how could they have derived it And this Notion the Dr. reposes such Confidence in that he tells us There is no doubt but they had this Character But truly whether the Insipid Folly of the Objection or of the Return here made unto it be greater is a Question to me First That Paul and Barnabas were at this time and in this Action ordained Apostles of the Gentiles I believe few if ever any except the Dr did imagin I had always thought that it is evident to any who reads the Account and Story of Pauls Conversion and Call to the Apostleship by the Lord from Heaven that when
2.17 That upon this ground Pastors or Presbyters who have a Rule appropriat unto them and are termed as in that capacity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both the one and the other may very well come under the Character of Rulers and Brethren and by consequence that the Relation of the one to the other may well come under this complex Phrase of Rulers among the Brethren especially since in the Council Act 15. the Elders and Brethren are distinguished as Church Officers from privat Church Officers from privat Church Members Again the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and even among Brethren doth evidently and frequently in Scripture reject the Dr's Mitr'd Notion Particularly Heb. 13.7 where they are spoken of in the Plural as over that Church both in Ruling and Feeding by Doctrin And v. 17. they are in a Plurality supposed both to Rule and watch for Souls And v. 24 they are distinguished from the Saints under this Denomination And consequently in all the Three Passages put under the Character of Rulers among the Brethren but as having all a Relation to this Church and actually and jointly Ruling and Feeding by Doctrin Consequently they are such Rulers among the Brethren as are all Faithful Pastors And therefore of a quite distinct Character from his supposed Ruling Prelats The Dr. affirms That Ordination was confined to such as were admitted to the Apostolat as the laying on of Hands in Ephesus was by Paul committed to Timothy upon whom he himself imposed Hands And unto Titus at Crete whom he left to Ordain Elders 2 Tim. 1.6 Tit. 1.5 To this we have spoken at large and need not here stand upon a prolix resuming of what hath been offered in Answer thereunto Only in a word we may see that the Dr. Shoots short of his proofs which is obviously evident to any that considers that he neither proves nor can prove these his groundless Postulata and suppositions without which he misses his mark and his Argument has no imaginable Foundation such as 1. That the Offices of Timothy and Titus were ordinary and the same with his described Hierarchical Prelat This we have already disproved and by clear Scripture evidence made the contrary appear 2 ly That the Apostles Precepts in point of Ordination to Timothy and Titus did import their sole Authority therein in Churches constitut so as to seclud all Authority of Pastors or Presbyters in the same even where they were settled and could concurr The contrary whereof we have also made evident Again whereas the Dr. thinks to strengthen his Plea in telling us That the Apostle by Imposing Hands on Timothy Ordained him an Apostle or Bishop of that Church We have evinced the folly of this alledgeance and that the Apostles imposing Hands upon Timothy rather strengthens than impugns the Presbyterian Cause Since 1. It is evident that the Presbytrie and consequently Ordinary Pastors whom the Dr. wholly excluds from Ordination laid Hands upon Timothy 1 Tim. 4.14 and had an Authoritative interest therein And 2 ly That the Text mentions Paul's Laying on of Hands in order to Gifts but the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytrie in another Mould and Phrase Hence its easie to cut the Sinews of the Dr's Arguing with a Notion of hii own set down but a few Lines above He enquires how could the Prophets at Antioch derive an Apostolat to Paul and Barnabas if they had not been of that Character Now I would ply the Dr. with this Counter-query how could Imposition of Hands and Authoritative Imposition be performed by Pastors and Ministerial or Evangelistick Authority be derived by them together with Paul to Timothy if Pastors were not of such a Character as had an Ordaining Power Here is a Query founded upon the Dr's own medium and his Answering satisfyingly the second will clear him in Answering the First Hence what he adds P. 438 439. viz. That through the whole Scripture History Ordination is performed by those of the Apostolick Order or by secondary Apostles as he calls them◠doth in this appear groundless For here we find the Power of Ordination seated in and exercised by a Presbytrie And we have told him and above evinced that tho we suppose Paul present and imposing Hands with them it rather confirms than invalidats our Argument from this place for Pastors and Presbyters Power in Ordination Not to insist upon the Dr's recent instance of Prophets and Teachers Authoritatively Imposing Hands upon Paul and Barnabas which tho not importing a formal Ordination yet considering the circumstances and context viz. The Persons Imposing hands scil Pastors and Teachers the Persons upon whom they imposed Hands scil Apostles together with the end and design i. e. their being solemnly set a part and Blest and thus sent out upon a special Legation it s an Instance strongly pleading and as we use to say a majori ad minus for a Power of Ordination in Pastors in relation to Ordinary Church Officers And whatever may be said of instances as to Ordinary Pastors in these Infant-times of the Church rare when extraordinary Officers such as Apostles and Evangelists were existent and their Offices vigent the Episcopal Authority so clearly and frequently as we have proved ascribed and apropriat to Pastors doth certainly includ this Authority of Ordination as essential thereunto The Dr. adds That if we Consult Primitive Antiquity the best Interpreters of Scripture in Matters of Fact at least we will alwise find the Power of giving Orders confined Limited to Bishops I need not much digress to tell him that the after-practice of Churches is acknowledged in matters of Fact and even by Eusebius himself in a great measure dark and uncertain and is also acknowledged and found much opposit to Scripture And therefore a slippery and unsound ground and Comment as to Scripture Matter of Fact and in order to such a conclusion I might add that if the Dr's Reasoning hold good it is in point of Right as well as in matter of Fact the sure and sole Comment upon Scripture But for this bold and Universal assertion of the Dr's it is easily convict of falsehood by what is above offered The 4 th Council of Carth. Canon 22. Decrees That the Bishops Ordain not without the Clergy And if we suppose this Canon obeyed there wanted not abundance of conformable instances In Cyprians time the Pastors had the Power manum imponendi of Ordaining Ep. 78. And in Aegypt in absence of the Bishop Ordained alone as Ambrose on Eph. 4. asserts Besides what is at large made out to this scope by our Writers in reference to the Chorepiscopi and this for a very considerable extent both of time and place Cyprian Ep. 33. Writing to his Charge certifies them That Aurelius was Ordained by him and his Collegues who were present with him And least the Dr. start at a supposition that Cyprian called Presbyters his Collegues let any peruse Ep. 33. and this will convincingly appear We
have told him before that Firmilianus saith of them that Rule in the Church quod Baptisandi manum imponendi Ordinandi possident potestatem and who these are he shews a little before viz. Seniores praepositi We have also told him that Chrysostom himself was found accused in Synod ad Quaercum Ann. 403. that he had made Ordinations with the Sentence and company of the Clergy And in the forecited Council of Carthage Canon 21. it is enacted That the Bishop Ordain not without the Clergy And Canon 2. Presbyters are enjoined to Impose hands with the Bishop The Authors of Ius Divinum Minist Evan. in the Appendix together with Smectymnus and several other Presbyterian Writers have exhibit so many clear instances of this that we need only refer the Reader to their Learned Labours for the discovery of the Drs. folly in this Assertion In the close of his discourse upon this point he tells us That this is so undenyable that tho Ierom equalize Presbyters with Bishops yet he is forc't to do it with an excepta Ordinatione Ans. If we should suppose Ierom to speak of the general custom of that time and place and neither absolutely nor Universally as to the practice or Matter of Fact far less of of a Divine Right the Dr's undenyable proof is soon overturned but especially it s Razed when we tell him that Ierom's excepta Ordinatione is well enough understood of the Bishops ordinarly assumed Chief interest in the rituals of Ordination tho Presbyters as is above cleared did intrust this to him as having a joint and essential interest in the thing it self The next peculiar Ministry of the Bishop which the Dr. assigns is The execution of Spiritual Iurisdiction viz. to Cite examin Offences before their Tribunals to admonish the Offender exclud from Church Communion or receive upon Repentance The Dr. discourses at large in proof of a Spiritual jurisdiction Established in the Church and proves it soundly from Matth. 18.16.17.18 Expounding that Clause tell it unto the Church of a Delation in Order to an Authoritative admonition and from those Passages in the context If he neglect to hear the Church let him be as a heathen c. and that other whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven c. Concluds well a Power in the Church of excluding from and admission into Fellowship Citing that Paralell Math. 16.19 I will give unto thee the Keyes c. which he also well explains by what is said Isai. 22.21 22. anent the Key of the Hâ—use of David i. e. the Government of his Church committed to our Lord in the Type of Eliakim's substituting to Shebna who was over the Household He expounds well the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven of the Government of the Church and the Power of Binding and loosing of admission to or exclusion from Church Fellowship All this is easily accorded But now comes the main Point and the Cardo questionis This Power saith the Dr is wholly deposited in the Episcopal Order This is soon said but to prove it hoc opus hic labor est It were superfluous here to remind the Reader how the Dr. understands the Episcopal Order or how far in a sound Scripture Sense of the Episcopal order this assertion might be admitted But to the Point the Dr. proves his Assertion from this ground that in all the forecited places it was only to Apostles that our Lord derived this Iurisdiction they alone being the Stewards to whom he committed the Keyes and Government of his Family to whom alone he promised Twelve Thrones to Rule and Govern his Spiritual Israel as the Chief of the Tribâ—s Governed the Natural Israel Math. 19.28 Upon which ground he tells us that the Heavenly Jerusalem has the Names of the Twelve Apostles upon its Gates Rev. 21.14 c. And the Twelve pretious Stones v. 19.20 Do in his Sense denote the Power and dignity of the Church As also the 144 Cubits of the Walls Measure amounting to Twelve times twelve he takes to denote the Apostles equal Government of the Church From all which the Dr. thrusts out as his project of the whole his former Notion and Topick of our Lords lodging this Jurisdiction in those of the Apostoliek Order derived from the Apostles which saith he was administrat accordingly either by the Apostles immediatly or by the Bishops of the several Churches to whom they communicat their Order Ans. All this in so far as relates to the Dr's scope is nothing but a repetition of what is already Answered I shall easily accord with him in this that as our Lord placed and left in his Church a Spiritual Jurisdiction so his Apostles were the First and immediat Recipients of this from himself I do likewise consent to the Dr. in this that this Spiritual Authority was to be continued in the Church and Transmitted to fit Administrators and was not to die with the Apostles As also there is no doubt that they were to deliver our Lords mind and the Standart and continuing measures and Rules of all the Ordinances of the House of God the Doctrin Worship Disciplin and Government thereof in which Respect they are called the Churches Foundation But in all this the Dr. has not laid one Ground-Stone of his proof which as we have often told him lyes Chiefly in these two Points 1. That the Office of Apostolat in its entire nature and extent and as exercised by the Twelve was by our Lord intended for an ordinary Function and Office to be thus continued in and transmitted to the Church and devolved on Successors who were accordingly to exercise the same Office and Power 2 ly That these Successors were so invested with this Apostolick Power and Office as they had the whole Government the Power of Order and Jurisdiction monopolized in them in so far as the Pastors and Presbyters appointed and set up by Apostles in the Churches had only the Doctrinal Key entrusted to them but not that of Government whereas both the one and the other were committed to these supposed succedaneous Apostles Now its evident that if the Dr. prove not these he says nothing And that both these are unsound and Antiscriptural Suppositions we have already made appear 1. From the many evidences and clear Scripture discoveries of the extraordinarie expired nature of the Apostolick and Evangelistick Office And 2. From the Apostles intrusting and transmitting to Pastors or Presbyters and devolving upon them both the Keyes of Doctrin and Government as their proper and imediat Successors as also from clear Scripture Grounds and instances which do evince their actual exercise of the same But next to examin a little more closely the Dr's Proofs I would gladly know of him or any of his Perswasion whether they do not look upon and understand that Text Math. 18. as containing a constant Fundamental Law and Rule given to the Christian Church to prescrib the Method of removing
Scandals as also the proper Subject of the Keyes and Iurisdictional Power and of that Power in special which is called Critick The Dr. holds That Christ here established a Iurisdiction in the Church he also acknowledges That the Church here meant hath Power of Authoritative Admonition and the Binding and Loosing Power since he holds it to be the same with that Binding and Loosing Authority which our Lord promises to Ratifie in Heaven Iohn 20.23 Matth. 16.19 He understands by this Jurisdiction this Authority and Exercise of the Keyes pointed at in these Paralells Nay he acknowledges P. 443. That in the Forecited Passage Matth. 18. our Lord institut the Power of Censuring And I need not tell him that Words of Institution of any Ordinance are the proper Standart and Measure thereof and the Pattern shewed upon the Mount Now what is meant by the Church the proper Subject of the Keyes in the Dr's Sense and Pleading is the Question The Dr. will not say it is the Political Magistrat as some have alledged for he holds That our Lord spoke this to his Church as a distinct Society and having distinct Officers from the Kingdoms of the World And whereas some have alledged that we are to understand this Church of a Iewish Sanehedrin the Dr in the whole Strain and Scope of his Discourse disownes this for he asserts That in this Text our Lord is speaking to the Christian Church and establishing a Spiritual Jurisdiction therein Neither can he understand by the Church the whole Collective Body according to the general Notion of the Word for the Dr in the Strain of his Discourse makes this Power and Authority peculiar and proper to Church Officers as is evident in his Paralells above-rehearsed and the Church Representative to be the proper Subject of that Jurisdictional Power here enjoyned Now all this being evident in his own Pleading since the proper Subject of this Power is by our Lord exprest who knew best how to express it by the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church I would fain know by what Warrand the Dr. can can make this Term peculiar to one single Person viz. a Bishop so as it must be holden to express his sole Prerogative Or where will he shew or make it appear that in any Greek Author Sacred or Prophane the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes one single Person If he say that by the Church the Community of Church Rulers or Bishops is to be understood viz. that all Bishops in common and every Bishop apart hath this Power and Authority I Answer this understood of Scripture Bishops or Church Officers in general and of such Church Officers of particular Collegiat Churches is easily accorded But if he mean of his Hierarchical Bishops in Bulk and of every one of such a part he both Beggs the Question and Crosses the Scope of the Place For 1. Howsoever we take the Term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church whether for the Church Universal to whom Officers and a Government is given immediatly or for particular Churches to whom in a mediat Sense the same Government and Charge is given we must of necessity understand it to be given to such parts of this whole as do come under the Denomination and partake of the Nature of a Church and according to the Dr's Sense above-evinced an Imbodied Society or Juridical Court must in that Statute be understood which can never be applicable to a single Person And besides this would invert our Lords Method of Procedure and the Gradation here held out and enjoyned which is as the Dr. himself acknowledges from one to two or more and the last Result and ultimat Appeal is to the Church or the Imbodied Court of Officers with whom the Jurisdictional and Critical Power is lodged 2 ly Granting that this Jurisdictional Power in Order to the first Planting of Churches was for this end at first lodged with the Apostles yet the fore-mentioned great Rule and Fundamental Law as above Sensed and in a great Measure by the Dr. himself will still evince that the Apostles were not to Exercise it to the prejudice of the Authority given thereby to the standing Officers and ordinary Authorized Courts of the Christian Church unless they can be supposed to have had a Power Paramount thereunto For wherever a Christian Organick Chuch was gathered by vertue of this Precept tell the Church the Scandals were to be delated to the Officers thereof who consequently according to the Nature and Tenor of the foresaid Law are supposed to have the Binding and Loosing Power whatever Apostolical Authority might reach in Churches not Constitut or in way of Apostolical Direction to Churches Constitut as in the Case of the Incestuous Corinthian yet this was not Privative of but Cumulative to the ordinary Power of Collegiat Organick Churches as is often told him I might further urge the Dr. with this that that Passage Iohn 20.23 cannot but be extended to a Doctrinal as well as Iurisdictional Remitting or Retaining Binding or Loosing the Doctrinal Key as well as Jurisdictional being Primarly given to Apostles to be by them derived to Successors Our Lord in his Gift to Apostles divided them not And therefore neither were the Apostles to divide them in Devolving this Power upon and Committing this Authority to Successors And since the Dr. acknowledges that the Apostles by virtue of our Lords Commission Devolved upon Pastors the Doctrinal Authority and Committed to them that Key thus P. 427 428. why not I pray the Jurisdictional also both being inseparably tyed together Nay the Dr. himself upon the Matter yields this for he tells us ubi supra That the Command Go Teach all Nations Math. 28.19 did reach Pastors as the Apostles Successors in this Ministerial Duty and that Preaching was one of the principal Imployments belonging to the Apostolical Office And if the Apostles were to commit to Pastors one principal part of their Office why not also the less principal Besides that the Command Go Teach or Disciple all Nations will clearly includ the Jurisdictional as well as Doctrinal Key The Dr. adds ibid. That yet this Command of Preaching was not restrained to their Office since inferior Officers Preacht as the seventy Yet he adds That none Preacht but either by immediat Commission from Christ or Apostolical Ordination But I pray were any in his Sense otherwise allowed to exercise Disciplin but in this method Why will not the Dr. allow the exercise of Disciplin to the Seventy and such a Mission of Rulers consequently For Timothy whom together with the Seventy he probably Judges to have held an Evangelistick Office he pleads had Authority both to Teach and Rule And the Teachers Act. 13. he holds to be Bishops So that in his Sense Government being annexed in these instances thereunto the Lord did extraordinarly call in these times of the Church some persons who were not Apostles Therefore his Reason is insufficient to prove that the
Power of Government and Preaching being Eminenter contained in the Apostolick Office they did not commit the Ruling Authority to such to whom the Preaching work was intrusted Once more to reflect upon the Passage tell the Church we will find our Sense and Pleading correspondent to judicious Interpreters Dic Ecclesiae is coram multis inquit liber Musar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustinus And that the person may have a punishment inflicted of many 2 Cor. 2.6 and the rebuke may be before all 1 Tim. 5.20 And that the person Offending may be moved by the consent and multiplicity of those rebuking him So Grotius who shews us that it was the practice among the Jews after the more privat admonition to bring the Matter to the Multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Court of Judges who have the Power of binding and loosing as distinct from the multitude Thus Camero Simmachus Beza To the Presbytrie representing the Church whereof mention is made 1 Tim. 4. 14 Piscator Beza Camero And these whom Paul cal's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.6 But to proceed with the Dr he tells us next That none but such as are of the Aopostolick Order can pretend to the Jurisdictional Power since it was First lodged in the Apostles and by them immediatly exercised or by the Bishops of the several Churches to whom they communicat their Authority and Order But one should think that such to whom they committed the Chief and principal part of their Office as they did to Pastors by the Dr's Confession to such they did commit their Order in so far as unto ordinary succeeding Officers and that together with this the other subservient part of Ruling was also committed both Keyes being in their Nature as above hinted so inseparably connected And he cannot give one instance of the Apostles giving the First to Successors without the Second Nay the instances are clear of their committing both to Pastors The Elders or Ministers of Ephesus are entrusted by the Apostle Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both to Feed and Rule as Bishops Authorized by the Holy Ghost over that Church which command is by the Apostle laid upon them when taking his last farewell of the same and not a word is dropt by the Apostle of either the one or the other to Timothy their alledged Bishop The Apostle Peter enjoins the Elders as their Fellow-Elder to Feed and Rule and exercise Episcopal Authority over the Flocks A clear Demonstration compared with the preceeding Instances that these Elders and Ministers were the Apostles proper and immediat Successors in both Offices of Teaching and Ruling So that the Dr. may here see in this Scripture-Glass the Portraiture the clear Image of the Scripture Bishop and the Authentick and Original Character of the Office of these Pastors and Bishops of the Churches to whom the Apostles committed the Preaching and Ruling Work viz. the Preaching Pastors or Presbyters Shall I add a Caution and acknowledg to the Dr they were not the Bishops of his supposed Order since the Apostle discharged them to be Lords because in these simple times of Christianity the Apostles themselves were rude and not yet acquaint with the Grandure of Spiritual Lords and Lordships in the House of God But least the Dr do think this odd that I do hold the Work of Preaching and Administration of the Sacraments an higher Point of Episcopal Authority than Ruling at least if I may add only Ruling which he knows the Bishops arrogat to themselves solely not medling much with the first and that I hold the Governing Power to be appendant upon and consequent unto the Power of Order in Preaching and Administrating the Seals of the Covenant I must tell him that if this be an Errour A great one has led me into it and one of the Dr's most eminent Primary Bishops who I am sure had a Divine Authority for his Office and an Infallibility in Teaching besides It is even the great Apostle of the Gentiles who gives to Timothy this Precept The Elders that Rule well count them worthy of double Honour especially they that Labour in the Word and Doctrin wherein it is evident the Apostle allows the Labouring in the Word and Doctrin the higher Honour above Ruling yea and Ruling well But to prove that the Apostles committed this Iurisdictional Power only to the Bishops of their Order the Dr. brings the Instance of Pauls pronuncing the Sentence of Excommunication against the Incestuous Person 1 Cor. 5. shewing that he as present in Spirit had Judged i. e. saith the Dr pronunced Sentence concerning him who had done that Deed And v. 4 5. he orders them to declare and and execute his Sentence But that the Current of the Context runs Cross to the Dr's Pleading is several ways evident For 1. The Apostle blames this Church that this Sentence was not passed before and that they saved him not the Labour of this Prescription or Appointment in performing their Duty Antecedaneously thereunto It is evident he checks them that this Person was not by an Ecclesiastick Censure of such a Nature as is here intimat put away and taken from among them v. 2. 2 ly He writes to them to do it and this as an Act of their ordinary Authority proper to them as Church Officers viz. Authoritatively to deliver to Satan and that when by the Authority of our Lord they were mett together the Body of Professoâ—s being also concerned in a Consent to this Ejection And therefore they were not to meet merely to Declare or Witness what the Apostle had done before 3 ly He thus expostulats v. 12. Do not ye Iudg them that are within A convincing Proof that they had Power to Censure all that were within that Church by an Intrinsick Authority proper to them as Officers thereof 4 ly He calls this Act or Sentence 2 Cor. 2.6 A Censure or Punishment inflicted of many viz. the Church Officers not a Declaration of his previously passed Sentence I hope the Dr. will not fall into such a blunt Conceit as to make one and the same the Declaration of a Sentence passed by another and the formal Passing of a Sentence or Inflicting of a Censure or Punishment which if done warrantably as is here supposed doth necessarly import Authority in the Persons Acting Inflicted of many says the Apostle i. e. Not by all the Multitude as Independents Judge nor by one Person or Bishop as the Dr. Dreams As for his Expounding Pauls Judging this Person Censureable to be his Pronuncing Sentence it is a very gross Distortion For Paul as an Apostle infallibly Inspired by virtue of his Apostolical Directive Authority and in special as having the Care of the Gentile Churches upon him 2 Cor. 11.28 had Power to Direct and Prescribe Duty to either Members or Officers of any Churches And therefore if the Dr. will draw this Act to Exemplifie Episcopal Authority he draws upon
himself two gross Absurdities 1. That Paul had and Exemplified a standing lawful Episcopal Authority wherever such Prescriptions were exercised and to whomsoever they could reach And this Reaching over all Churches his Care being thus extended as is above cleared the Dr. makes him a standing Primat and Patriarch over them Exemplifying a sort of Patriarchal Primacy to be Transmitted in the Church 2 ly That his Apostolick Prescription of the Duties of Church Officers was not Cumulative unto but Privative of whatever Authority and Interest in Government they might acclaim or in the Exercise of the Power of Order And thus suppose the Bishop of the Dr's Mould set over the Church of Corinth had neglected his Duty as these Officers are here found faulty in this point Pauls Apostolick Direction in the Dr's Sense and Pleading nullifies his Power and proves he had none Or supposing an Archippus or negligent Minister had needed his Apostolical Direction to perform such Acts of the Power of Order as were proper to his Function Pauls Prescription of Duty by the same Reason swallows it up and makes it null Certain it is that neither could the Apostles divest themselves of this directing Power of Judging upon neglect of Duty which had been a divesting themselves of their Office nor can they be supposed without the grossest Consequences striking at the Root of all Church Authority to have by their directing or judging Power exauctorat such to whom the Direction was given of their Power and Interest in their respective Duties whether as Members or Officers of the Churches Pool Anot Vol. 2. Expound this 4 th v. of the Power and Authority of Christ concurring with them while gathered together And upon v. 5. Expounding the delivering to Satan of Excommunication and casting out of the Church They give this Reason because the Apostle speaks of an Action which might be and ought to have been done by the Church of Corinth when they mett together and for not doing of which the Apostle blames them Thus clearly Asserting the Intrinsick Authority of the Church Officers of Corinth herein and upon the same Grounds which we have Asigned To the same Scope do the Belgick Divines Expound this whole Passage paralelling it with the great Precept Matth. 18.15 Both upon v. 4 5. and upon 2 Cor. 2.6 touching the Subject of this Jurisdictional Act viz. That it was Inflicted of many they Expound of Church Governours or Officers Diodat upon Chap. 5. v. 4. thus Senses the Words That they were to perform this as the Lords Ministers by Authority received from Christ and that the Command is directed to the Pastors and Conductors of the Church being gathered together in Ecclesiastical Judgment having the Apostles Declaration instead of his Voice and Vote And to obviat such a Notion and Fancy as that of our Dr. upon this he adds That this was without doing any prejudice to the ordinary Ministry of the Church of Corinth And that Paul uses his Apostolical Power Modestly only to excite the other viz. the ordinary Power of Pastors and to strengthen it And he Expounds v. 7. not only of Purging out this Incestuous Man but all such Scandalous Kind of People who by their Infection might plunge again into the Ancient Corruption c. And upon v. 12. Do not ye Iudg them that are within He says That it is certain that a Judge cannot exercise his Jurisdiction but only over those that are within his Precinct and subject to his Tribunal Clearly Asserting a Spiritual Tribunal in this Representative Church To the same Scope he Expounds the last verse The English Annot. upon v. 2. of this Chap. in Correspondence to the Exposition and Answer premised and in Opposition to the Dr's Reasoning do shew That the Apostle finds fault with the Corinthians for that they had not Excommunicat this Incestuous Person before he had Wrote unto them and Charged them so to do because the Fact was Notorious and the Church Scandalized And upon v. 4. which mentions the Power of Christ they shew That the Power of Excommunication and Absolving is Christs and the Ministry thereof only Committed to the Governours of the Church And the delivering to Satan mentioned v. 5. they Expound by that Paralel Matth. 18.17 We need not spend time in multiplying Instances of Sound Expositors in opposition to the Dr's Sense of this place That there is here an Allusion to the Iewish Synagogue is the Consentient Judgment of the learned viz. in their Way of Excluding and casting out the Scandalous Thus Grotius Estius Hammond Simplicius Piscotor Beza c. Pareus Paralelling v. 5. with 2 Cor. 2. 6. shews that the same Persons are Authorized to Comfort and forgive him who inflicted the Censure viz. the Church Officers What we have said might be further improven from the end of the Action which was the purging out the Old Leaven and taking the Scandalous Person from among them and the Character of the Censure it self called a Punishment inflicted of Many in Opposition to the Dr's Design and Argument But the thing it self is obvious And therefore we proceed The Dr. Adduces next Paul's Threatning not to spare 2. Cor. 13. But to proceed with Ecclesiastick Censures And his mentioning Two or Three Witnesses to establish every word according to the Words of our Lord when he Institute this Power of Censuring Matth. 18. And v. 10. of 2 Cor. 13. Threatning Severity according to the Power given him to Edification And to come with a Rod He must needs saith the Dr mean Apostolical Censures and Excommunication to be Execute and Performed in his own Person in which Respect he delivered Hereticks of the Church of Ephesus to Satan 1 Tim. 1.20 It is Answered First all this is easily removed by the often Adduced Distinction of the Apostles ordinary and extraordinary Authority and of a Cumulative and Privative Exercise thereof Altho the extraordinary Power upon fit Emergents such as either the supine Negligence of Ordinary Church Officers or the more endangering spread of Offences or obstinacy of Offenders or a defect of the ordinary Church Officers in whom this Power was Lodged and Seated was alwise in readiness and to be Exercised for the Churches good and Edification yet nevertheless this Exercise as we have often told him was never exclusive of nor derogatory unto the Churches ordinary Intrinsick Authority nor except in Cases mentioned or Extraordinary Emergents without the actual Concurrence of the ordinary Church Officers And if as the Dr. says the Apostle here insinuats a method of procedure suitable to our Lords Institution Matth. 18. It could not be otherwise Besides he Threatens this severity as a proof of his Apostolick Power 2 Cor. 13.3 which some understand of his Miraculous Power to inflict Bodily Afflictions Others of his Power to cut off from the Communion of the Gospel Churches thus Pool Annot. And if the Dr. will allow that by mentioning Two or Three Witnesses he ties himself to
the Method of procedure which our Lord Institute Matth. 18. he must by Parity of Reason allow the other part of the Institution touching the Juridical or Censuring Church to have its own place therein And that Consequently the Apostle was to take along the Authoritative concurrence of the Church Officers of Corinth in this procedure But the truth is he quite mistakes the Passage For in that Clause of Two or Three Witnesses the Apostle Intimats only the certainty of his coming the Third time He had taken up thoughts of and was preparing for his Journey and giving them previous warning of his coming he alludes to that of Deut. 19.15 to ascertain them thereof accordingly Thus Pool Annot. and Interpreters generally He had been at Corinth once Act. 18. Afterward he had twice purposed and promised to come once in the 1 Ep. Chap. 16.5 And now again here And then he adds in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses c. Thus Belgick Annot. Diodat thus senses this Clause in the Mouth of Two or Three Witnesses c. The meaning is saith he these Three warnings of my coming shal be as so many Witnesses by which if ye do not amend you shall be sufficiently convinced of incorrigible Rebellion to proceed to a sentence already penned 2 Cor. 10.6 cum jam bis terve id dixerim tandem ratum erit thus Grotius As for the Apostles threatning sharpness of Censure v. 10. And his Apostolical Rod 1 Cor. 4.21 It receives the same Answer by the forementioned distinction of the Apostles ordinary and Extraordinary Power and the cumulative and privative exercise thereof And if the Dr. will not take this from me may I hope he will from a far greater The Learned Iunius in Answer to Bellarmin pleading much to the Dr's Scope and Sense from this Passage of the Apostle Shall I come unto you with a Rod offers the same distinction De Concil lib. 2. Cap. 16. of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Rod secundum illam c. According to the common ordinary Rod saith he Peter was a fellow Presbyter 1 Pet. 5. but according to the singular and extraordinary he stroke dead Ananias and Sapphira He adds in respect of this common Rod Paul saith 1 Cor. 5. You being gathered together and my Spirit in the Name of the Lord Iesus But as to this singular one he saith Shall I come unto you with a Rod 1 Cor. 4.21 This common Rod he denyes to have been in the Hand of any one Man whether Apostle or other or that they had any sole or singular Prerogative in Churches constitute Grotius and others do here take in the same which Iunius mentions of the extraordinary stroke either the inflicting of Death as upon Ananias and Sapphira or Blindness as upon Elymas or Diseases The Belgick Divines joyn together the Exercise of punishment and Discipline in this Clause While I have been mentioning Iunius I must upon this occasion shew that in opposition to the Dr's Pleading in Relation to Successor Bishops to Apostles by Testimony of the Fathers Iunius will tell him De Clericis Cap. 14. Not. 15. that this is not to be understood of a Succession from Christs Institution quia nunquam instituit Christus ut Apostolis secundum gradum in Ecclesia Succederetur Christ never appointed Successors to the Apostles according to Degree And that the Fathers understood it of a Succession ex simili non ex pari of similitud not Parity And a similitud Secundum quid or imaginary according as Bishops were then Moulded The same Answer and distinction above Rehearsed serves for what he Adduces of Pauls delivering Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan 1 Tim. 1.20 And that this is the Sense of Sound Divines appears in that this is made Paralel with 1 Cor. 5. wherein the Apostles Extraordinary Authority is by them distinguished from the Churches Ordinary Power As for his further Proof from the Apostles deriving this Spiritual Iurisdiction to Timothy and Titus the pretended Bishops of Ephesus and Crete and their supposed singular Authority and Censures and Judicially Cognoscing upon Ecclesiastical Causes which he draws from these Passages 1 Tim. 5.19 20. Tit. 3.10 We have above spoken to it at length and provenfully that the Evangelistick Function of them both who were fixed to no particular Posts together with the clearly supposed Power of Church Judicatories when Established as is evident in several Paralells and of the supposed Concurrence consequently of ordinary Officers with them in the Nature and Scope of these very Instructions themselves doth clearly eveâ—t his Pleading For what he adds of the Censuring Power of the Angels of Ephesus and Thyatira Rev. 2. What we have made already good of the Collective Sense of the word Angel and the Insufficiency of admitting him to be a single person or President to bear the weight of his Conclusion discovers the Vanity of this his Repeated Notion in this place The Dr. adds that the Bishops of the Primitive Ages were the sole Administrators of Spiritual Iurisdiction This we have above convict of untruth And whereas he tells us further that they ordinarly admitted their Presbyters Concurrence for Advice we have made appear that their Concurrence after Bishops were set up yea and by Confession of Bishops themselves was Authoritative not for Advice only The Dr. will needs have Cyprian to challenge a singular Authority of Excommunication Ep. 38 39. But if he will not set him by the Ears with himself Ep. 6 18 28. where he professes he neither could nor would do any thing without the Clergy and Ep. 78. where he shews that Presbyters had the Power of Imposing Hands and of Ordaining and unless also he can disprove what is made good anent their Ordaining alone especially in Aegypt in absence of the Bishop what we have touched anent the Chorepiscopi their Authority and Power herein which is at large made good by our Writers the Dr. must acknowledg that he misses his Mark in this Citation Cyprian also is so far from challenging a Cathedral Authority of sole Censuring as the Dr. wouâ—d make him that Epist. 33. he ownes the Presbyters as his Collegues even in the Point of Ordination and disownes any such usurped Authority In the Ordination of the Confessor Aurelius he thus expresses himself hunc igitur fratres dilectissimi a mâ— a Collegis qui presentes aderant ordinatum sciâ—tis Thus also Ep. 58. speaking of the Pastors he expresses himself Ego Collegae Fraternitas omnis And Ep. 6. shewing his earnest desire to meet with the Pastors while absent from them he gives this Reason ut ea quae circa Ecclesiae gubernacula utilitas communis exposcit tractare simul plurimorum examinata limare possemus And speaking there of the turbulency of some persons he says they were such as nec a Diaconis nec a Presbyteris regi posse c. Upon which Pamelius has this Note hinc non obscure colligitur
19.5 After Paul laid his Hands upon them And of the Samaritans Act. 8. who altho Preacht unto and Baptized by Philip and Converted by his Ministry yet St. Peter and St. Iohn were sent to lay Hands on them upon which they received the Holy Ghost v. 17. From whence he inferrs that therefore this Ministry of Confirmation appertained to Apostles since Philip a Preacher a worker of Miracles a prime Deacon and if we may believe Cyprian an Evangelist and one of the Seventy Two would not presume to assume it but left it to the Apostles I Answer in general these Texts are by the current of all Protestant Divines and Interpreters understood of the Miraculous Gifts of the Spirit and the apparent extraordinary signs thereof attending the imposing of the Apostles Hands which in that time and Case of the Church was a proper Badge of the Apostolick Office and therefore can have no force to prove an ordinary standing Ordinance appropriat to ordinary Pastors Since in this Case the proper sole end of this Action was the forementioned special effect which is not now to be expected and also the persons acting did therein exercise an extraordinary function and Authority as Apostles Hence this singular Gift at this time exercised can no more be pleaded as laying a ground for the standing duty of ordinary Officers than Anointing with Oil by the Apostles which had the Miraculous effect of healing at that time Upon the First Text mentioned by him the Belgick Divines do shew that the comming of the Holy Ghost upon the laying on of Pauls hands is to be understood of the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost presently after exprest And their Prophecying is by Diodat exponed accordingly of a supernatural evident Divine inspiration To the same Scope it is exponed by the English Annotators And indeed the Text it self makes it so evident that none can call it into question and considerable it is that they all paralel this place with that Act. 8. Grotius upon the place tells us that Baptizati erant ab alio Christiano sed Deus ad commendandum munus Apostolicum non ante iis Spiritus sui dona communicare voluit quam Apostolica manus eos tetigisset Thus also Simplicius Camero and Piscator Epones this effect of the Imposing of the Apostles Hands with reference to the extraordinary influences of the Spirit Again in the fourfold premised Division of the laying on of Hands mentioned in the New Testiment we find only that the Imposition of Hands in the Ordination of Pastors is that which hath a clear standing Warrand and design the other three mentioned having an extraordinary end not to be now expected But further to urge this the Dr. says That tho the extraordinary effects are ceased yet the ordinary institut means of the Spirits influences remain Now as to this Point of the Apostles imposing Hands upon the Samaritans the Passage which the Dr. mainly insists upon and improves I would fain know if he will deny that these Samaritans Baptized by Philip upon their professed Faith and Conversion which in many of them no doubt was real had not received the Spirit in his ordinary gracious influences If they had then the the Apostles imposing Hands thereafter he must grant was either with a special respect to the forementioned Miraculous evidences of the Spirits Seal or it was useless and to no purpose at all The Belgick Divines upon v. 14. of this Chap. Do shew That the Apostles were sent to settle convenient Order in this Infant Church and strengthen them And therefore not merely for the end of Imposing Hands as the Dr. alledges and upon v. 15. mentioning the Apostles praying that they might receive the Holy Ghost they do thus Paraphrase it namely in a visible and Miraculous manner as often happened in this Church Act. 10.45 and 19.6 1 Cor. 14.27 for otherwise they had already received the Holy Ghost seeing no man can believe without the Holy Ghost Rom. 8.9 1 Cor. 12.3 Diodat to the same Sense understands the Holy Ghost here of the external and Miraculous evidences of his Grace Pool Annot. vol. 2. thus Paraphrases v. 14. as pointing out the Apostles Confirming the Doctrin and constituting a Church in Samaria by Apostolical Authority And the Clause of receiving the Holy Ghost v. 15. they expound of these extraordinary Gifts of Tongues Prophecie working of Miracles as Chap. 10.45 And upon that Clause v. 16. for as yet he was fallen upon none of them They shew that it is plain the Holy Ghost is not here meant as the Author of saving Graces For so he was fallen upon all that did believe Faith being the Gift of God but he was not yet bestowed as the Author of these extraordinary Gifts mentioned Chap. 2.38 Piscator upon this 15. v. Shews That the Spirit given here does not denote Sanctification or Confirmation in Grace but the extraordinary Gifts of Tongues and Prophesie c. as appears from the use of this Phrase Act. 10.45 and 19.6 As also from this that these Gifts were conspicuous to Simon The Imposing Hands mentioned v. 17. Dr. Lightfoot understands in the same Sense non Denatat saith he dona interna Gratiae Sanctificantis atque confirmantis omnibus piis collata sed dona extraordinaria aliquibus duntaxat exhibita And v. 18. which mentions Simons seeing this conferring the Holy Ghost is Interpreted of his seeing by this visible sign of the Gift of Tongues pointing out the Spirits inward Operation So Chrysostom and out of him Corn. a Lapide From all which it is evident in opposition to the Dr's Pleading 1. That this Imposition of Hands was not the sole end for which the Apostles were sent to Samaria 2 ly that there was no need of it in order to common Gifts of the Spirit or an ordinary Confirmation in the Faith thereby 3 ly That this Action of Imposing Hands was a special Badg of the Apostolick Office and that therein was put forth an extraordinary Apostolick Official Power competent to no Ordinary Officer 4 ly That it was put forth and exerced at this time in order to such a transient extraordinary effect as is not now to be expected since in that Infant state of the Church it did respect the Confirmation of the Doctrin of the Gospel the Confirmation of Believers and was to be a Divine attestation of the Apostles Mission and Authority in this extraordinary manner All which cuts off the Dr's design and Pleadings from this Scripture And whereas he alledges that an Extraordinary effect at that time will not prove the Ordinance it self to be ceased no more than Preaching sometimes attended with such effects I Answer when the Ordinance or mean is in Scripture held out with respect to ordinary standing Effects as Preaching has for its great end the Faith Conversion and Edification of Hearers till all the Elect are brought in this is true But when the mean or Action is in its Circumstances
their Doctrin and Practice they disown all dominion and Prelatical Principality in the Church and all outward grandure and greatness as inconsistent with their Office and the Office of all Gospel Ministers But to the Topick and ground of the Dr's Argument I Answer directly that the Apostles as they understood so they practised our Lords Precept in the sense we owne 1. In that they practised a compleat equality of Official Power among themselves This I hope he will not deny or if he do its easie to set all Protestant Divines in pursuit of him 2 In that they never exercised nor attempted to seek any Civil Greatness or Dominion such as the Prelats he pleads for do own as competent to their Office They knew that their Lord when but desired to give advice in a Civil Cause gave this return who made me a Iudg And declined the Imployment And that therefore neither they nor any of their Successors were to be Civil Counsellors and Spiritual Peers in Parliaments and Princes Courts 3. They disown all Dominion in one Pastor over another and discharged it earnestly Thus the Apostle Peter to be Lords over Gods Heritage 1 Pet. 5. Thus also Diotrephes affecting a Preheminence is rebuked by the Apostle Iohn And Paul owns himself and other Apostles as Stewards only in the House of God and disowns a Dominion as we have heard Next As for their Iurisdiction over subordinat Ecclesiasticks which is the Substratum of the Dr's great Answer and Question I do deny First that they exercised any Episcopal Jurisdiction properly taken over them Secondly such a Jurisdiction as did Cross this Precept The Proof of both these will fully discover the vanity of the Dr's Second Reply And First that the Apostles exercised no such Episcopal Authority over Ecclesiasticks or Churches planted as the Dr. pleads for is evident thus 1. Their Apostolick Authority connected with their Infallibility in Teaching reached to prescrib Duty to the Members and Officers of Churches consequently was cumulative thereto not privative thereof which appears in their enjoyning the exercise of Spiritual Iurisdiction as inherent in Church Officers as Excommunication 1 Cor. 5. And their owning a Spiritual Jurisdiction and Authority in Pastors both in the designations of Rulers Governours Overseers Bishops attribut to them As also in their frequent enjoyning the Peoples obedience and subjection to them as in that capacity Heb. 13.7.17 1 Pet. 5.2.3 1 Thess. 5.12.2 The Apostles did not as the Prelats invade the decisive Power of Pastors in Government but took along their decisive Votes and concurrence as we find in that Council Act. 15. where its evident that in every Point the Elders or Ministers conccurred with the Apostles in the Disquisition Sentence and decretal Letter 3. As the Apostles planted Churches with Pastors or Preaching Presbyters instructing them with Authority to Feed and Rule as Bishops or Rulers set up by the Holy Ghost so they committed the Government of the Churches to them in their last farewells without the least hint of Super-institut Officers of an higher Order So that the Apostles instructing Pastors with such Authority commanding its exercise enjoyning the Churches obedience to them exemplifying and Authorizing their interest in highest Judicatories yea making even Evangelists as Timothy pass through the Door of Presbyterial Ordination in order to the exercise of his Office Not to insist upon even Apostles submission to the Authoritative Imposition of the Hands of Prophets and Teachers when sent out upon a special Gospel Legation To which we may add the Apostles owning Pastors as Brethren Fellow-helpers Fellow-Labourers Co-Presbyters or Elders It follows inevitably 1. That as to the Perpetual Pastoral Charge the Authority of Preaching the Gospel the Administration of the Sacraments and the appendent Jurisdictional Power which by the Apostles Doctrin is a Lower Step to this and connected therewith they own the Pastors or Preaching Presbyters their Equals and their proper Successors in this Ministerial Authority consequently the ordinary Church Officers of the highest Order to whom they committed the Keys of Doctrin and Disciplin 2. That the Exercise of their extraordinary Apostolick directive Power and Authority which they could not divest themselves of while alive did no whit impeach the standing Authority of Pastors nor did it includ any Jurisdiction properly over Churches constitut and Moulded in their Organick being By Iurisdiction properly I mean such as is of a standing necessity in order to the Churches Edification in all times or such a Jurisdiction over Churches as may be supposed paramount unto or privative of the Jurisdictional Authority of Pastors and of Organick Churches Secondly That the Apostles exercised no such Authority over the Churches as did cross our Lords Precept and Prohibition is evident in that 1. Our Saviour discharged Imparity among Church Officers of the same kind and therefore this could not impeach the Apostles Authority over ordinary Officers 2. Our Lords instructing them with such a measure of the Spirit as was sutable to the First founding of the Churches and with Authority as his living and infallibly inspired Oracles to plant Churches and the Gospel Ordinances and Government therein Unless the Dr. will say that our Lords Precept did cross and contradict his design he must needs ackdowledg that the Apostles in exercising this directive Power and extraordinary Authority over ordinary inferior Officers could not cross this his Precept and Prohibition they being our Lords immediatly called infallibly inspired and extraordinarly Gifted First Messengers in order to this end Thus we have seen the vanity and insufficiency of the Dr's Second Answer But there is no end of Vanities The Dr's Third Answer is Prefaced with a very big and high Flown swelling boast That which he says baffles and exposes our Argument to all intents and purposes is that our Lord did that himself among them which now he Commanded them to do one to another And the doing of this one to another in obedience to his Command could not infer a Parity unless we Blasphemously infer that Christ and his Apostles were equal For our Lord recommends what he enjoins from his own constant and visible Practice among them that he their Lord and Master was their Servant And therefore it became the greatest among them to be Modest calm and humble toward their Brethren which would qualify them for Ecclesiastick Promotions This poor and mean Answer and Reason of the Dr's is a notion for which he is beholden to his Popish Masters And being here subjoyned to such big words brings to mind some Poetick Phrases Quid tanto tulit hic promissor hiatu And Projicis ampullas sesquipedalia verba And that of Partuâ—iunt montes nascetur ridiculus mus There 's no doubt that the Dr. has as much exposed and baffled his own Judgment and Reputation in this thrasonick weak Answer as in any thing else But to the point First I must tell him that if this Argument tending to prove from this Text
be evident to any who will compare their Writings with his Reasoning in this Pamphlet To give a Summary and Brief Account of our Arguments from these Scriptures cited by him and consequently of this Dr's Phantastick Vanity and Trifflings in this Matter From Act. 20. We thus Argue First That the Apostles solemnly declares to the Elders or Pastors of that Church of Ephesus that the Holy Ghost had constituted them Bishops over the Flock Whence we collect 1. That the Pastor is the true Scripture Bishop 2. That by his Office he Feeds and Rules the Flock and hath the Doctrinal and Jurisdictional Key committed to him by the Holy Ghost Next it hence follows that whatever Authority Power and Jurisdiction is imported in the Name Bishop falls within the Compass of this Solemn Command given to these Elders or Pastors who are enjoyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that this being essentially and intirely included in the Pastoral Office the Diocesan Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pretended Paramount Inspection over them evanisheth as a mere Chimaera especially since it excludes and inhaunces this Authority of Pastors 3. It is evident that this Charge was given to the Elders before Timothy now present with Paul and was posterior to the first Epistle directed to him for at Writing thereof the Apostle was at Macedonia And the Sacred History informs us that he came thereafter to Miletum with Timothy and gave the Elders this Charge In a Word this Charge and Command was Paul's last Solemn Charge for after this they were to see his Face no more So that these being the Apostles last Thoughts to speak so and Testamentary Instructions in Point of Church Government we have here the the Samplare and Pattern shewed by this great Apostle upon the Mount of this Divinely Inspired Model and Instructions And since the Episcopalians will not call the Gospel-Church a Speckled Bird and her Government of diverse Cuts they must acknowledge that the rest of the Apostles gave the same Directions As 1 Pet. 5. with 2 Pet. 1.14 doth furher clear From hence we further Argue First These Bishops who Feed and Rule the Flock immediatly are the Apostolick Bishops and these only Ergo the Hierarchical Prelat is no Apostolick Bishop 1. Because his pretended Episcopacy is over the Pastors he is Pastor Pastorum 2. He hath a Relation to no Flock as such We Argue Secondly from the Text thus These Apostolick Bishops have both the immediat and intire Episcopal Inspection and Power over Christs Flocks committed to them by God both the Doctrinal and Jurisdictional Key And therefore the Hierarchical Prelat stands Condemned upon a double Ground 1. As Snatching away the last from Pastors and Arrogating it solely to himself 2. In Tearing and Breaking asunder the Bond. wherewith Christ hath Tyed these Keyes And this in a double Respect 1. In the Case of the Pastor to whom he leaveth only the Doctrinal Key 2. With Respect to himself who is obliged ex Natura Ratione Officii or from the Nature of his Office to Preach the Gospel to no Flock but to Govern only Thirdly All this Scriptural Episcopal Jurisdiction is by the Apostle ascribed to these Pastors or Bishops of the Holy Ghost in Presence of Timothy while there is Altum Silentium of any Interest he had over them in this Matter Whence it may be inferred 1. They are declared and supposed the Highest Ordinary Officers of that Church having a Collegiat joynt Authority therein And 2. By clear Consequence it follows that nothing here enjoyned them inferrs or doth include a Precarious Dependence upon him in these Duties or his Supereminent Inspection over them 3. By further necessary Consequence this Authority being thus declared by the Apostle and recognosced after all the Precepts delivered to Timothy in the first Epistle written to him it cannot be supposed to contain any Super-eminent Episcopal Charge over these Pastors but a Transient Evangelistick Inspection only to pass off with that Exigent It being infallibly clear that there can be no Inconsistency or Contradiction betwixt this last Farewel Charge to the Pastors of that Church and his Directions to Timothy while residing therein Finally It is hence infallibly concluded 1. That the Apostles themselves Exercised no such Jurisdiction over Churches constitute in their Organick Beeing as is properly and formally Episcopal or of the Hierarchical Mould This Episcopal Authority being committed to the Colledge of Elders as their Essential Right and Priviledge 2. That the Apostles did not Substitute the Hierarchical Prelats or Diocesan Bishops as their Succedaneous Substitutes upon their withdrawing unless we will make the Apostle Paul to Model this Church in a Mould Hetrogeneous to other Churches And in a Word it hence follows that whatever may be pleaded as to Matter of Fact neither this nor any Church else could ever after Iure divest themselves of this Authority I mean the Church Representatives or Officers thereof in setting up such a Proestos or Prelat whose Power did encroach upon this their Authority allowed them by God From Tit. 1.5 7. The Presbyterians Argue not merely from the Promiscuous Use or Identity of the Name Bishop and Presbyter but from the Nature and Mould of the Apostles Reasoning and the Connecting Particle and Illative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which points at the very Topick and Ground upon which the Apostle concludeth that which is his Scope which necessarly inferrs an Official Identity of Bishop and Presbyter not a Nominal only For thus his Argument lyes The Presbyter or Elder must be so and so Qualified for such must the Bishop be So that the Stating of an Official Distinction betwixt the two as different Orders of Ministers breaks the Force of the Apostles Argument there being no Soundness in such Reasoning as this Inferior Officers must have such Qualifications because such are proper to the Superior Office No doubt the Holy Ghost who thus Reasons ascribes to them not only the same Name and he knew best how to express the Nature of the Things by fit Words but likewise the same Qualifications Work and Office Episcopalians will not disowne it that the Bishop hath distinct Qualifications and Work from that of the Presbyter or Pastor So that they must either acquiesce in this our Sense of his Words while purposely describing the Presbyter and Bishops Qualifications Office and Duties or Blasphemously impute unto him Incongruity of Speech and Unsoundness in Reasoning And therefore the Office of the one and the other is clearly supposed one and the same From Philip. 1.1 Where the Apostle salutes a Plurality of Bishops of that Church We inferr 1. Their proper Episcopal Relation thereunto 2. That they could not be Diocesans 1. Because the Deacons the lowest Officers are immediatly subjoyned to them And Prelatists will not say that there were no Pastors in that Church but only Diocesans 2. It is impossible there could be a Plurality of Hierarchical
atque Inspectioni Commissam non enim alicujus in alios Ministros Autoritatis aut alicujus prae aliis Prerogativae sed sâ—lius istius Curae ac Vigilantiae Respectu Episcoporum Titulo in Sacris Literis Insigniuntur That the Bishops are called such not with Relation to any supposed Subordinat Bishops or Presbyters but to the Church committed to their Vigilant Care in which Respect alone they have that Title in Scripture but not upon the Account of any Prerogative or Authority which one Minister has over another Which how clearly it asserts our Judgment Principles and Pleading upon these Texts in Opposition to the Hierarchical Bishop and for the Parity of Pastors is convincingly evident But let us hear their Inference Thes. 30. which is thus Non ergo ex Divino sed ex Humano Instituto aliquis post Apostolorum tempora aliis ex Ordine Presbyterorum fuit Authoritate praepositus atque Episcopus dictus ex singulari Prerogativa sicut post Hieronimum non-nulli quoque Pontificii confitentur nominatim Lombard Lib. 4. Distinct. 24. Gratian Dist. 93. c. Legimus Dist. 25. c. olim Cusanus de Concord Cathol Lib. 2. Cap. 13. Citing first Ierom on Tit. 1. ad Evag. In summ that the Setting of one Presbyter over another in a supposed Supereminent Authority and Peculiar Prerogative under the Character and Designation of a Bishop is an Humane Invention only without any Divine Warrand as not only Hierom but several Popish School Men have acknowledged The Professors of Saumur speak also our Sense here fully Syntag. Thes. Theolog. de Divers Minist Evang. Grad Thes. 7. They hold the Office of Apostles Prophets and Evangelists to be Extraordinary and Expired making peculiar to them their immediat Call Infallibility in Teaching their Universal Legation to all Churches their Extraordinary and Miraculous Gifts c. The Pastors and Doctors Office they hold Ordinary and affirm they are the same with Presbyters planted in every Church Thes. 16.20 de Episcop Presb. Discrimine Thes. 7.8 they shew that the Apostles placed Presbyters Church by Church for the Government thereof citing Act. 14.23 and 20.17 28. where they Collect that these Presbyters were Commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take heed to the Flock and are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from which they infer that it belonged to them to Watch over Inspect to see unto and take Care for such things as tended to the Conservation Propagation and Growth of the Church Adding Quod fieri sine Regiminis Cura Potestate non potest which could not be performed without the Care and Authority of Government Thes. 9. They assert that Pastors being thus in the beginning Constitute by the Apostles they did according to the Apostles Command and from the Nature of the Office Intrusted to them ex Officio sibi ab Apostolis demandato Govern the Church Communi Consilio by Common Counsel according to Hierom's Phrase Communibus Suffragiis Communi Solicitudine Cura by Common and Equal Suffrage and Care Adding Nullus tum eorum in reliquos Sym-Presbyteros Autoritatem Potestatem Imperium aut Iurisdictionem habuit sed par equalis Cura Solicitudo omnibus singuâ—is in totum Gregem competebat that in these First times no Presbyter or Pastor had Authority Power or Jurisdiction over his Fellow-Presbyters but the same and alike Care and solicitude over the whole Flock was competent to every one Thes. 10. they shew That tho there was one who as in every Colledge or Juridical Court was Primus or President yet that Primatus was Ordinis duntaxat non Authoritatis Potestatis Dominii Imperii Iurisdictionis sic enim non fuissent Sym-Presbyteri quomodo passim vocantur in Patrum Scriptis of Order only not of Authority and not importing a Iurisdictional Power and Dominion For thus they had not been Collegues or Co-Presbyters as they were every where called in the Writings of the Fathers Thes. 14. they shew That things being thus Constitute by the Apostles as every one of these Presbyters had not only the Authority and Power of Preaching the Word and Administration of the Sacraments Verum etiam pari Iure pari Autoritate ad Ecclesiae Clavum Gubernaoula sedebant quam ut dixi Communi Consilio Communibus Suffragiis regebant That with the same Authority also and Equal Jurisdiction Ministers did sit at the Churches Helm and Governed her by Common Suffrages Adding Quod hinc liquot quod omnes communiter Presbyteri Episcopi pariter in Scriptis Apostolicis adeoque Vetustioribus Scriptoribus vocantur promiscue That Pastors are called both Bishops and Presbyters promiscuously in the Apostles Writings makes the preceeding Assertion apparent Then they add the Scripture Proofs thus Id quod satiâ— manifestum ex loco Act. 20.28 Ubi Ephesinae Ecclesiae Presbyteri dicuntur â— Spiritu Sancto constituti Ecclesiae illius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tam ex Philip. 1.1 Ubi Apostolus Epistolam suam inscribit Ecclesiae illius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nulla factâ— Presbyterorum mentione quos Episcoporum nomine isthic procul dubio intelligit Nunquam enim plures fuerunt in eadem Ecclesia Episcopi ex quo Episcopus singularem habuit ac praecipuam supra Presbyteros Autoritatem atque Potestatem ejusque Manus distinctum fuit a Presbyteriali Munere atque Ordine That the Parity of Bishop and Presbyter appears from Act. 20.28 where the Presbyters of the Church of Ephesus are said to be Constitute Bishops of the Church by the Holy Ghost As also from Philip. 1.1 where the Apostle inscribes his Epistle to the Bishops and Deacons of that Church making no mention of Presbyters whom without doubt he understands by the Name of Bishops For there were never more Bishops in the same Church since the time that the Bishop had a Singular Power and Authority above Presbyters and his Office was distinguished from the Order and Office of Pastors Then they add Thes. 15. Id ipsum manifestam ex 1 Tim. 3.2 Opportet Episcopum esse irreprehensibilem c. nulla mentione facta Presbyteri Nam si alias tum fuiâ—set Episcopus alius Presbyter Paulus isthic Presbyterum non omisisset sed adjecisset eadem in Presbytero requiri vel si alia aut pauciora in eo requiri voluisset id procul dubio monuisset alioqui ea in parte Officio suo Defuisset That the same appears from 1 Tim. 3.2 A Bishop must be blameless c. without mentioning the Presbyter For if the Bishop and Presbyter had been then distinct Paul would not in this place have omitted the Presbyter but would have added that the same things were required in him or if he would have required either other or fewer things in him he would without doubt have admonished hereof otherwise in so far he had been wanting in his Duty They add Idem liquet ex Tit. 1.5 7. Nam ubi dixit Titum se reliquisse in Creta
evil one was then Sowing among the Wheat 3. That such a Proestos was as much above the Presbyters as the High Priest above other Priests is as Ignorant an Assertion and Arrant Untruth as the Dr. could readily have let fall Whereof I will 1. Convince him out of his own Mouth unless in the Point of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he still begg the Question 2. From the Scripture Accounts of the High Priests Office First He does acknowledge that the High Priest was thus Termed upon the Ground of Special Ministries which were Essential and Peculiar to him Now I pray what were the Special Ministries of this Proestos and even in the Point of Order in the Apostles Days above his Fellows Next the High Priest entred every Year into the Holy of Holies with Blood and Incense and had this Prerogative above other Priests the Priesthood was Hereditary to his First Born Tyed to his Family c. And would not the Dr. Blush to Assert such like Prerogatives as Applicable to the Proestos or Supposed Fixed President in the Apostles Days But he adds Salmasius grants That when the pretended Equality prevailed a Preces had the Loce Primarius in Consessu during Life And that there are such palpable Evidences of the peculiar Honour and Iurisdiction of one of the Ecclesiastick Senat in the Apostolick Age that the Learnedst Sticklers for Parity cannot deny it But if Salmasius assert that while this pretended Proestos had the Chair an Official Equality of Pastors was existent and prevailed it is undenyable that he denyes to this President or Chair-man such an Episcopal Preheminence and Dominion as the Dr. pleads for and allows him only the Chair of Presidency not Principality A Moderator's Chair and no more Again I Challenge our Dr. to prove this Consequence Salmasius asserts that even an Official Equality prevailed among Pastors when there was a Proestos set up during Life Ergo he asserts that this Proestos was ab initio in the Apostolick Age or approved by the Apostles For what he adds P. 29. That the Learnedst Pleaders for Parity do acknowledge a peculiar Iurisdiction appropriat to one of the Ecclesiastick Senat in the Apostolick Age He should have Named them and where they assert this For as for what he adduces of Salmasius I have shown how far it is from reaching his Conclusion And Beza I am sure whom no doubt the Dr. will owne as an Eminent Pleader for Parity condemns this Humane Prostasie as the Episcopus Humanus distinct from the Divine much more a Peculiarity of Jurisdiction in one Pastor over another For the Dr's Inviduous Character of Sticklers for Parity which he bestows upon Presbyterian Writers the premised Account of them discovers what a Black Theta he marks himself with who dare thus asperse the Body of Reformed Churches and Divines No doubt if they were such Sticklers for Parity of Pastors or Preaching Presbyters for this is the Parity which he thus ignorantly represents in such a Confused General as he is for Imparity and the Prelatical Hierarchy their Stickling were not to be Valued But what are these palpable Evidences which convinces our greatest Sticklers Something saith the Dr that makes it evident beyond all Contradiction Some mighty Evidences then we must expect The first which he adduces is That of the Apocalyptick Angels among whom he tells us we justly reckon St. Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna But 1. How has he proved that these Angels were single Presidents and that the Term is not taken Collectively 2. How does he prove that such as acknowledge them single Persons do hold them to be any more than Presidents pro tempore Beza I am sure acknowledges them only such Whom the Dr or any other do reckon for the Angel of Smyrna when Iohn wrote the Epistle to that Church is not the Question but whom he can prove from Scripture to have been such and what the Bishops Character is in Scripture The Dr's next supposed evidence is drawn from the Epistles to Timothy and Titus and the Catalogues of Bishops succeeding to the Apostles in their several Sees To which I Answer in short First That the Dr. can neither prove 1. That the Apostles or Timothy and Titus the Evangelists exercised an ordinary Episcopal Authority to be continued in the Church Nor 2. Can he prove or conclude from these Catalogues such an Authority Since 1 They are found to consist of Officers of diverse Cutts and unequal Authority 2 Inconsistent and contradictory to one another 3 They are found resolving in Apostles or Evangelists whose Office admitted of no Succession and upon this very account can found no shadow of an Argument for what he intends far less make the thing evident beyond contradiction What the Dr. adds further in this Page Of our concluding the Equality of Presbyters of the New Testament from the Dichotomies used in Christian VVriters and of the Ancients dividing sometimes the Clergie into two Orders c. And that nothing of moment was Canonically Determined in Ecclesiastick Meetings without their Bishops That Cyprian compares the Evangelical Priesthood and Ministrations with the Aaronical Is the same nauseating repeated begging of the Question with the former wherewith instead of solid Scripture Proof of the Official imparity of Bishop and Presbyter he fills up idle Pages How often shall we tell him that the point in question is not what Dichotomies were used in Christian Writings or who determined Canonically in Ecclesiastick Meetings after the Apostolick Age What Comparisons Cyprian Clemens or Origen used in setting out the New Testament Ministry But what Answers the Dr. has to offer to the premised Scripture Arguments of Presbyterians for the Paritie of Bishop and Presbyter Iure Divino And what proof from Scripture from the Apostles Doctrine and Practice he can produce for such a Jurisdictional Power and Authority of a Bishop under this Character above the Pastor or preaching Presbyter as he is bold to assert We often tell him that we plead other Grounds than his fancied Dichotomies And tho that were made one Ground and say further he had disproved it in these his pityful Tautologies and Repetitions what says this to the many other Nervous Pleadings above rehearsed But proceed we P. 29.30 He presses thus his often Repeated Notion anent Dichotomies Especially says he since the Ancients sometimes divide the Clergy into two Orders yet upon other occasions subdivide the highest Order and distinguish the Bishop from subordinat Presbyters Ans. He should have Exhibit these Ancients and their words thus distinguishing the Bishop under that Character from all subordinate Presbyters 2. The Dr. is obliged this being the substratum and supposition of all his Answers and insinuat Argument to exhibit the Scriptures subdivision of the Pastoral Office into higher and inferior Orders and the Scripture distinction of such an ordinary Officer as comes under the Character of Bishop from Subordinat Preaching Presbyters or Pastors As for determination in Councils
any Hint or Note of Distinction 2. It seems that either Ambrose or some of his late Episcopal Pleaders are pityfully bemisted who do cite Ambrose as holding that the Bishops saluted by Paul were not Bishops of that Church but extraneous Bishops accidentally present Thus the Author of the three Dialogues P. 9. But Theodoret saith the Dr. did judge that when in the Apostolick Age Bishops were named as contradistinct from Priests they were called Apostles Behold our critical Dr. censuring again the Apostle Paul in his Salutation It seems also there were none of the Apostles of the Dr's Mould when this Apostle gave his last Farewel to the Elders of Ephesus nor in the Church which Peter wrote to For Ministers there are called to act the Bishops and nothing is heard of an Apostle-bishop And really I think this inadvertant Man Paul is further to be blamed in that describing of set purpose 1 Tim. and in the Epistle to Titus which are in the Dr's Judgement the great Charter of the Episcopal Authority the Qualifications and Duties of Church Officers he was so leavened with his Notion of Dichotomies that he passes quite over in silence the High Priest Apostle-Bishops whose Office was chiefly under this Name and Character to have been discribed that the Churches then and in after ages together with all inferior Priests might understand their Duty towards them But since in all their Descriptions Recitals and Accounts of Church Officers he and other Apostles were so foregetful as to pass over in silence the absolute High-priest of the Christian Church the Pope's Holiness notwithstanding that the Iewish OEconomy of Church Government was never repealed but still standing as a Patern to the New Testament Church it is no wonder that they fell into this Mistake also P. 37. He tells us That he only mentions this transiently not insisting upon it What this extends to is somewhat dubious many it is like will be of Opinion of whom I am one that what ever he has offered hitherto is a Digression and but obiter to the point But his business he tells us at present is to prove that community of Names will not prove community of Offices Truely if this be all his business he is a mere Officiperda and has foregot his Episcopal Errand in this eloborat Pamphlet For no Presbyterian ever concluded this from the mere community of Names simplely and abstracted from other Grounds drawen from the Scope and Circumstances of such places as we do plead from Scripture upon this Point and from many other clear Scripture Arguments long since exhibite to him in the Books which he mentions and there needs no more than the reading to convince any person that he is acting the Thraso in this his pretended Confutation of the same which doth rather confirm than weaken the perswasion of any Man of Sense who have perused these Authors The Dr. tells us ibid. That Peter calls himself a Presbyter Well if this Apostle writing to Presbyters and dehorting them from acting the Bishops and Lording over the Flock put himself as to an ordinary Office and Ministry Pastoral among the number making this one of his Arguments It is evident that he thus asserts their proper Succession to him tho not to his Apostolat yet to his Pastoral Office of feeding by the Word and Discipline For his Command imports both But why did he not address the Chief Bishop or High-priest under the Apostolick Designation after this manner The Apostle and inferior Presbyters among you I exhort who am also an Apostle or thus The Super-eminent Bishop and Presbyters I exhort who also am a Bishop But the Dr's correcting information is come far too late to him I might further tell him that when he shall exhibite as clear a distinction betwixt the Bishop and Presbyter as there is betwixt the Office of Apostles and Presbyter then and not till then his paralel Argument will appear of some force which he draws from Peter and Iohns designing themselves Elders and shall be acknowledged conclusive to his Scope The Dr. will next preoccuppy our Argument from 1 Tim. 4.14 And tells us That the Presbytrie mentioned in that place was a Senat composed of Apostles and other Priests but whether of the first or second Rank he is not certain And really the Dr in my poor Judgment might have added whether there were any other Apostles in that Senat than the Apostle Paul is equally uncertain And let me humbly intreat his Reverence by his next to give us an Account of the Scripture Grounds of his Certainty of the one rather than of the other That the Apostle Paul was present and concurred in this Presbytrie I know is pleaded by his Episcopal Brethren tho Collating the two places 1 Tim. 4.14 and 2 Tim. 1.6 the different Phraâ—eology in both being pondered they will find the Work pretty hard to make it good against a Critical Disputant and the admitting of this rather Confirms than Weakens our Pleadings from that place as Presbyterian Writers have made appear Some have alledged that by the Presbytrie we are to understand the Office Which Pleaders have been long since told that the Office has no Hands to lay on But that other Apostles were there than Paul is a Notion I am sure much if not only beholden to the Dr's Fertile that I say not Fond Invention It were needless and but to burden Paper unnecessarly to recite Interpreters in Opposition to this his Gloss This is known to all that are acquaint with them But let us hear the Dr's Argument upon these Passages He tells us It is evident from 2 Tim. 1.6 that Paul was of the Number and that in the other place 1 Tim. 4.14 he is exhâ—rted not to neglect the Gift given him with the Laying on of the Hands of the Presbytrie In the last he is put in mind to stir up the Gift which he received by the Laying on of St. Pauls Hands There is none doubts that these Passages thus stands in the New Testament but had he instead of this Dark Insinuating Hint drawn out a Formal Argument lying level to his Scope and Conclusion it would have deserved our Consideration However to prevent his Mistake Presbyterians have long since told him 1. That the different Phrase in both places viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the second makes Paul's presence at least Debateable but clearly proves that the Laying on of the Presbytries Hands is evidently Diversified in a distinct Comma as a distinct Priviledge in its self considered from the Gifts given by Prophesie and ascribed to the Laying on of Pauls Hands And 2. That tho Paul's presence in this Action were admitted it clearly proves that even an Apostles Laying on of Hands upon an Evangelist did not exclude the Presbytries Authoritative Imposition And that therefore by a clear Consequence from the Greater to the Less that Priviledge much more belongs to them now
to produce succeeding Officers with this Prerogative and Power or acknowledge this his Description naught which he so vainly offers in opposition to the Account of this Office offered by Protestant Divines 2. He sayes That this power was constant perpetual and to be transmitted to Successors Here I ask him whether the Apostles were to transmit their Power to one Successor and Supreme President or to devolve their Collateral Universal Power over all Believers and all subordinat Officers to respective Successors coming after every one of them If the Dr. adhere to the first he clearly homologats the Papal Pleadings for a Primacy over the Church Universal And indeed his owning as a Patern to the New Testament Church the Continuance of the Iewish Oeconomy does much oblige him thereunto If he assert that every one of the Apostles had a respective Successor then his Descripâ—â—on obliges him to mantain that every such Successor has transmited unto him A Perpetual Spiritual Constant Universal Inspection over all Churches both Ministers and Believers For this essential Authority of Apostles he affirms they were to transmitt to Successors and that according to the Command of our Saviour But to proceed Let us Listen to our Dr's Explication P. 97. The Apostles Permanent Successive Power was to Preach the Gospel Govern the Churches they Planted give Rules and Directions to Successors in the same Office and all Subordinat Ecclesiasticks Inflict Censures Communicat this Authority to others Hear Complaints Decide Controversies Settle Church Discipline Conferr the Holy Ghost as the Necessity of the Faithful requires He tells us He understands the Gifts that must needs attend the Authoritative Ministry of Holy Things This being Essentially the Apostolick Office it remains for ever in the Church the ordinary Necessities thereof requiring it should continue till Christs coming Here First I would enquire again since the Power thus described is in the Dr's Sense Permanent and Successive and necessary to the Church whether is it so as devolved upon every Person Succeeding and in the same Extent and for the same Eâ—ds as the Apostles Exercised it If it be not then every Body of Common Sense knows that this Apostolick Power and Office cannot be called Permanent and Successive and of a continued standing Necessity in the Church no more than a Pastors ordinary Power to Preach and Baptize will prove this and that they hold this entire Apostolick Office which he describes If this Apostolick Power and Office be devolved in its entire extent and to every Person Succeeding then every Person thus Succeeding has an Entire Unconfined Universal Authority and Inspection over all the Churches all Ecclesiasticks and Believers to use his own Terms and are obliged by their Office to Preach unto and Govern them all as the Apostles did to give Rules Inflict Censures upon all Subordinat Officers If he say that every Apostle did not so Extensively Preach and Govern I Answer even admitting some Gradual Difference in the Extent of the Actual Exercise yet this did no whit Lessen their Universal Commission exprest Matth. 28. and the Obligation of a Proportioned Endeavour could not Impeach their standing Authority over all the Churches and their Relation in Actu Exercito as immediat Catholick Officers thereof And the Dr in saying That this Authority and Iurisdiction reached over all Subordinat Officers and Believers without Exception which very Power he affirms they were to Transmit to Successors confirms what I said and cuts him off from this Evasion To clear this further in the second place it may be asked whether these supposed Successors are Authorized to Plant Churches give Rules to them Decide Controversies Conferr the Holy Ghost as the Apostles did with Respect to the End Manner and Extent foresaid If not then sure this Power is Transient not Permanent and Successive as the Dr. calls it If they have this Power of Apostles as above exprest Then first there lyes upon every such Successor an Obligation to Plant Churches where they were not For he will not deny that the Apostles were to Plant to Govern the Churches Planted and to give Rules and Directions thereanent The Absurdity of which Assertion is sufficiently apparent and its necessary Dependence upon what he asserts no less evident But while we speak of Successors giving Rules the Dr. would do well to inform us what Rules he means whether the Apostles Rules or others If the same then they could not Succeed the Apostles in Authoritative Infallible Delivery of the first Gospel Rules this Work being already done If others then the Dr. will ascribe to them such a Nomothetick Authority as to Rules as no Church can now acclaim in the Sense of all Protestant Divines If he say he means an Application or Declarator of Apostolick Rules in particular Cases Then I Answer This is not the Apostolical Delivery of Rules as all Men know but is toto coelo different from it both in its Nature and Extent So that this Shift will not help the Dr. out of the Briars But in the next place the Dr. has told us of an Apostolical derived Power in Deciding Controversies which he appropriats to the Bishops their Successors and in the Sequel of his Reasoning must atribute it to every one of them And here I would enquire of him how did the Apostles Decide Controversies The Dr. will not deny that any one of the Apostles by virtue of their Authority and Infallibility could decide Controversies infallibly as being our Saviours Living Oracles and having the Mind of Christ And what Bishop or Succeeding Church Officer I pray has this Power and Authority We know General Councils have erred in their Decisions But the Dr. gives a greater Power to every Bishop by this his New Notion Or if the Dr allay and lessen this Decision either as to Extent or Authority then he is still in the Briars and baffles his own definition and explication Further the Dr. has told us the Bishops succeeds the Apostles in giving the Holy Ghost The Scriptures tells us the Apostles gave the Holy Ghost and even Miraculous visible Gifts thereof by imposition of Hands and we have heard that Protestant Divines ascribe this to them as one of their incommunicable Prerogatives The Dr. will needs have them succeeded in this But being someway sensible of the absurdity of this lax Assertion he restricts it to such Gifts as must needs attend the Authoritative Ministry of Holy things Be it so but will he say that the Apostles did no otherways give the Holy Ghost This he cannot assert Then I say 1. He must acknowledge that here is a defective maimed not an intire Succession in this work and part of their Office 2. The Dr would be puzzled to shew a Reason why he restricts and limits this Point of the Succession rather than the rest Finally the Dr. calls this Power of the Apostles Supreme and no doubt since it is with him one Criterion of the Apostolick Office and competent
Officers and Members are temporary expired Priviledges For this he clearly distinguishes from them And it being thus the Question still recurrs to what Bishops he ascribs this Whether to some of them who are of Special Character or to all If to all then none of them are subordinat and accountable to another as being all Infallible and Supreme in the Exercise of their Government If to some only under what Character are they Primats Arch-bishops or Patriarchs And whether are they subject to one Head If to one Head then they loss the Priviledge of Supremacy wherein the Dr. makes an Apostolick Succession to consist Yet it will be hard to say that they were not subject to a General Council as to their Doctrine and Administration And sure I am the Dr. will assert that the Apostles had such a Supreme Power as put them beyond the reach of Subjection to any Church Judicatory and this their Supreme Authority he asserts to be Constant and Permanent still necessary for the Church and died not with their Persons So that here is another confused Maze and Farrago of Inconsistencies But further to shew how this Mans precipitant folly has involved him two things are again considerable First He holds the Iewish OEconomy never to have been abrogat but to be still vigent as it exemplifies a Pattern to the New Testament Church This he acknowledges had a Supreme High Priest who was an OEcumenick President over that Church over all inferior Priests and all their Courts For he wil be far from admitting any inferior Priests to share in this Priviledge Hence iâ— inevitably follows that this Supremacy is in his Sense applicable only to the Supreme OEcumenick President that the Christian Church may come up to its Pattern And it being thus let us in the next place see how he notwithdanding crosses this in two Points 1. In making this Constant Supreme Spiritual Power over all Members and Officers in the Christian Church to have been first exercised by every one of the Twelve Apostles and by them derived to their respective Successors 2. In holding in discriminatim and without any note of distinction of one from another that the Bishops yea all Bishops are Successors of the Apostles he means in a proper formal Sense For this is the very Title of this goodly Chapter of the Succession of Bishops from the Apostles as is said Further I would gladly know whether our Dr. ownes any Church-Power to have been transmitted to Presbyters or Pastors and to be asserted Act. 20 28. 1 Pet 5.2 Heb. 13.7.17 and many such places pleaded by the Presbyterians It is probable he will acknowledge this so that it be within their Precincts insubordination to the Bishops Now I pray why will he deny them the Priviledge of Succession to Apostles in point of Church Power He hath no Shadow of Ground unless upon the Account of a Precarious Dependence upon the Bishop So that it is not a Supreme Spiritual Power as he defines that of the Bishops as succeeding Apostles therein And I beseech him why are not the Bishops upon this Ground of their Precarious Dependance upon Superior Bishops equally cut off from this Priviledge If he say the Bishops Power reaches to Church Officers under them not that of Presbyters I have already told him what an Insignificant Evasion this is and that he cuts himself off from this Answer in that he makes this Apostolick Power which is Transmitted to Successors to be a Jurisdiction and Authority over all Subordinat Officers all Ecclesiasticks and all others Believing in Christ. And he tells us That the Apostles were to give Directions to their Suceessors in the same Office So that if it be not thus understood who can reconcile his Words to Sense For he distinguishes the Successors to their Office from such as he calls Subordinat Ecclesiasticks who have no such Authority And to say the Office is perpetual and permanent that the Office imports Essentially a Supreme Power over all Church Officers and Members and is thus distinguished from all Inferior Offices that this very Office is derived to Successors as being Essential and necessary to the Church Government in all Ages and yet that these Successors one or more have a Power Encircled within a certain Plott of Ground or District is such a palpable Contradiction and Non-Sense as none can be more evident We are told P. 98. That the Essence of the Apostolick Office consisted not in the forementioned extraordinary Priviledges but in the Rectoral Power Transmitted to their Successors in all Ages I have told him and made it appear that their Rectoral-Power necessarly included these Priviledges and since he acknowledges that the Essence of their Office consisted in their Rectoral Power it does necessarly follow that these being of the Essence of that Power they were Essential to the Office We acknowledge with him that they were by their Office distinguished from Subordinat Officers The Dr. infers That therefore this Distinction must consist in something so peculiar to them as its incommunicable to any Orders of Officers not Honoured with this Character Before I come to a direct Answer I will here cleave all his Reasoning asunder with a Wedge of his own Setting The Apostles Universal Unconfined Inspection over all Churches Planted and to be Planted and as Catholick Universal Ministers thereof in Actu Exercito is that whereby they are distinguished from other Officers who are not of that Character And being thus distinguished this must of necessity be the Essence of their Office for it is the Essence from which Essential Distinctions flows Yet we will find the Dr. Disowning and Denying this P. 96. Next from hence its easie to infer that to give Successors the true Apostolick Character and Power it must be of this Nature and Extent else its Hetrogeneous unto and comes short of its Pattern Will any Rational Man deny that the Rectoral Power derived to Apostles by our Saviour wherein he says the Essence of their Office did consist was of this Nature and Extent Now let him produce if he can any one Officer or Successor with this Character Again that whereby they were distinguished or what was peculiar to them may be understood two ways 1. Materially or Simplely 2. Formally or as making up their Complex Office with its other Ingredients and as properly subservient to the proper formal immediat Ends thereof In the first Sense there were several things whereby they were not properly distinguished from other Officers at that time considering them materially and remotely such as Gifts of Tongues Miracles c. which others had in their own Sphere and Degree But formally they were proper to Apostles considering their Degree Circumstances and proper immediat End Others had Gifts of Tongues and of Miracles but these Gifts were distinguished from those of Apostles upon the Ground above exprest I would make it evident by a Scripture Instance Our Saviour shews what Miraculous Signs shall follow
are thus subject is as great Non-Sense as to say a Man succeeding to a Privat Cure succeeds a Metropolitans Place or that the Person who succeeds to an Episcopal Chair doth succeed to the Papacy in its supposed Rectoral Power The Dr. doth here again Cant over That their Rectoral Pâ—wer distinguisht them from all Subordinat Officers And from hence we rationally inferr that all Ordinary Officers being Inferior and Subordinat to them this Rectoral Power reacht all Officers and Believers as to the Ius it self and consequently the Exercise upon Occasion And that therefore the Dr. absurdly calls this their Power Permanent and as absurdly holds that Officers related to particular Posts did therein succeed them P. 103 104. The Dr. thus proceeds When the Evangelical Priesthood still Priesthood got its Qualified Officers Bishops and Priests were not to encroach upon one another but every one was to Feed the Flock within the Limits alloted to him Now here is a Confession which contradicts and baffles all his Pleadings For even these pretended succeeding Bishops and Apostles in his Sense could not without Impeaching Christs Order and Encroaching on their Fellows go beyond their Limits in the Exercise of their Ministry And he will not deny that this Limited Ministry flowed from the very Nature of their Fixt and Limited Office But will he dare to say that any one of the Apostles were thus Limited or had an Office of this Nature or that they would have Encroached upon the Authority of any of these his supposed fixed Bishops if Officiating within their Bounds and Exercising their Apostolick Rectoral Power in an immediat manner without their previous Consent as one Bishop or Pastor cannot yea may not upon this Ground thus Officiaâ— But saith the Dr ibid. They were not so Confined to their Sees but that their Episcopal Care reacht the whole Church as far as was possible and Christian Charity did require I Answer 1. So is no Pastor fixt to his Post but as a Watchman upon Ierusalems Walls and thus having an immediat Relation to the Catholick Church his Pastoral Care in its Exercise in an Orderly Way is capable of a further Extension The Church of God is a City that has Watchmen set upon her Walls and in their several Posts whose Care must in a mediat Sense reach the whole City but cannot in its Exercise be extended but according to the Garrison-Laws and Discipline So that thus the Dr. will make any Pastor succeed the Apostles For he will not deny that the Pastoral Care is of this Nature Nor can he assign any Reason why since the Bishop is tyed to his Limits as well as the Pastor the Pastoral Care is not capable of such an Extension of its Exercise as is suteable to the Churches Edification But 2. The Dr. speaks improperly and confusedly when he assigns no other Rules and Measures of this extended Care but Christian Charity and a Possibility thereof merely For unless he turn Independent and deny all Subordination of Church Officers and Courts he must needs acknowledge that this Extension of Exercise must come under the Regulation and Authoritâ—tive Inspection of Superior Judicatories the Spirits of the Prophets being subject to the Prophets And the Church Representative must be still supposed the proper Ministerial Judges of her greater Good and Edification which is the great Ground of this Extension So that its pitifully impertinent to say that its only Christian Charity and the simple Possibility of the Thing in it self considered whereof the Person himself is supposed Judge that regulats this Matter of so high Importance Who will say that a Sentinel's Exercise of Military Inspection can be extended beyond his Post and Station assigned him by the Governour and Officers of the Garrison upon mere Charity and a Possibility of this further Extension without Respect to what the Military Discipline and the Authority of the Governour and Officers will allow Now to subsume I beseech this Dr. to tell me plainly and speak it out were the Apostles by vertue of their Office to extend their Apostolick Inspection from one Church or Countrey to another only after this Manner and by such Rules and Measures And dare he deny that they were to follow the Spirits Conduct every where and by vertue of their Office had an immediat Access to Exercise their Authority over all Churches wherever they came and were subject to no Churches Inspection or Direction in this Matter Can he not here see a palpable Distinction of the Office of Apostolat from all ordinary Officers as that of the Commanders of a Garrison who are called to go the Round over all the Posts and Sentinels to take Inspection over and Direct them differs necessarly and essentially from the Office and Charge of those who are in these fixed Posts whether their Inspection be of a Larger or Lesser Extension And hence it appears that unless the Dr. can let us see such Officers in Scripture whose proper Work was of this Nature succeeding the Apostles in the Inspection mentioned and having such a Power devolved upon them he will never prove it from the Occasional Transient Officiating of Fixed Officers beyond their Limits Directed and Authorized therein by and under the Inspection of Superior Church Officers and Iudicatories As for his Citation of Causabon Exercit. 14. ad Annal. Baron N. 4. touching the Bishops peculiar Care of their own Flock yet so as suo quodam modo they Cared for the whole Church I nothing doubt but that it may have a Safe and Sound Sense when applyed to every Pastor whose mediat Care actu primo suo modo reaches the whole Church And the Citation quite baffles the Dr. For if their care reached to a peculiar Charge committed to them in solidum it was toto coelo different from the Apostolick care and Charge as is above made good And the Dr. in saying that this exactly resembled the Features and Lineaments of the Apostolick Office shews himself to be as bad unskilful in the Art of Limning as unsincere and unskilful in Disput. For such a Confined Limited Ministry under such Regulations as is above expressed can no more Represent the Features and Lineaments of the Apostolick Office in a proper formal Sense and in its intire Nature as delineat in Scripture than a hand or Foot can Represent the Lineaments of an intire Body For what he adds ibid. That Confinment to a particular See proceeds not from the Nature of the Priesthood but Rules of Prudence and Ecclesiastical OEconomy and Canonical Constitutions He speaks confusedly and without Sense For this being the Nature of the Priest-hood or Ministry viz That it is Gods Ordinance designed for Edification it must be consequently Adapted and measured to this end And therefore whatever Person hath an ordinary Ministry committed to him must have it in such a proportion as his Case and personal ability can reach God committing to no Man an immediat inspection of the Catholick Church as
his peculiar Charge So that whatever be the particular individual Limits of the Charge which is left to the Churches Prudence to assign yet the persons having such a Limited Charge as is above discribed flows from the Nature of the ordinary Ministry and the State and Case of the Church when the extraordinary Office of Apostolat is expired And to Convince the Dr. of this and of the Folly of this Lax Assertion that Confinement to a particular See proceeds not from the Nature of the Priesthood I would put to him this Querie Whether the Assigning unto one Bishop an Uâ—niversal Inspection and Primacy over the Catholick Church would be any impeachment of the Nature of his Priest-hood or Ministry Assigned to him by Gâ—d yea or not If not then who sees not that he owns the Lawfulness and Divine Warrands of a Papal Primacy especialy if the Church should Corroborat this by an Universal Constitution If he say that this extension were contrary to the Nature of the Priest-hood Then he Contradicts himself in Asserting that the Priest-hood of its own Nature requires no Confinment as he calls it and in Calling it so he Insinuats some sort of Violence offered to the Nature of this Ministry Besides these Constitutions he mentions Confining Bishops to a certain Charge are either cross or Correspondent to the Nature and ends of a Gospel-Ministry expressed in Scripture If cross thereunto then sure they are not Lawful unless he will say God gives the Church Authority to enact Constitutions cross to his Revealed Will and consequently paramount to his own Rules and Authority Which whether it be greater nonsense or Blasphemy is hard to determin If they be Correspondent to the Nature and ends of a Gospel Ministry how can he deny that such a Confinment or Constitutions proceed from the Nature thereof His Reason added viz. That the Apostles ordained Bishops for the Spiritual Service of such as should believe is as void of Sense or connection as any can be For so are all Pastors the true Scripture Bishops ordained by Apostles But will he be bold to say or if he say will not all Men of Sense hiss him That the Apostles ordained all and every Bishop or Minister for the actual immediat Service of all Believers of the Catholick Church as their proper peculiar Work and Charge This he must either say or his Reason is nought Nay will he not thus contradict himself in affirming his Secondary Apostles as he calls them to differ in Extension of Power from the first Apostles P. 105. We are told That the Apostles committed their Rectoral Power over subordinat Ecclesiasticks to particular persons succeeding in their Room in particular Churches Another piece of Repeated nonsense The Apostles by their Office had an Universal immediat Inspection over all Ecclesiasticks or Church Officers of the Catholick Church as himself describs their Office Yet this their proper formal Office thus described by him he will needs have them to devolve upon particular persons fixed to particular Churches as good Sense as to say the King Commits his Regal Primacy and Rectoral Power over his Kingdom when dying or leaving it unto the Man whom he hath enstalled in the Office of a Sheriff But the Dr. tells us that he will now propose the true State of the Controversy I am sorry a Doctor has disputed so long upon a Question and has yet the State of the Controversy to propose Common Ingenuity and Rules of Dispute would have prompted him in the first place to propose the true State of the Question and explain the Terms thereof But these Rules are too Pedantick for our Dr. who is more inclined to Pamphleting Harrangues than Systematick Divinitie Well what State of the Question offers he Thus it is Whether the Apostles committed their Apostolick Authority they exercised in particular Churches to such single persons duelie and regularlie chosen Or to a Colledge of Presbyters acting in administration of Ecclesiastick Affairs in a perfect Paritie and Equalitie I shall be glad to admit this State of the Question when one Exception is offered by way of Caution Viz That as we grant an Ordinary Authority which the Apostles exercised in particular Churches contained in their Office Eminenter which they transmitted to Successors So we deny that the Authority which they transmitted to these ordinary succeeding Officers was an Authority properly and formally Apostolical or such in a formal Sense as themselves exercised And this I have made appear to be the Harmonious Sense and Judgement of sound Divines who distinguish the expired Apostolick Office and Authority from that ordinary Power and Authority which they transmitted to Successors What next We are told ibid. That the Scripture-confusion of Names might I presume to prescribe a better Term to such a Master of Language as our Dr. I should rather to evite an apparent Reflection on the Holy Ghosts Language call it Community or Homonymie will not prove Community of Offices when persons are undenyablie distinguished with regard to their Authoritie If we forget this mighty Caution of our warry Dr. we must not blame him if an unwearied Repetition will help us The Dr. will have this fixed that we fight not in the dark The Presbyterians do hold this as fixed as he What next P. 105.106 The LORD promised a perpetual Duration of the Apostolick Office not in their personal but Spiritual Capacitie he loving his Church as much after as before his withdrawing If then they conveyed their Episcopal Power to single persons in all particular Churches and not to a Colledge of Presbyters acting in a Paritie and Equalitie then the Divine Right of Episcopal Government is clearlie Estabilished But 1. How often will this Man cant over his Petitio Principii and take that for the Ground and Topick of his Argument which is in the Question Yea and in the Question by his own Confession viz That the Apostolick Office is perpetual permanent and succeeded unto in a proper formal Sense What strange may I call it Impertinency or Inadvertancy is this Since himself asserts that we deny such a perpetual Office of Apostolat and he opposes above his definition anent their permanent perpetual Office unto Presbyterians assertion of the contrary and their Definition asserting the Apostles Transitorie Function 2. His Proof from Christs promise and constant care of the Church is in the Sense of all Protestants unsound and foolish and he is therein inconsistent with himself For in their Sense yea and by his own Confession there are many expired Prerogatives of Apostles yea Gifts of Officers in the first Apostolick Church which notwithstanding impeaches not either that promise of Christs constant Care of his Church or his constant Love thereunto And therefore it reflects neither upon the one nor the other that this formal Office of Apostolat consisting of such expired Prerogatives is ceased Nay himself confesses that without Impeachment of either of these the Apostles Extensive universal Power
his other transient Imployments therein If the Dr. deny this he will swallow Monstruous absurdities viz. He will assert that in other Churches he had no Authority to rebuke to receive accusations to rebuke such as sin before all to see to the Worship to Charity to the State and Carriage of Widows to the right Instalment of Deacons and all this without partiality c. If Timothy in all these other Churches had this Authority the premised prescriptions together with the express scope thereof were applicable to him as officiating else where then they can infer no particular Relation to this Church more than others If the Dr. say that they are applicable as in this transient Imployment Protunc but not so as in Ephesus where his Relation was fixed the directions consequently in a special manner applicable thereto Who sees not that this is a palpable and shameless begging of the Question supposing these prescriptions to infer a fixed Relation to this Church of Ephesus which is the very Quesitum and Point in question But Secondly to strike out the Bottom of the Dr's Notion and put this to a short Issue since upon the one Hand the Episcopal Charge as to both Order and Jurisdiction was by Paul in his last Farewel committed to the Elders or Ministers of this Church of Ephesus joyntly Which Charge the Apostles are found to intrust likewise unto Pastors in other paralell places And since upon the other Hand Timothies Inspection is found Transient and Relative to several other Churches and therein Exercised it follows necessarly that what Authority he had in this Church and is supposed in these Directions and the Scope thereof was Cumulative unto not Privative of the ordinary standing Authority of the fixed Pastors established or to be established therein and that Timothy had no sole or Episcopal Authority Paramount to that of Pastors intrusted to him Which may be further confirmed upon these Grounds in that 1. The Apostles themselves Exercised no such Authority in Churches constitute as is evident in the Presbytries Concurrence with Paul in Timothies Ordination and Presbyters Authoritative Excommunication of the Incestuous Corinthian 2. This Supposition of such a Paramount Authority would make the Apostles in Cloathing Single Persons therewith to contradict their Previous Doctrine and Practice in the Instalment of Pastors with the Episcopal Authority To make which convincingly apparant one thing further I would propose to the Dr Whether will he deny that several Prescriptions delivered to Timothy were Relative to such Authority such an Exercise of the Power of Order as is incontrovertibly Applicable to Pastors I shall take the Dr's own Instance of Rebuking such as Sin before all Seeing to Widows and the Objects of Charity I add To give himself to Reading Exhortation to take Heed to himself and the Doctrine to Preach the Word to be Instant in Season and out of Season c. All which the Apostle doth with the same Emphasis of an Explicit Special Address to Timothy prescribe And to the same Scope of Directing him how to behave in the House of God Charging him as Solemnly to observe the same as these that relate to the Power of Jurisdiction But will the Dr's Inference â—old good That therefore Timothy had a sole Interest therein and such as was Exclusive of that of Pastors If his Answer be Negative why shall his Argument hold good in the Point of Jurisdiction and the Precepts relative thereunto I know nothing he can Answer except that either Pastors had this Authority in a Dependance upon Timothy or that the Power of Order is attribute to Pastors elsewhere not that of Jurisdiction Both which Evasions are a mere Petitio Principii and a Baffling of the great Topick and Ground of his Argument taken from the Address of these Precepts to Timothy especially since the same Precepts and equally supposing Authority in Church Government are attribute to Pastors Who knows not that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20.24 the Authoritative Rebuke of the Highest Degree even to Excommunication is ascribed to the Colledge of Pastors 1 Cor. 5 As lâ—â—ewise the Authoritative Admonition is held out to be their joynt Priviledge Gal. 6.1 2 Thes. 3.14 15. Likewise the Laying on of Hands in Ordination is ascribed to the Presbytrie 1 Tim. 4.14 And they are thus found clearly Judges of Scandals as being Impowered to receive Delations Mat. 18.16 17. And none can deny that these Authoritative Precepts are directed to them upon the constant standing Grounds exhibit in Scripture and to the same Scope viz. the Preciousness of Souls their Account to Christ the great Shepherd at his Appearing Act. 20.24 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. Old Whittaker in Answer to Bellarmin long since told our Dr Controv. 4. Quest. 1. Chap. 2. That Timothy here is supposed to have no such Dominion over Elderships or Pastors as Prelats afterward assumed And that Receiving the Accusation imports according to the Apostles Mind bringing a Crime or Scandal to the Church That the Ecclesiastick Synod had the Chief Interest in Censures though even Appeals were made to the Metropolitan See Bucer de Vi. Usu. Sacr. Ministerii Willet Sinops Papismi Controv. 5. Quest. 3. Part. 3. in the Appendix Bucer de Gub. P. 398. Before I pass this I cannot but add a Remark or two further 1. That the Dr. will needs have Timothy Directed to Order the Publick Worship and Liturgies of the Church That he is Directed 1 Tim. 2.1 and elsewhere anent Publick Worship is certain But for Liturgies which the Dr. thrusts in he must be told they were not yet sprung up if we may believe Tertullian and others It is palpably evident that in all these Precepts there 's altum silentium of Liturgies whatever the Dr's Love to them might Buzze in his Ears 2. He tells us That Timothy and with Emphasis he alone in the Church of Ephesus is Charged before the Lord to observe these things c. Thus in the Dr's Sense it seems that no Pastor had any thing to do with Rebuking Sinners either by Doctrine or Censure or the Oversight of Widows and the Objects of Charity c. These being peculiar to the Episcopal Function An Assertion no doubt peculiar to the Dr. But proceed we We are next told P. 109. That in those Apostolical Directions and Injunctions addressed personally to Timothy are contained the Nature Extent and Authority of the Episcopal Power But why calls he it not an Apostolical Power Since in his Sense the Office derived is of this Nature and Character Again if this be the Nature of the Episcopal Power and if thus one and the same with that of Timothy then sure it is not paramount to the Collegiat Power of Pastors For such we have proved Timothies to be Next as for the Extent thereof we have made appear that his Evangelistick Authority is found extended to several other Churches And therefore if the Dr.
shape Prelat's Diocesses by this Standart he will extend his Measures far beyond Ephesus What more is contained in those addressed Injunctions His relation to that Church saith the Dr. and the perpetuity of his Power But we have above made appear that these Injunctions can no more evince a peculiar Relation to that Church than to others where he exercised his Evangelistick Office as well as in that of Ephesus And for the perpetuity of the Power we have told him that the intimation of Timothie's transient Employment in that Church presented in the beginning of the Epistle the express Command of doing the work of an Evangelist therein an Office acknowledged by Protestant Divines to be expired the Apostles express recalling him from this transient Employment to the further prosecuting of his Office else where as likewise his ascribing the whole Episcopal Power after this to the Pastors of this Church of Ephesus in Timothie's presence without the least hint of his Interest therein convinceth this assertion of Falsehood But to prove that his Power was not transient but successive and perpetual the Dr. presents unto us the Apostolical Command put upon him to commit his Power to faithful Men who shall be able to teach others This proves indeed a Succession of a teaching Ministry and of the Scripture Bishops and Pastors who must be apt to teach and hold fast the faithful Word But that it imports a committing his Evangelistick Authority to Successors is the Dr's Anti-scriptural Dream Wherein he runs cross 1. To the Judgement of sound Interpreters as all know since they understand by that which was to be intrusted to these Faithful Men the Doctrine of the Gospel not the Authority of Timothy 2. He doth herein cross the Scope Context And that in three Points 1. In that there is here a Plurality of Successors supposed to whom this was to be committed And if Timothie's Authority was to be devolved upon a Plurality Dr. farewel the Derivation of an Episcopal Power to a single Successor 2. The great Characteristick of these Faithful Men is as is said that they be apt to teach which is the very Character of the Pastor Chap. 3.2 3. The thing which is to be committed is That which Timothy had heard of Paul Sciz The true Doctrine of the Gospel and the Pastoral Charge thereanent which is likewise intrusted to all Ministers of the Word Act. 20. Tit. 1.9 But the Dr. will needs have that which is enjoyned in this Precept which is Faithfulness and Ability to teach others to be by Timothy committed to a single Successor as it was in solidum his sole Prerogative Really Dr. this is at least slender Dealing of Charity What! All Faithful Teaching monopolized in the person of the Bishop committed to him in solidum excluding Pastors Many will suppose that if this Work be enhanced in the Bishop the Diocess will be meanly fed especially since besides his personal incapacity to feed the whole Diocess his Sermons drops very rarely and many poor Sheep may starve in the interval But to proceed the Dr. ibid. will have his Adversaries to grant That Timothy 's power exercised over Ephesus was the very same which he pleads for as due to Bishops in their particular Sees That he had an Evangelistick Power we grant and that Bishops take or usurp an Authority and Inspection which with some Presbyterians is said to have an apparent Resemblance of that of Timothy is true But that the Function exercised by Prelats is one and the same with that of Timothy is denyed For 1. We have proved that neither Apostles nor Evangelists had a fixed or ordinary Authority over particular Churches or any such special Relation thereunto as Prelats do pretend 2. We made appear that the Authority which they exercised was not exclusive of or paramount unto the ordinary Authority and Decisive Power of Pastors in Government that in Churches constitute they had neither a sole Power nor sole Exercise of Ordination and Jurisdiction such as Prelats assume who according to the Nature of that Government are the proper sole Pastors of the Diocess and the whole power of Order and Jurisdiction is properly and originally seated in them no Pastor having any thing of this or the Exercise thereof but according as it is lett out or derived to them at the Bishops pleasure For they deny universally that the Pastoral Office hath in its Nature included any Interest in Government Now this Dominion over Church Judicatories thus exclusive of all Authority of Pastors in Government no Evangelist nay nor Apostle ever exercised it being such a Dominion in the House of GOD as is disowned and discharged by them 2 Cor. 1. ult 1 Pet. 5.2 3. Besides the Dr. knows that he pleads for a power in Civils and a Civil Peerage as due to Prelats which he dare not say that Apostles or Evangelists ever exercised nor can he or any of his Party make it appear that the Apostles gave the least shadow of a Warrand for it in their Doctrine But to proceed the Dr. adds ibid. That we pretend that Timothy exercised his power in the Church of Ephesus under the Notion of an Evangelist not as proper Bishop of Ephesus That he was enjoyned and accordingly exercised this Office and had a Command put upon him to perform the Work of an Evangelist there is that which under this prodigiously profound Dâ—'s Correction a Man tinctured with the New Scots Opinion viz The â—postle Paul pretends And this Office we hold to be distinct toto coelo â—â—om that of the Bishop The Dr. saith he will examine this afterward wherein I shall afterwards trace and search him But at present the Dr. will have some things to be granted which cannot be denyed If such indeed its pitty the Dr. were denyed so just a Demand What are these First That the power which Timothy exercised was Lawful in it self GOD forbid we should assert that Paul enjoyned or authorized an unlawful power But Lawful and Law being Correlats the good Dr. will allow us to Distinguish Lawful into that which is so upon ground of a Standing Law or Ordinance And that which is so upon a temporal and transitory Precept and authorized by an Extraordinary Authority for the time Which might be exemplified in a multiplicity of clear Scripture Instances if we were not discoursing with a venerable Dr. who can distinguish General and Special Ordinary and Extraordinary Precepts c. Lawful in their own time and Circumstances We know the Apostolick Universal Authority was Lawful writing authentick binding Epistles in the Execution of this Authority constituting Officers Church by Church modelling them in their Organick Being delivering to them the Ordinances their Disciplining all Nations laying on Hands in order to the Spirits Miraculous Gifts anoynting the Sick with Oyl in order to the healing of them c. What next The Doctor in the Second Place will have us grant That this power was practised by Timothy
in the Church of Epesus And truely they are highly Censurable who will deny the Doctor so Just a Demand so necessarly following upon the preceeding Concession and the Scripture Records of the Exercise of his Power in that place And no doubt had the Dr. knit all his Consequences as well as this he had past for a fair and Triumphant Disputant and Acted as a Man worthy of his Cape and Orders Only we must be permitted together with this Concession to Whisper the Dr. in the Ear That he Exercised the same Evangelistick Office in other Churches as well as in Ephesus yea and both before and after he was there and he knows the Consequence which these that have got the Scots Notion in their Head will draw upon him viz. That therefore Timothy had no Special Relation to that Church nor Ordinary Inspection therein What is his Third Desire of a Concession viz. That this Power was committed to him alone not to a Colledge of Presbyters Acting in Parity and Equality If he mean the Evangelistick Power or an Evangelistick Inspection supposing as is often told him the Existence of the Apostolick and Evangelistick Offices which we hold with all Sound Divines to be expired Supposing likewise the Foundation of the Churches to be a laying and which we may call the Scaffolding which the Dr. hath told us was to be removed when the Building is perfected And withal understanding the Term Alone as Exclusive of Pastors and other Inferior Ordinary Church Officers And so as not to Confine the Evangelistick Office to Timothies Person This Demand is easily granted But here we deny two Points 1. That this Inspection or Extraordinary Evangelistick Power was so committed to Timothy over this Church at this time as to Exclude or Inhaunce the Pastors Ordinary Power or to infer his Sole and consequently Episcopal Interest in Government 2. That the Ordinary Power of Government was not committed by Paul to a Colledge of Presbyters as the Dr. supposes or that the Non-committing of Timothies Formal Office and Power as an Evangelist to such a Colledge will infer such a Conclusion Since thus we would fasten a Contradiction upon Paul in Intrusting the whole Episcopal Power over the Church of Ephesus after this to a Colledge of Presbyters Acting in Parity The Fourth Undenyable Point the Dr. will have us to grant is That there is no mention of a Spiritual Power lodged in a Colledge of Presbyters to which Timothy was Accountable for his Administrations I Answer 1. There was no need because in that Infant-State of the Church when to use the Dr's Phrase the Churches Fabrick was but in an Imperfect Scaffolding Posture the Ordinary Church Officers and Judicatories were a Framing he was Accountable to the Infallibly Inspired Great Apostle of the Gentiles Paul who Enjoyned him to order Things in the Moulding of that Church as he had Commanded and Appointed him Besides that the Nature of Timothy's Work being a Temporary Transient Inspection to pass off with that Exigent to give Way to his other Imployments elsewhere there was no Access for such an Inspection in the Colledge of Presbyters Here I cannot but take notice that the Dr. still adding the Clause of Spiritual when speaking of Timothy's Power must be minded of the Bishops Temporal Civil Authority which they claim 2. We find mention made of a Presbytrie that Ordained him and whether if ever fixed in any particular Post or Charge after Pauls Death the mention of a Presbytrie that Ordained him will infer an Accountableness is left to the Dr's Consideration As also whether the mention of that General Rule 1 Cor. 14.32 That the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets will infer an Accountableness of all who come under a Character of Prophets to their Collegiat Meetings The Dr's Fifth Concession he will have from us is That the great and most eminent Branches of Episcopal Power were lodged in his Person Viz. the Ordination of such as were admitted unto the sacred Function the care of the Widows the censuring of Elders the Authoritative prevention of Heresies about which he tells us the Episcopal Authority was most conversant in the Primitive times I am glad that the Bishops high Office is become of so condescending and humble a nature and genius that the mean business of the care of poor Widows or Church Eleemoâ—ynaries is become one of the most eminent Branches of their Power I see these Branches runs far out and their Lordships must have long Aâ—ms But may I hope that the Dr. will take along in his next famous Work since he hath in this place forgot it the little mean and humble exercise of Preaching the Gospel constantly and assiduously since we find that Timothy was here enjoined it and that in Season and out of Season to which these Eminent Branches may stretch out if at least the Dr. can obtain a Licence for it of their Lordships with such restrictions and proviso's in respect of their State-Imployments as this unwarry Man Paul forgot to put in who lays this in an unlimited general Precept upon the Bishop Timothy and with the solemnity of an alarming Preface of Laying this Charge upon him before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the Dead at his appearing and his Kingdom 2. Timothy is found so far from having the Dr's Eminent Branches of Episcopal Power lodged in him that in the Scriptural Accounts he is found to have neither Root nor Branch of the same The Bishops Power is supposed Ordinary his was not the Bishops Power is pleaded for as necessary to the Churches exedified State in all times and when Moulded in its Organick Being his was suted to the Moulding thereof when in fieri as to such a Being the Bishops Power is in Fixed Diocesses Timothies was not but a transient Ministry like that of the Apostles The Bishops hath sole absolute Power in Ordination and Jurisdiction over all Pastors of the Diocess Timothy had no such Authority but only of an Inspector and Moderator for the time of his transient Mission The Bishops assume a negative voice in all Judicatories of the Diocess which the Dr. here owns for he will have them subject to no collegiat Meetings of Pastors had Timothy assumed this he had contradicted and baffled the Apostles Carriage Act. 15. where ordinary Pastors or Elders are found concurring Authoritatively with the Apostles in the whole procedure of that solemn Council both in the Disquisition the Sentence and the Epistle enjoyning the Churches obedience thereunto And I must presum to add with the Dr's good leave that this Council is of more venerable Authority and the Constitution thereof of a more Divinly-exemplifying influence than any he can appeal to as patronizing the Hierarchical Prelat for whom he pleads Again had Timothy ordained alone without Pastors where they were to be had he would have crossed the Rule of his own Ordination and Pauls
Pools Annot. with several others take to be only the Signification of his Judgement upon the Question in Correspondence to what Peter had before spoken As for Simeons Succession to Iames in Ierusalem and Hegesippus Account of the Succession of Bishops there It is spoken to above and what Credit is to be given to the supposed Catalogue of Bishops in Ierusalem and other pretended Diocesses For what he adds of Calvin's Judgement upon Gal. 2.9 As favouring his Opinion I Answer Calvin takes him indeed to be among Eminent Apostles viz. In Moral Respects prudentia aliis dotibus as he expones the word Pillar and attributs the same Eminency to Peter and Iohn And speaking of his presiding in the Council he doth not positively assert the Ground which the Dr. alledges but problematically with a fortassis id factum c. And even granting his Admission of a Presidency the Consequence of an Official Presidency and as importing a Majority of Power far less eo nomine as formally Bishop there is so very gross and obviously impertinent as any with half an Eye may discover it The Dr. tells us That his Scripture Instances do plainly demonstrat that the Apostolical or Episcopal Authority was conveyed to single persons in the first Plantations of Christianity What Demonstrations these are I refer to the Reader to Judge from what is above replyed such sure as are not adapted to any Rules that hitherto hath been heard of whereof this is a very clear Demonstration that the Dr. in this Peroration and refined Summ and Conclusion of his supposed mighty preceeding Demonstrations hath pronounced as great None-sense as ever was spoken or written Which I demonstrat thus from the Series of his Reasoning In his Sense the Apostolick and Episcopal Office is one and equal and Apostles as such were Superior to all Church Officers except Bishops their proper Successors in Official Authority Now here is a Successor Bishop preferred to all Apostles eo nomine as Successor-Bishop yet deriving in his Sense also an Apostolat only And which is yet odder succeeding to an Apostolick Office who was an Apostle before and by his Confession thus related unto and having an Official Authority respecting the Church Universal Yet when his Charge is Restricted to Jerusalem as his proper Post and Diocess he doth upon this Ground Transcend all the Apostles in Official Authority If any will sodder these Assertions together and reconcile them to sound Sense and Divinity he must be better skilled than all Vulcan's Gimmerers The Dr. will not insist upon the Presbyterians imaginary and superficial Exceptions which they have invented They must be such because he saith it and save him from a Concern in Scanning them No doubt if as Superficial and Imaginary as his Demonstrations their Inventions were very shallow The Dr. brings next P. 114. the Trite Argument taken from the seven Asiatick Angels And first tells us of Salmasius taking the Angels as denoting the Churches the Denomination being taken from the purer Part of these Cities to which Christ wrote To which he replyes from the distinction of the Churches from the Angels Rev. 1.20 And that the Sense would thus be to the Church of the Churches Not to detain him much here we only tell him that whatever Salmasius Sense or Escape might be in this he cannot deny that in the Sense and Judgement of the Body of all Presbyterians the Angels are distinguished from the Churches as the Church Representative is from the Church Collective Besides himself acknowledges P. 115. That the Heavenly Admonitions are first addressed to the Angels and by them were Communicated to the Churches As at the close of every Epistle all are called to hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches And he will not doubt that Salmasius distinguisheth Ministers from Church Members in this Point and the Church Members concern in all that is written he can less doubt Besides that Salmasius words will hardly bear his critical and saucy Construction who calls them a silly subterfuge since he may be supposed to compare only the Populi purior pars as he Terms it with the rest of the Inhabitants of these Towns so that the Address distininguisheth them from others And the Angel of the Church in his Sense will import only the Church in such a City not the Church of such a Church But the Dr. will not have the Angel a Multitude but one single Angel presiding over Presbyters and People We have already made appear that the Collective Sense of the Term Angel is most suâ—eable to Scripture and the Scope of this Book But the Dr. will needs loose the Objection taken from the Plural Address of the Angel which he thus propones That some Instructions there are in these Epistles in which others beside the Angels are particularly admonished This is a piece of our Dr's petty Sophistry He must make the knot easie that he may know how to loose it The very proposing of this Objection is a yeelding of the Cause For if in this Plural Address these others addressed be not the Angel then there is no Plural Address of the Angel himself or Representation of the Term Angel in a Plural Mould But had the Dr. intended to Dispute not to triffle in proposing a simple Foppery in stead of a Presbyterian Objection he should have told his Reader that we hold and do exhibit Instances of it that the Angel himself is addressed Plurally and bespoken so in these Epistles as a plurality of Officers appear evidently to be pointed at by thâ— Term Angel As particularly when it is said To you and the rest in Thyatira Rev. 2.24 Thus likewise v. 10. Fear none of these things which thou shall suffer Behold the Devil shalt cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation c. Be thou faithful unto death Well what saith he to this Objection Why The Epistle is no less addressed to the single Angel than that of the Philippians is to the whole Church at Philippi though Paul useth particular Compellations Chap. 4.2.3 I entreat thee also true Yoke-fellow help those Women c. But good Dr. here is both a particular special distinct Precept and under such a Compellation as is in tâ—rminis separat and distinguished from the Body of the Church and those general Precepts addressed thereunto So that there is no shadow of a Paralel when the Angel is plurally Addressed for the Precept and Injunction is the very same Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer There 's a relative pointing at the single Term Angel Then the Devil shall cast you that ye may be tryed Be thou faithful c. There the same persons are addressed and spoken to both singlely as one Angel and plurally as many that in reference to the same very individual Purpose and Duty the Speech running on both to the same Persons and the same Scope So that to use the Dr's
even of Purest Times presents unto us must be brought to this Touch-stone and Standard of the Scripture Institution as being thereby Regulable And therefore can make up no part of this Rule In determining this Question the Surveyer in the first place Will not have the Fulness of Ordinary Church Power committed by the Apostles to any single Presbyter as if he had Actual Power of Ordination or Iurisdiction That the Power of Order the Administration of the Word and Sacraments is committed to the Pastor is of it self Evident That the Power of Jurisdiction is committed to him as he is by Office a Member of the Judicatory which is the proper adequat Subject of this Authority of Ordination and Jurisdiction is equally evident The Surveyer challengeth us to shew such Colledges of single Presbyters as had that Plentitude of Church Power committed to them by the Apostles and exercised the same especially taking in Ruling Elders Ans. If by Plentitude of Church Power be understood the ordinary Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction necessary for the Churches Edification and Preservation in all times and as abstracted and distinguished from the extensive Power of Apostles Evangelists We say it is found seated in the Colledge of Pastors and Presbyters both in the Acts of the Apostles and else where in the New Testament The Apostles instituted Pastors or Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church by Church and sure not to preach only and administrat Sacraments but to Rule seeing they have the Name and Thing of Governors Rulers Overseers Bishops ascribed to them And if they were to Rule sure in Collegiat Meetings We find the Exercise of this Power commanded and commended to Pastors or Presbyters Thus by the Apostle to the Elders or Pastors of Ephesus Act. 20. By the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 5. to the Pastors of the Churches to which he wrote We find this Jurisdictional Power accordingly exercised by them both as to Ordination and the highest Censures 1 Tim. 4.14 1 Cor. 5. And the Circumstances of these and such like Texts do cleary evince that this Jurisdictional Power was to continue thus exercised by these Societies or Colledges of Presbyters when the Apostles were gone off the Stage and that consequently they are the Proper Subject of the Power immediatly derived from them As for the Ruling Elder his Institution and Office being found in Scripture he is upon Divine Warrand supposed a Member of these Judicatories when the Churches are fully constituted in their Organick being But the Surveyer tells us We cannot make appear that in these Meetings of Presbyters there was an Equality of Power since Superior Officers were with them Ruling and Ordering their Church Actings Ans. Though de facto it were found that in these Meetings Superior Officers were present yet if they be found Officers of an Extraordinary Authority and whose Power was Cumulative unto not Privative of the ordinary Power and Authority of these Meetings This is utterly remote from speaking any thing to his Purpose and Conclusion 2. Whereas the Surveyer peremptorly poseth us Where such a Meeting of Presbyters is found in the Acts of the Apostles he should have added or else where in the New Testament without Superior Officers ordering their Meeting We peremptorly Pose him what Superior Officer is found set over the Colledge of the Elders of Ephesus when Paul gave them his last Charge touching the Exercise of a Ioynt Episcopal Power over that Church What Superior Officer is found set over the Bishops and Pastors of the Church of Philippi Or over these Pastors and Bishops mentioned 1 Pet. 5. or these Ruling Teachers mentioned 1 Thes. 5.12 Heb. 13.7.17 Sure these Governing Teachers mett for Government and these Meetings if found thus Constituted and Exercising an Episcopal Power we have therein Convincing Instances of an Episcopal Power in a Colledge of Presbyters without the Inspection of any Superior Ordinary Officers For as for Apostolical Directions hereanent they could no more impeach this Authority than Directions with Reference to the Power of Order could impeach the same The Surveyer P. 196. brings for his third Ground The Apostles committing the Plentitude of Ordinary Church Power to single Persons in a Superiority over other Ministers Instancing the Asiatick Angels Rev. 2.3 And Pauls Directions to Timothy and Titus whom he sent and instructed with a Iudiciary Power into Ephesus and Crete and to ordain Ministers which had been to no purpose had this Power been competent to Pastors Ans. This Trite Argument hath been above at large spoken to Therefore we shall but briefly touch it in this place First For the Asiatick Angels We have made appear First That the Collective Sense of the word Angel stands upon the most probable Foundation and is owned by the greatest part of sound Interpreters as being most suteable to the Style of Prophetick Writings representing many Persons by a singular Typical Term whereof frequent Instances are exhibit to the Style of this very Book in representing many Persons or a Series of Men by one Symbolical Term such as Whore VVoman Beast c. Besides that the Angel is found plurally addressed Chap. 2.24 Next That admitting the Angel to be a single Person will only plead that he is the Angelus praeses or Moderator yea and so pro tempore and addressed as the Parliament is in the Person of the Speaker That no Address is made to him with respect to any Jurisdiction over Pastors nor can any Reason be given wherefore the Commendations and Reprehensions respecting Ministerial Dutys must be fixed in an Exclusive Sense upon one Person c. Next For the Directions to Timothy and Titus It is above made appear that their Office was Extraordinary and passed off like that of the Apostles with that First Infant State and Exigence of the Church since it is made Good they were Evangelists in a proper formal Sense 2. That upon this Ground they could have no Successors in their Formal Office and Inspection which imported a Relation to no particular Church nor can consequently represent the Authority of any ordinary Officer with such a fixed Relation of this Nature and Extent It is likewayes made appear that the Episcopal Pleaders from these Directions must either upon this Ground extend their Power equally with that of Apostles or make it appear that these Directions of this Nature and importing this Authority were applicable to them no where else and in reference to no other Churches where they are found to exercise their Office Either of which are inevitable Absurdities Finally It is made appear that this Inspection was of a Transient Nature did suppose the Existence and Exercise of the Apostolick Office was Cumulative unto not Privative of the Official Authority of Pastors and therefore cannot prove a sole and single Authority of a Prelat over Church Judicatories But sayes the Surveyer What need was there to send them for this End to these Churches if a Iurisdictional Power was competent
to Pastors This Objection is above fully removed And here again we repone 1. The Infant State of the Church requiring a Temporary Super-intendency of an Evangelist and Directions from an infallible Apostle 2. Episcopalians must confess that in many Points wherein Timothy and Titus are immediatly addressed ordinary Pastors and Presbyters have a necessary and essential Interest and that therefore they must acknowledge this to be one end of these addressed Instructions that Pastors or Presbyters may have a clear Vidimus of their Ministerial Office and Duties And that by consequence the addressing of these Directions to Timothy and Titus will not exclude Pastors from the Jurisdictional Power And no more make this peculiar to these persons than the Injunctions respecting the Reading Preaching of the Word Convincing the Gain sayers and Rebuking the Scandalous solely applicable to a Prelat as his incommunicable Prerogatives The Surveyer here Cants over again the Old Song That its the greatest possible evidence that can be in such a Matter of Fact that immediatly after all the Apostles Death until the Council of Nice the Church had no other Government but that of Bishops Ans. This Assertion especially as respecting the Patriarchal Bishop of the late Edition viz with sole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction tyed to Preach to no flock and deriving all his Power from the Civil Magistrate is so grosly absurd so palpably false that the very Repetition is a Confutation the contrary having been demonstrated by several Learned Pens The best Antiquaries confess these first times dark as to Matters of Fact But the Surveyer quite mistakes this Question which is not anent a mere Matter of Fact or the Churches Practice simplely Considered but anent the Apostolick Instructions and Institutions in point of Church Government viz what Officers the Apostles set up and Instituted in what order and Cloathed with what Authority how qualified for their Office and instructed therein how they are found to have exercised this Power when thus Instituted and set up If this be clear in the Scripture Records then no defects or aberrations therefrom either in or after the Apostles times can direct or warrand our Imitation nor can be an Infallible proof of the Rule unless we will extend this to Regulat us as to every Scripture Truth and Duty therein held out Both Scripture and Church History do give us an account of the early aberrations from the Divine Rule both in Point of Doctrin Worship and Government such as those anent the Resurrection Justification by good Works Worshipping of Angels the Error of the Nicolaitans and in Point of Government the Mysterie of Iniquity the Embryon of a Papal Primacy was working in Pauls time and early appeared in Diotrephes aspiring after a Primacy Not to stand upon the Millenary Error the Error anent the Vision of GOD and others early appearing thereafter The Surveyer will needs strengthen his Notion by the Maxim Lex currit cum praxi consuetudo est optimus interpres Legis What interpretation and Sense this is capable of in reference to Human Laws or of what use is left to the Consideration of the Gentlemen of the Long Robe But sure with respect to the Divine Law 't is dangerous and sadly lax Divinity Israels Consuetudo and early practice of Idolatrie and the Worshipping of Images as that of the Golden Calf with a pretended design to Worship the Lord Jehovah was a shrewd and gross interpretation of the Second Command The People who told Jeeremiah that they would pour out Drink Offerings to the Queen of Heaven because their Progenitors in a long tract of time had done so were much in this Surveyers Mind But the great Lawgiver who enjoyned his People not to walk after their Fathers Commandments nor Judgments though of never so Large an extent and long Continuance but after his Laws and Judgments is of another Mind Tertullians Rule and Prayer is good speaking of Custom in it self considered and simplely Surge veritas ipsa Scripturas tuas interpretare quas consuetudo non novit nam si nosset non esset Did Custom know Scripture it would be ashamed of it self and cease to be any more Upon which ground he pleads that the Eternal Light himself might arise and expone his own Scriptures The Surveyer tells us That in these preceeding grounds he hath pleaded only for the Lawfulness of Prelacy though the necessity is not denied But sure if these grounds evince any thing they prove a Necessity as well as Lawfulness If the Apostles Directions and Practice in the Institution of Church Officers pursuant to their great Masters Commission together with his supposition of the Apostolical and Christian Churches Universal Reception and Practice will not evince and prove this I know nothing will Besides that we heard him plead upon the Ground of a Divine Institution which will bear this Conclusion of Necessity not of Lawfulness only But in this proof of the Lawfulness of Prelacy the Surveyer tells us he intended to quiet the Minds of People anent the Covenant obligation against it A good Pillow of security no doubt this had been had he proved that Universally and absolutely no Oath can oblige against a thing in it self Lawful or retrench our Liberty thereanent and answered the Arguments urged by Casuists on the contrary But it is not our purpose to digress on this head He adds That if Lawful it is Juris Divini that we submit to a Lawful Human Ordinance and Command for the Lords sake Which Reason were valid had he made good that the Human Ordinance in this Circumstantiate Case had for its object a thing Lawful And that the Human ordinance is the First Rule and adequat ground of our Judging the expediency of a Practice hic nunc though in it self Lawful And further that the Human Ordinance can of its own Nature loose solemn Oaths and Vows upon the Lawgivers themselves and the Subjects against such a practice as is commanded CHAP. II. The Surveyers Exceptions and Answers which he offers to the Scriptures Pleaded by Presbyterians Examined Particularly To these Passages viz Matt. 20 25 26 with the Paralels Mark 10 42 Luke 22 25 To that passage Mat. 18 17 and Act 20 17 28 Tit 1 5 7 1 Pet 5 1.2 The Vnsoundness and Inconsistency of his Exceptions and Glosses made appear THE Surveyer having thus presented his Episcopal Strength and his great Grounds for proving Prelacy Lawful doth in the next place undertake to Answer the Scripture Arguments that are pleaded for Presbyterian Government which we shall now Consider and Examinâ— The First Scriptures he tells us P. 197. that are made use of for proving the Parity of Ministers in the Government of the Church and disproving Imparity or Superiority of any over others are Mark 10.42 Matth. 20 25 26. Luke 22.25 Where because our Lord is speaking of the Kings and Great Ones of the Earth their Exercising Dominion and Authority over their Subjects
Dominion of Earthly Kings The Reasons of his rejecting this Gloss he subjoyns Quia Apostoli non contendebant inter se de modo Primatus sed de Primatu ipso c. That the Apostles were not contending about the manner of a Primacy but the Primacy it self and therefore that our Lords Answer may be apposit to their Question it must needs absolutely forbid all Dominion 2. If our Lord had intended to forbid only some special kind of Dominion certum Dominationis modum he had not removed their Ambition which he is here endeavouring signally to remove since other Primacies also do Feed Ambition 3. Saith he this Phrase Not so viz. shall it be among you according to the Use of the Scripture doth import a simple and absolute Negation as Psal. 1.4.147.20 Adding that in the paralells Mat. 20. and Mark 10. it is expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non it a sit inter vos It shall not be so among you He adds that if Christ had allowed a Dominion to Peter the Apostles had been admonished thereanent and that the Term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a Service or Ministry ascribed unto them is inconsistent therewith He afterward in the next Paragraph Answers the Objection taken from the Signification of the Compound Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as importing a violent Domination shewing that the Words of themselves will not necessarly import such a thing which he proves from some paralel Texts and that they signifie a simple Dominion only which he further proves from Lukes making use of the Simple Verbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adding in the third place that there was no need that our Lord should speak of a Dominion of this Nature because the Apostles Debate was not about a violent Domination He adds further Nec valet quod subjicitur c. It is of no weight which the Popish Adversary pleads against the Discharge of all Primacy because our Lord subjoyns He that is greatest among you since our Lord speaks not of a true Greatness in respect of the thing it self but of an Imaginary in respect of Affectation and Desire Which Matthew and Mark do expone and clear by these Words Whosoever will be great amongst you In the rest of his Reasons he hath several things to this purpose as if he had been expresly Disputing against this Surveyer as indeed upon the Matter he doth and Listeth him among the Popish Adversaries in this Point For that Point of the Persons spoken to the Surveyer tells us The Apostles were sometimes spoken to as representing all Christians Mark 13.37 In which Sense this Prohibition was not given to them which would strike at the Authority allowed among Christians Sometimes what is spoken to them concerns themselves alone in their Apostolick Capacity as Matth. 19.28 In which Sense we cannot understand this Prohibition since it would exclude all Ministers afterward Some things likewise were spoken to them as representing only Ministers as when Power of remitting and retaining Sins is given them Joh. 20. In which Sense we cannot apply this unto them since this will impeach the Superior Authority of any of them above others and their Authority over Inferior Ministers evidenced in Pauls Excommunicating Hymeneus and Alexander making Decrees for the Church of Corinth c. Ans. Whatever may be said to this Partition in it self it is certain the Enumeration is not so adequat as not to admit of a Super-numerary Some things might be spoken to Apostles which did most nearly concern them as Apostles as being immediatly directed to them and yet may have an useful reference in a Subaltern and Subordinat Sense to all the Ministers of Christ. As when our LORD said to His Apostles Ye are the Light of the World the Salt of the Earth This in some respect had a peculiar Application to them as Apostles and our LORDs Infallibly Inspired Ambassadors authorized to lay the Foundation of the Gospel Church prescribe her Ordinances and institute her Officers and several of them appointed to be the Holy Ghosts Pen-Men in writing the Scriptures in which respect the Church is said to be Built upon their Foundation But though no Ministers else could acclaim to be in this respect the Light of the World and Salt of the Earth or challenge a Right to the peculiar Priviledges of Apostles included therein it is notwithstanding certain that there is a Subordinat Application hereof unto ordinary Ministers that they are in their Capacity and Sphere the Light of the World and the Salt of the Earth and have the Honour and Duties of their Ministerial Office therein enjoyned and included as well as the Apostles had theirs 2. Since he grants the Apostles were pari honoris potestatis consortio praediti and cannot deny that our LORD bespoke them upon that Ground of an equal Official Power and as in that Capacity it follows that he bespoke Pastors whom he appointed to be in the same order of an equal Official Power and to succeed to the Apostles in their ordinary Authority The Surveyer can give no Reason wherefore our LORD discharged the impeaching this instituted Equal Power of Apostles by an Unlawful Dominion and not to have given the same Prohibition to Pastors Why a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Chief or Primat is discharged among Apostles and not also among Pastors The Surveyers Contrary Instances as he calls them of the Apostolick Authority over Ministers in the Church are palpably Impertinent and do miss the Mark. For 1. Their Authority in the first plantation of Churches can no wayes conclude what is the ordinary Authority of Pastors in the Churches ordinary and settled Government 2. Our Argument runs thus That the Apostles being placed in an equal Sphere of a Ministry were equal among themselves as Apostles formally and equal among themselves as Gospel Ministers upon this Ground But that therefore they could have no Authority Apostolical as Apostles over Inferior Officers doth nowayes follow this Supposition nor will it follow that because the Apostles were Ministers and had Authority over other Ministers that therefore there is a Lawful Official Authority of one Pastor over another because the Apostles were more than Ministers viz. Apostles and in that Capacity had that Superiority but not as Ministers simplely So that such an Argument would run cross to the common Rules It is certain whatever Authority they put furth in the Churches in fieri and in directing them in the Exercise of their ordinary Power yet in settled Judicatories they are found acting as Elders and Ministers and not as Apostles This hath been made Good in Pauls assuming the Presbytrie in the Ordination of Timothy The ordinary Elders or Ministers concurring with the Apostles in that Council Act. 15. Both in the Disquisition in the Sentence and enjoyning the Decree But sayes the Surveyer We must not distinguish where the Law distinguisheth not If notwithstanding this
imbodied Society or Court as is the proper Subject of a Jurisdictional Censuring Power and to whom the Appeal is to be made after more privat Dealings which if evinced the Hierachical Prelats arrogated Power monopolizing this Jurisdiction and to use the Surveyers term concentring this Authority in himself solely is sufficiently overthrown as contrary to the Scripture Pattern and cross to this great Rule and Standart For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Consentient Judgement of Criticks and Interpreteâ—s that it naturally signifies a Caetus and Caetas evocatus a concio convocatorum an indicta concio thus Suidas thus Demosthenes and in Scripture it points out generally a Convocation as Act. 19 32. and a Convocation in curia or a Caetus civilis v. 39. And sometimes it s put for the Assembly of Believers sometimes for the Church Militant sometimes for a Province Kingdom or City Compare Eph. 5.23 with Act. 8.13 Rev. 12.5 Rom. 16.5 And here good Interpreters do consequently take it to Represent the Ecclesiastick Senat or Presbytrie making it one and the some with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 4.14 Hence the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies in Concione delibero Verba facio to Consult Deliberat and Discourse in Publick Assembly The Text convinces of this For 1. The Gradation is from the Lesser to the Greater Number 2. Our Lord v. 19 20. speaks of an agreeing on Earth and gathering together in his Name Besides that the Surveyer himself expones the Church of the Rulers and Governours who if they have a joynt Essential Interest in their Jurisdiction he overthrows his Opinion of Concentring this in the Prelat if he ascribe the Jurisdictional Decisive Authority to one who is Chief making the rest but his Assistants he again contradicts himself in seeming to ascribe this Ruling Power to the whole Meeting for thus the Sense could not be as he says tell the Rulers and Governours For what he adds of Commissioners it is palpably absurd For 1. The Church Representative or the Officers thereof have a Divine immediat Institution are set by God therein and have not a derived Authority from the Church 2. It is the Court it self not the Deputed Commissioner one or more which is the proper Subject of the Jurisdictional Power 3. To make the Paralel hold he behoved to say the Prelats have a derived Power as Commissioner from the Church the Falshood whereof is apparent The Surveyer adds P. 206. That the attributing a Iurisdictional Power to the Church is nothing against him who allows not to one single Bishop this Power without the Council of Presbyters according to the 4th Council of Carthage Can. 23. though nothing is to be done without the Bishop Ans. In Stating the Question with the Presbyterians P. 192. he tells us It is whether this Power be equally Diffused in the whole Colledge of Presbyters or Concentred in one Person Now if the Person of the Bishop be the Centre he cannot allow this Official Power to step beyond that Centre So that no Members of the Meeting have any Interest therein He adds here as likeways in the place before Cited That the Bishop must exercise this Power with the Concurrâ—nce and the Assistance of Presbyters But this can import no Exercise of Jurisdiction since privat Persons may Counsel and Advise who have no Decisive Suffrage And he knew that in the late Edition of our Hierarchical Prelacy the Clergy were to Advise the Bishop only and scarce that So that our Prelats in such Exercise of their Power baffled that Act of the Council of Carthage which he mentions The Surveyer adds That there is a Plurality of Officers even where this Inequality of Power is supposed whether Iudging or Advising But if one only Judge and the rest are but mere Advisers the Judging Power being thus Concentred in one there is no such Court as is the Subject of a Jurisdictional Power So that the Surveyer bewrays great Impudence in saying that the Determination properly flows from them all since the Authority is thus Concentred in one But says the Surveyer since the Organick Church is made up of Rulers and Ruled the Notion of a Church will not import an Equality of Power in all Ans. This Paralel is palpably unjust and impertinent since the Church Organick considered thus complexly doth necessarly and essentially include Members and Officers Rulers and Ruled and consequently a necessary Inequality But the Surveyer could not deny that in this place the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church imports a Society or Colledge of Rulers only which can come under no such Consideration of a necessary Inequality The Surveyers Fourth Answer is in Summ That we find the highest Censures of the Church inflicted by the Authority of single Persons who ever otherwise concurred So Paul excommunicat Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.20 And to say he acted as a Member of a Quorum is to make him a vain Boaster and to make the Scripture speak what we will Ans. The Surveyer must acknowledge yea hath acknowledged the difference betwixt the Apostolick Authority in the Framing and Constitution of Churches and the Exercise of their Power in Churches already constitute in their Organick Beeing In the first Case there was an indispensible necessity of exerting a singular Apostolick Authority when no Officers were to concur and Churches were not fully Moulded in their Organick Beeing And we heard himself distinguish the Apostles ordinary and extraordinary Power In the other Case when Churches were constitute it is evident and hath been made good that they did assume the Official Concurrence of ordinary Church Rulers The Surveyer challengeth us to produce a Warrand for our Assertion of Pauls acting here upon an extraordinary Apostolick Authority Thus he challenges the Apostle Paul to produce his Warrand for this his Apostolick Acting which he has long since produced and recorded if this Man had been pleased to read and consider it Whereas he tells us It was none of the extraordinary Characters of the Apostles to act in these Matters by his own only Authority We say it was where Churches were not constitute and no ordinary Officers to concur And this Surveyer might be challenged as the Affirmer to prove that this Act was put forth in an Organick Church where ordinary Officers were to concur or else in denying this to be one of the Characteristicks of the Apostolick Office he asperses his Apostolick Power and Authority He adds That what was beyond their immediat Calling infallible Direction illimited Iurisdiction c. was transmittable to his Successors and actually transmitted to Timothy and Titus It is Answered we have made appear that their immediat Calling considered with reference to its Nature and End of Planting Churches Constituting the Officers Ordinances thereof did necessarly include this Authority in this first Framing of Churches which neither was nor could be transmitted unless it be pleaded that the Churches Foundation could
Christian Church as there was a Supreme High Priest set over the Iewish so-that this Argument proving too much and beyond his Assertion proves nothing 3. It is enough to found the allusion that there be some likeness of the things compared and thus in this Case there being in the Jewish Church Courts a sutable Subordination of the Lesser to the greater and a Correspondent Official Power seated therein the allusion stands good intire and evident upon this ground that Christian Church Courts are of such a Nature The Surveyer P. 207.208 makes his next Assault upon our Argument for the Official identity of Bishop and Presbyter drawn from Act. 20.17 28. where the Elders of the Church sent for by Puul to Miletus are called Bishops And from Tit. 1.5 7. where he that 's called an Elder is called also a Bishop and the Names are used as Synonimâ—us so 1 Pet. 5.1.2 the Elders are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as have oversight over the Flock The Argument with the Surveyer runs thus If there were no Bishops in the Apostles days differing from Presbyters in Office there ought to be none now But there were none such in the Apostles days Ergo We do for Brevity rest upon this hint of Argument having spoken to it above as deducible from these Texts His fiâ—st Answer is That the first proposition is not so indubitable as it seems And his proof is that Beza though holding the Scripture Bishop and Presbyter to be â—ne and the same yet acknowledges the Lawfulness of that Episcopacy which he calls human And therefore though no such Bishops had been in the Apostles time the Churches appointment of such a Constitution guided by the Spirit might be a fit means for Conservation of Peace Ans. First The Surveyers founding the unsoundness of the proposition upon the supposed sentiments of Beza as it appears palpably unsound unless Beza were supposed infallible so it is evident and if we could here stay upon it might be made good at large from many Passages of Beza which we have elsewhere produced that he disowns the human Prostasie as a recess from the Divine appointment and the fiâ—st step of the Churches defection in point of Government On Philip. 1.1 he tells us of the community of the Name of Bishop and Presbyter which Continued till he who was in the Assembly set over the rest began to be peculiarly called the Bishop from hence saith he the Devil began to lay the first Foundation of Tyrannie in the Church of GOD. And discoursing further of the Ascension that was made from Bishops to the higher Officers of the Hierarchy till it came to Patriarchs c. He hath this remarkable Passage at the close of his Discourse Behold of how great moment and consequence it is to decline even in a hair-breadth from the Word of GOD. Now this Surveyer might have pondered what Sense or Divinity it could be in him or Beza to assert that the Church is guided by the Spirit in her declinings from the word of GOD. To this Scope we might Cite many Passages of Beza See for brevity Beza ad Cap. 9. apud Sarav num 20. Beza Resp. C. 11. N. 3. Likewise in Quest. 2. Referent Sarav P. 92. In which Passages and many such like we find him clearly condemning this Human Prostasie in so far as transcending the Limits of a Moderators Office The Surveyer next coming to the Second proposition of the Argument tells us That its sooner affirmed than proven that there were no Bishops in the Apostles days differing from Presbyters in the modern notion And he compares the Presbyterians to the Melancholick Man in Athens who concerned himself in every Ship arriving in the Harbour as his own property A Charge easily retorted since in such like Hypochondriack distempers the Surveyer as his Fellows would needs have the Hierarchical Bishop of their New Notion to be lodged under the Denomination of the Scripture Bishop Yea and in a Distemper beyond that of the Man at Athens will often lap him under the Denomination of a Presbyter where there is not so much as an appearance of this auspicious arriving Vessel The Surveyer tells us That the Name of Presbyter is not in Holy Scripture a distinguishing Name of one sort of Officers from all others although sometimes the Scripture requires that it must be looked on as Distinguishing those that are under that Name from other Officers Ans. The proposition he impugns is That in the Apostles days there were no Bishops Superior to Presbyters no Ordinary Officers of the Hierarchical Mould or Bishops of his Modern Notion That from these places Cited it is aparent that the Ordinary Church Officers Instituted by Apostles were Bishops and Presbyters of the same Official Mould and Authority to whom the Feeding and Governing of the Church is enjoyned promiscuously And all his Answer to the Proposition amounts to this that the Name of Presbyter is sometimes a more general Name than to point at an ordinary Officer An Answer utterly remote from the Point as is obvious to any that considers That it touches not 1. The Official Identity of the Bishop and Presbyter in the Passages Cited and their equal Official Authority as ordinary Church Officers given to Feed and Rule the Church jointly which is a necessary Consequence of the former 2. The unwarrantableness of such an Officer as the Hierarchical Prelat whose Office encroaches upon and robs them of that Power allowed them of GOD which is another Necessary Consequence drawn from this Ground This Charge is the more evident in that he hath acknowledged that sometimes these Names of Bishop and Presbyter distinguishes those that are under the same from other Officers And in the Passages Cited he cannot but acknowledge them thus distinguished Sure they are so at least for any thing he hath said He tells us he will in this and other Considerations remove our Mistake But sure he hath here presented his own He adds P. 209. That in the Rehearsal of Church Officers 1 Cor. 12.28 with Eph. 4.11 Presbyters are not in the Number though Bishops and they are comprehend under the Name of Pastors and Teachers which shews that the Name is not appointed to design any certain Order of Ministers Ans. The Surveyer could not but grant that the Hierarchical Bishop according to his modern Notion as distinguished by this Name from the Pastor or Presbyter is in none of these Rolls and therefore upon his own Principle this Name is not appointed to design any certain Order of Ministers And where is then his warrand for the Hierarchical Bishop as thus distinguished Likewise the Surveyer very unhappily made the Name of Teacher the Characteristick of his Hierarchical Bishop who looks upon Teaching as none of his work nor is Chargeable qua Prelat with any deficiency in his Office though his Sermons drop but once or twice pro forma and on Solemnities from one years and to another In a word as the
impeach the intrinsick ordinary Authority of the Church Officers in the inflicting of that Censure though this Miraculous Effect attending the same were ascribeable to Apostolick Authority Again the Surveyer in the Series of his Reasoning shutting up both the Sentence in its self and this Miraculous Appendant which two he must needs distinguish unless he totally deny the Right of Excommunication in the Churches within the Sphere of an Apostolick Prerogative renders useless and casts a blot upon several Clauses of the Sacred Text such as their Solemn Meeting together here enjoyned and that expresly in order to the delivering of the Man to Satan which doth include the intire Sentence and Punishment and that this Punishment is expresly said to be inflicted by many viz. the Church Officers as distinct from the Church Members for thus they are called in Opposition to the Collective Body Besides that the Apostle in this Passage joyning first in their gathering together and then mentioning his Spiritual Confirming Presence holds out that the first was an Authoritative gathering together the other a Confirming Approbation for their Encouragement in this Exercise of their intrinsick Power and Authority as all Sound Interpreters take it Again the Separating here enjoyned must be an Active Iudicial Separating this Person from them as the Leper and Unclean Person under the Law was thus separat from the Congregation which doth import an Authoritative Interest of Church Rulers in putting forth this Censuring Act whereas the Surveyer makes it a consequential withdrawing only from a Person already Censured The Surveyer in his third Answer tells us That though a Censuring Power were in these Church Officers it can make nothing for us unless we could prove they were single Presbyters in the Modern Notion There were Prophets here above ordinary Officers who might have this Power and it is uncertain whether ordinary Presbyters were here settled Ans. The Surveyer hath forgot that he hath acknowledged upon that Passage 1 Cor. 12. That there were here such Pastors and Teachers as will include the Bishops and likewise Presbyters Besides that the Apostle diversifies the Ordinary and Extraordinary Gifts v. 8.9.10 Likewise he knew there were in Corinth many Instructers and such as were settled in every Church Act 13.1 2 3. Compared with Ch. 14.23 Viz. Preaching Elders and Presbyters so that he could not with any Shadow of Reason suppose they were all extraordinary Officers And in a word if he asserted there were here mixed Officers he not only made the Power and Authority of the extraordinary Officers to swallow up that of the Pastors but likewise he crossed his monopolizing this extraordinary Power in the Apostle Again since he could not say the Apostle in these Injunctions doth by distinctive notes or Apostrophees diversify the Ordinary from the Extraordinary Officers in the point of this high Jurisdictional Act he baffled and excluded his First Answer And in a word giving by this Answer a Jurisdictional Power and Authority in this Act to a Collegiat Meeting of Church Officers and asserting that it was joyntly thus put forth by them he did thus bid farewell to my Lord Bishops singular prerogative in this Matter and generally in Point of Government His last Answer is That if this Power were supposed in the ordinary Church Officers of Corinth they might have had this by delegation and Commission of the Apostle But where did the Surveyer read this Commission What account can he give of such a delegated Power beyond the Essential Authority of Pastors to deliver to Satan purge out the old Leaven to meet together for this great Jurisdictional Act And why was the Apostle Paul so fatally Cross to the Diocesan Prelat as not to deliver this Commission to him But we must know this Chimerical fancy stands upon the strong Pillar of this infallible Surveyers may be or might be and this is all the proof we must expect But what is the last shift and dead lift We are told next That this Instance of the Church of Corinth is but one which cannot make a Rule without the sure knowledge of the Divine Direction which the Apostâ—les had to keep an uniform course in such extâ—rnal Mattâ—rs Ans. As none will say that the Apostles did constitute the Christian Church as a speckled Bird with a Hetrogenous or various Mixtures of forms of Government so in this Pâ—int they had their Masters great Rules and Measures prescribed to them and such Rules as overthrows the Hierarchical Bishop First We may remind the great Rule in Mat. 18. recommending a subordination of lesser to greater Judicatories pointing likewise at the Collegiat Meeting of Church Officers as the proper subject of the Jurisdictional Power in opposition to what he pleads for viz the concentring this in one Prelat Next what surer direction can we have in this Point than that the Apostles are found Establishing wherever a Church was gathered such Officers as have Names and Titles of Intrinsick Official Power and Authority ingraven upon them and are found exercising an equal Official Power in Government Thus in the Passage now debated and 1 Cor. 12.28 Comp. with Eph. 4.11 and with Act. 14.23 Tit 1.5 7. Heb. 13.7 17 1 Thes. 5.12 Presbyterian Writers do exhibit a large account and induction of these Names and Titles importing Authority Such as that of Presbyter or Elder Act. 15.2 4 with 20 17 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Pet. 5.1 A Title of Political Rulers Iudg. 8.14 Thus expressed by the LXXII Interpreters The Title of Bishop importing a Power and Charge over the Flock Act. 20.28 Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.5.7 A word made use of also by these Interpreters to point at the Civil Magistrats Power Num. 31.14 The Title and Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Conductor Captain Governour Leader A word setting forth the Power of Civil Rulers Deut. 1.13 2 Chron. 5.1 And thus they are distinguished from the Church and Saints Heb. 13.7 17 24. The Title of Stewards over the Lords House and Family Of Pastors and Shepherds who are to feed Pedo and Pabulo a Title likewise attributed to the Civil Magistrat Isa. 24.28 comp 1 Cor. 4. 1. Luk. 12.42 Gal. 4.2 Rom. 13.2.3 Now our Lord Commanding his Apostles to Disciple all Nations or form them into Churches and the Apostles pursuant to this Commission being found to have placed such Officers in the Churches and these being found exercising a joint Official Authority in greater and lesser Judicatories either the Apostles Divine Direction herein must be acknowledged and their walking up to it in this Point of an uniform Mould of Government or their Faithfulness in the execution of their great Trust is impeached and called in Question Thu we have seen that after this pregnant Text hath tossed this Pitiful Sursveyer from one extream to another in seeking some shift of Answer and driven him upon the Pinacles and Precipies of contradictory Answers all his fantastick quiblings issueth in this miserable shift of
calling into Question the Uniformity of the Apostolick Church Government The Surveyer next assaults our Argument from the not mentioning of the Bishop in the Catalogue of Church Officers but palpably disguises it as if we argued merely from the non-nomination of the Bishop in Eph 4.11 among the Officers there mentioned as Gifted to the Church The Argument is this That there being several Recitations of Church Officers of Divine appointment and Institution as in that Passage Eph. 4. and likewise 1 Cor. 12.28 Rom. 12.6.7 The Diocesan Hierarchical Bishop is found in none of them and we may add and likewise in none of the Accounts of ordinary Church Officers exhibit in Scripture and therefore is no Officer appâ—inted of GOD. He tells us That though not mentioned under that Name they are mentioned under the Name of Pastors and Teachers But as he unjustly supposes that our Argument Concludes from that one place so he deals as unjustly or unskilfully in lapping them up under the Name of Teachers who so little concern themselves in that work and marrs his design in making them Succeed to the Apostles in the plenitude of their ordinary Power as he doth P. 194 195. for thus they are to be included rather in the Name of Apostles or else he must bring up Pastors and Teachers to the same Succession The Surveyer could not exhibit different Degrees of the Apostolick or Evangelistick Office why then did he assign different Degrees of the Pastoral Office This Consequence the Surveyer calls weak because a Governing Superiority among Apostles and Evangelists was partly impracticable partly unnecessary they seldom living in ordinary Societies because of their Dispersion for speedy spreading of the Gospel and having infallible direction in their Ministry Whereas Pastors living in Society and fixed-upon their Charges their Associations have need of some Governing Superiority among them to be a Nerve and Sinnew of their Union and that the Prudence of some may repress the Levity of others Ans. This Reason is but the ignis fatuus of our Surveyers fancy First as touching Apostles we find them notwithstanding of the infallible conduct of the Spirit joyning Counsel together yea and with concurrence of ordinary Officers as Act. 15. and a Moderator of the Meeting presiding whom his Party will needs make us believe did preside as Bishop of Jerusalem so that this very Colledge of Apostles had the Superintendency of this Episcopal Nerve in their Sense And none can deny that persons managing one work if far dispersed have the greater need of a Corresponding headâ— Next as for Pastors we find their social Government by common Counsel exhibit in Scripture and that their Union was a Presbyterial Classical Union and did not Coalesce into the Headship of a Hierarchical Prelat Besides the Surveyer is a niggardly Dispenser of Governing Prudence when Monopolizing it in one Prelat and denying it to the rest of the Members of the Society of Pastors Or if he allow it to more than one Person he plucks the Hierarchical Bishop from his Seat and disownes the Concentring of this Authority in his Person For what he adds of the Early Reception of this supposed Headship of the Hierarchical Prelat by the whole Church His Confident Assertion is easily Answered by a well grounded Denyal He is bold to say there is nothing in Scripture against this Officer But his palpable Perversion of the Scriptures pleaded against him discovers there is more said against him than he was able to Answer and these Texts pleaded appears the more forcible after all his faint Essays this way He offers in the next place P. 214. a Reply to our Argument from Philip. 1.1 From which we argue That there being here a Plurality in one and the same Church who must need be Pastors and Officers therein Therefore the Scripture Bishop is not the Hierarchical Bishop since the Apostle salutes these Pastors joyntly as Officers of the Highest Rank under this Notion of being Bishops thereof and without the least hint of a respect to any Superior Officer set over them Besides that no Inferior Officers are denominat by the Name proper to the Superior In Answer to this the Surveyer first takes notice that in this Epistle only the Direction is by Paul to the Officers as contradistinct from the Church whereas in the rest of the Epistles he includes them in the Organick Church without express mentioning of them Ans. Not to stand upon this Variety in the Inscription of Epistles wherein sometimes the Apostle Stile himself by his Authority sometimes not sometimes associats with himself Officers of an Inferior Order sometimes not It is noticeable here how this Man in a palpable Contradiction to himself doth quite baffle and run down his first large Answer to our Argument from 1 Cor. 5. which concludes the People only to be bespoken because Officers are not Named Whereas here he acknowledges that except in this one Epistle in the rest the Church Officers are included in the Organick Church without the express mentioning of them But to proceed the Surveyer will needs with Ambrose have the Reason of the Difference to be that they were not Bishops and Deacons of that Church but present with Paul and Timothy at Writing of the Epistle and assumed as Consenters with him and this he makes paralel with Gal. 1. All the Brethren that are with me He tells us the Apostle calls them not Bishops and Deacons of Philippi but absolutely Bishops and Deacons and the Copulative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may refer to Paul and Timothy the Writers as well as to the Saints at Philippi Ans. The Surveyer in approving this palpably absurd Gloss discovers how miserably he is put to it to find out a Lurking Hole and Subterfuge from this Argument For â—not to speak of Ambrose Sentiments wherein the Surveyer cannot make it appear he is followed by any Interpreters it is evident beyond all Contradiction that the Apostles usual Method in the Inscription of all the Epistles is First To describe himself either by his Office of Apostle or otherwayes as the Pen-man of the Epistle together with Others if any such be whom he is pleased to Associat with him in the Inscription And then in a Distinct Clause and Branch to Describe these whether persons or Churches to whom the Epistle is Addresed And we dare confidently Challenge such as embrace this Sense to exhibit a contrary Instance in any of the Epistles or to shew where the persons supposed present with the Apostle are in their Description cast behind his Character of himself and the Description of the Persons to whom he writes Nay this so evident that the Surveyers own Instance Gal. 1. baffles his Answer For after Pauls Description of himself as the Spirit of GODS Pen-Man calling himself an Apostle not of Men neither by Man c. He doth in the 2 v. add and all that are with me And next describes those to whom the Epistle is directed viz.
be of the highest Office in the Church telling us That the Prelat is but a different Degree in the same Office And he gives this Reason of his Judgment That since the Sacramental Actions are the highest of Sacred Performances he cannot but acknowledg that such as are impowered for them must be of the highest Office in the Church And thus expresly disowns the Drs. Distinction betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter as a meer groundless Notion and by consequence the whole Foundation of his Pleading Secondly Our Scots Episcopalians and many of the English plead for such an Episcopal Power as is managed in conjunction with Presbyters and profess to own only such a fixed Presidency of the Bishops over the Pastors in Government as allows them a Share and Interest therein and do consequently disown what the Dr. asserts That the Bishop is the Sole Subject of Government Let any peruse Bp. Honyman part 2. Survey of Naph Bp. Burnet ubi supra Bp. Lightons Two Letters in reference to the Case of Accommodation yea Bp. Hall himself in the Defence of his Remonstrance presented to the Parliament of England against Smectymnuus printed An. 1641. And this will be convincingly evident the Bishop in that Defence is so angry at the Word Sole in the Debate about the Bishops Power and Authority in Government that he desires his Presbyterian Antagonists to keep their Sole for the use of their Shoes It is then clear that in the State of the Question or Ground of this Debate the Dr. is not one with his Fellows which will be further discovered by Examining the Grounds he walks upon The Divine Right of Episcopacy he endeavours First to prove by the Institution of our Saviour And his great Argument is That Christ in His Lifetime institut two Orders of Ministers viz. That of the Apostles and the Seventy Disciples whose Office he proves to be subordinat to that of the Apostles from this Ground That they are mentioned a part as Distinct and the Apostles placed first in the Catologue Eph 4.11 1 Cor. 12.28 That the Scripture mentions the Twelve and the other Disciples distinctly and the Twelve as Chosen out from among the Disciples and by this Call and Ordination of Christ separate to distinct Offices from the Disciples that the Apostles immediate Successors were chosen out from the seventy Disciples for most part Thus sayes he Simeon the Son of Cleophas succeeded Iames at Ierusalem Philip Paul at Caesarea Clement Peter at Rome by the Testimony of Dorotheus Eusebius And that by the same Testimony of Eusebius together with Epiphanius and Ierem Matthias was one of the Seventy that was Chosen and Ordained by the Apostles to succeed Iudas in the Apostalate Acts 1.16 And a Succession saith be in Office supposes the superior Power in the Person in whose place another succeeds and that the person succeeding had not that Power and Office before his Succession That these Disciples were instructed with Ministerial Authority he proves from Luk 10.16 compared with v. 1. where not only we find that our Lord sent them before His Face but shews that such as heard them did hear him c. As also from this That Ananias one of them Baptized Paul Acts 9.18 Philip another of them the Eunuch Acts 8. and also preached the Gospel Answer This Discours and Argument with reference to the Drs. Scope with a very ordinary Attention will appear to be but a beating of the Air and to consist of Magisterial Dictates instead of proof For First it is evident That the generality of all Protestant Divines and Churches yea many Episcopalians themselves do hold that the Office of Apostles and Evangelists is expired and died with their Persons so that neither the one nor the other admitted of a Succession And indeed the thing it self is evident and by our Divines proved from the Apostles immediat Mission unconfined Inspection extraordinary Gifts c. And that the Evangelists Office did suppose the existant Office of the Apostolate and did consist in a planetary Motion to Water where they Planted and bring Reports of the State of the Churches to the Apostles and Commissions from the Apostles to the Churches as they make evident in the many Journies up and down of Timothy and Titus in order to this end So that upon this Supposition tho a Subordination were granted yet if both Offices are expired it can found no Argument for a Subordination among ordinary Officers or essentially distinct Orders in the Pastoral Office which is the Point he has to prove This will be convincingly clear upon Two Grounds 1. That the body of all Protestant Divines do hold That neither Apostle nor Evangelist had any fixed Posts or Charges and so consequently the one could not Succeed the other therein nor could any ordinary Officer Succeed either of them in this their Function And 2. That the Office as well of the one as the other was suted to that Infant State and Exigence of the Church the Apostles Work being to found Churches through the World to plant the Gospel Government and Officers therein and the Evangelists Work to Water their Plantations as is above exprest And therefore that State and Exigence of the Church being gone off so are these Offices suted thereunto And among many other Proofs I would fain know what he or any of his Perswasion will look upon as the Scope and Intendment of their Gifts recorded in Scripture viz. Their Gifts of Tongues Gifts of Healing raising the Dead striking with Death and extraordinary Judgments the Obstinat as Peter Ananias and Saphira Paul Elimâ—s the Sorcerer c. if not thus to Discriminat their Office If sutabâ—e Gifts be the Badg of an Office as to be apt to Teach is of the Pastoral Office it being certain that the Gifts and the Work bears a proportion one to another and the Office has a relation to both then certainly Extraordinary Gifts Works must be the Badg of that Office which is Extraordinary So that the Drs. Proof of fixed standing distinct Orders and Degrees among Ordinary Church Officers from this Instance is quite overturned if the Office either of the Apostles or of the Seventy be found Extraordinary Next the weakness of the Drs. Proof further appears in that instead of Proving he takes for Granted without Proof First That the Apostles had a Superior distinct Mission from that of the Seventy for nothing of his pretended Proofs give the least shadow of this The Dr. acknowledges they were sent to Preach as the Apostles themselves were and for what appears from Scripture with the same Authoritative Mission since the Seventy were sent out after the Twelve and superadded to them Luk. 9.1 2. c. and 10.1 2 3. c. And for the Point of Succession of which afterwards the Dr. affords no shadow of Proof of either of these Two 1. That there were Successors to the Apostles in their formal Office of Apostolate 2. That these his
supposed Successors were of the number of the Seventy Disciples for which he must offer a Divine Scripture Proof or he says nothing Again in the 3d. place Tho we should grant to the Dr. that these Seventy were placed in Inferior order to the Twelve Apostles yet so weak is his Cause and Pleading that even upon this Supposition it is utterly lost and ruined unless he can make it appear that these Seventy had in their Commission the Doctrinal Key only but no interest in the Government which is his Supposition all along as to the Pastoral Office Now it is evident beyond contradiction that all which the Dr. has offered in this Argument amounts not to the least shadow of a Proof of this point viz. That the Twelve Apostles were the only Subjects of Church Government had both the Keys committed unto them only and that therein the 70 Disciples had no interest having the Doctrinal Key only intrusted unto them And therefore this is utterly remote from his Conclusion viz. That our Lord established such ordinary Officers as are called Bishops in a superior order to Pastors as specifically distinct from them intrusting the whole Power of Government to the First as well as the Power of Order and nothing at all thereof to the Second but the Doctrinal Key only Before I proceed let us hear what the Dr. answers to the Objection taken from the Apostles Extraordinary office His Answer is That this is a begging of the question since we allow that Christ institut the Office but gave no signification that it was but for a Season But First How comes the Dr. thus to beg the question in supposing that we acknowledg our Lord gave no such Signification He should know that we own and can make good the contrary And the current of all Protestant Divines owning the Apostolick Office to be extraordinary and expired must and do by necessary consequence hold That the Temporary Nature of the Office hath in the Scripture Accounts thereof our Lords implicit and consequential Intimation that the Office was not to Continue but to Expire with the Persons who carried it The Dr. may thus prove quidlibet ex quolibet if allowed to draw a Conclusion from a Concession which is not ours but by him falsly imputed to us Next the Office it self in its Nature and End being as is said Temporary and owned so by the Body of all our Divines It necessarly follows that our Lords Institution terminat upon and relative to the Office was likewise thus Temporary and determined to a certain Season As under the Law Gods Institution of Sacrifices and other Levitical Ordinances being to represent Christs Death the very Nature of the Institution did determin the Continuance till Christs coming and offering Himself and no longer As likewise the shadowing Typical Priesthood of Aaron being thus limited did expire at his Death Nay our Lord in commanding His Apostles to Preach to all Nations to every Creature and instituting them universal Officers of the whole Catholick Church in actu exercito both planted and to be planted to which they had an immediat Relation and instructing them with extraordinary Gifts of Tongues of Miracles c. did thus ex natura rei and from the Nature of the Institution it self discover His design as to the transient Office thus institut and that being suted to that Exigence of the Church it was to pass off with the same Sure should a Papist plead for the Perpetuity of Extreme Unction because of the Apostles anointing with Oyl or for the continuance of such Gifts as the Dr. will acknowledg expired because of our Lords Institution and giving the Gifts and no where Intimating that they were to be for a Season and that these Gifts were joined to the Apostolical Office he would answer That the temporary transient Nature of the Gift it self now comprobat by the Event discovers the temporary Design thereof and that it was not to Continue and that therefore there was no need that our Lord should have given such an express Declarator in the Institution or Collation of the Gift Which Answer he may bestow for us upon himself as to the Point in hand Again to discover further the Inconsistency and Self-contradicting Method of his Reasoning upon this Head let it be enquired what he means by a Successor to the Apostles If he mean a Succession to their Office in its Nature and Extent as delineat in Scripture then he runs himself into gross Absurdities For 1. He must thus hold that our Lord Institut and that de facto there succeeded Twelve Patriarchs with an universal unconfined Inspection over the whole Catholick Church to be continued therein with a Collateral and Equal Power 2. If he say this as he needs must if he speak to the Point and consequentialy he will contradict what he asserts of their immediat Successors from among the 70 Disciples viz. Simeon Son of Cleophas his succeeding St. Iames at Ierusalem Philip St. Paul at Cesarea Clement St. Peter at Rome For if these Persons succeeded the Apostles in their unconfined Inspection over the whole World where Churches were planted or to be planted how comes he to assign them fixed Stations at Ierusalem Cesarea and Rome If their Ministry was confined to these Posts how could they succeed the Apostles in their universal Inspection And consequently how could they succeed them in the Apostolick Office To say that a Person fixed at such and such Posts succeeds the Apostolick Office which was of this universal Extent makes as good Sense and Harmony as to say that the Person who is installed Dean of Canterburry succeeds to the Archiepiscopal Chair thereof and the Metropolitick Office of that Prelat and his Primacy over England 3. I would know whether the Dr. in this Argument from Succession doth equiparate and make paralel his adduced illustrating Instances viz. the Succession of Matthias in the place of Iudas with these other Instances of Simeon Philip and Clement at Ierusalem Cesarea and Rome If he do not then his paralel Argument as to the Point of Succession is by his own Confession like the Legs of the Lame not equal it being palpably absurd to prove the Succession by Instances while the Persons instanced as succeeding are not of the same and equal Power and Authority If he say That he understands Successors in the same Apostolick Power then I would fain know how he will paralel the Authority of Simeon with a fixed Post at Ierusalem Philip at Cesarea Clement at Rome with the Succession of Matthias in the Apostolick Office by the Divine Appointment without the least hint of any fixed Station but with an universal Inspection as the other Apostles had But to proceed to the other Branch of the Dilemma If he mean by Successors to the Apostles a Succession in a supposed Superiority over Presbyters in a certain Precinct not unto their Office and Authority every way or with reference either to their
fall within the compass of these expired Prerogatives so several of the Prelats pretended Prerogatives are contrary and repugnant thereunto such as their exercising an ordinary Power in fixed Diocesses the Appostolick Inspection was Unfixed and extraordinary and they were Officers in actu exercito of the whole Church Next the Bishops account themselves sole Pastors of the Diocess tho Pastors are therein Ordained and Fixed For they are the Fountains from whom the Power of Order and Jurisdiction in the Diocess is dierived and the Exercise of both depends upon their Lordly Disposal And this Preheminency no Apostle ever claimed their Office being only a Declarative Executive Ministry not a Lordly Dominion Besides the Prelats negative Voice and sole Decisive Power in Judicatories is point Blank contrair to the Apostles Carriage in that Synod Act 15. In which the Question was stated and debated in the ordinary way of Disputation and the Ordinary Officers did concurr and joyn with the Apostles in Authorizing and enjoyning the Decrees And further the Bishops thâ— ordinary Officers yet deny a Subjection to the Prophets in greater or lesser Assemblies of the Church whereof they are professed Officers and yet we find Paul asserting Universally and indefinitly That the Spirits of the Prophets are Subject to the Prophets 1. Cor. 14.32 Nay we find himself receiving Imposition of Hands and sent out by a Presbytrie upon a special Gospel legation which did consist not of Fellow-Apostles but of Prophets and Teachers Act. 13.1 2.3 But to what Assembly of Prophets are Prelats Subject either as to their Life or Doctrin Thirdly As to the perpetual ordinary Power given to the Apostles and transmitted by them to the Church They did neither claim nor exercise Superiority over other Ministers but we find them accounting them Brethren Partners Fellow-Labourers and themselves Fellow-Elders with them and as to the Pastoral Charge their Equals For that ordinary Power the Apostolick Office contained Eminenter which they transmitted to others But it is evident that as they planted Elders with equal Power in the Churches so in their last Farewels they committed as is above cleared the Government unto them without any hint of Imparity in its exercise Act. 20.28 Tit. 1.5 1 Cor. 5.1 Pet. 5. To which we may add in the Fourth place that the Apostles Discharging Lordly Dominion and Preheminency amongst Ministers over the Lord's Flocks or among themselves And the Apostle Iohn condemning expresly this in Diotrophes will infallibly prove that they neither allowed in others nor exercised themselves any such power else their Doctrin would contradict their Practice Hence it s infallibly clear that to make good the Drs. Proof of a Succession to the Apostles by Instances which he here undertaks there are two Points he must clearly prove and make good as the Affirmer 1. That these pretended Successors did de facto exercise and hold the Apostolick Office in its whole Nature and Extent as above delineat 2. That de jure the Apostles by their Doctrin and Practice did devolve such an Authority upon them to be perpetually transmitted to the Church by Succession And therefore if in either or both these he fall short in his Instances of a pretended Succession he but beats the Air and loses his Design of proving That the Apostles communicated the same Office to Successors which our Saviour had communicated to them which in terminis he asserts p. 394. This being premised let us see how the Dr. proves by Instances the Succession of Apostles to Apostles as an Office still to be continued in the Church His first Instance of Succession is that of St. Iames in Ierusalem whose Succession in an Apostolick or Episcopal Preheminence there he labours much in the Proof of pag. 394 395 396 397. But. first tho this Matter of Fact were granted that Iames the Apostle or Evangelist not to stand here to discuss which did exercise his Ministry or Apostolate there how will it prove a Succession to the Apostolick Charge and Office in the Drs. Sense as above delineat And where is his Proof of any of the Apostles devolving this Charge upon him To prove either or both these as the Dr. here doth from any Scripture or History which suppose Iames to be in Ierusalem in the exercise of his Ministry requires to make the Reasoning valid such rules of Logick as hitherto has not been heard of What a strang Phantastick Proof is this Scripture affirms Iames to exercise his Ministry at Ierusalem Ergo he had devolved upon him by the other Apostles the Apostolick Office in the same Nature and Extent as exercised by them and committed to them by our Saviour and this as a perpetual Function in the Church This is such Arguing and Rope of Sand-connection as any may laugh at and it is evident to common Sense that tho the exercise of Iames's Ministry in Ierusalem be granted yet the Instance is as far short of being a demonstrative Proof of what the Dr. asserts and aims at and reaching his Conclusion as the Pigmey's Arm is to fetch down Ulysses Helmet The Dr. in handling this instance endeavours to prove that the Iames spoken of Gal. 1.19 and called the Lords Brother was none of the Twelve Wherein he contradicts good Interpreters as might be cleard by a multiplicity of Instances if need were The Belgick Divines upon the Place take him to be the same mentioned Mark 10. And upon Act. 12.2 They shew that after Iames was killed this Iames spoken of here is he who left behind him the Epistle of Iames and is called the Lords Brother And upon v. 17. They affirm that this was Iames the less The Authors of part 2. Pool Annot. upon Gal. 1.19 Do assert That he was one of the Twelve Apostles paralelling this passage touching Iames with Mark 6. The Drs. Proof that he was not an Apostle because Paul reckons him a part from the Twelve 1 Cor. 15.5.6.7 is utterly insufficient The Authors of Part 2. Pool Annot. draw no such Conclusion upon that verse but insinuat rather the contrar And the Dutch Divines are peremptor that the Iames mentioned in that Text was the Apostle Iames and one of the Two in the Catalogue of Apostles The Drs. Proof from his being mentioned a part from the Twelve is a pitiful lax Conceit For if the Apostle saying v. 7. That our Lord was seen of Iames then of all the Apostles will prove that Iames was not of the number his saying v. 5. That our Lord was seen of Cephas then of the Twelve will by the same Reason prove that Peter was none of the number The Doctor would needs have him the Thirteenth Apostle and the first that was made an Apostle after the Twelve I had thought that Matthias was the first Person made an Apostle after our Lords Ascension to make up the number of Twelve and supply the room of Iudas and that Paul was next added by our Lords special Call from Heaven but when
Excommunication is by the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 5. supposed to be competent to a Presbytry And therefore Titus could have no Sole and Ordinary Authority herein For what the Dr. adds of the Testimonies of the Ancients touching Titus's Episcopacy at Crete such as Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 4. c. it is sufficiently Answered already and we need not repeat The Drs. Fourth and last instance to prove the Divine Right of Episcpacy from the Apostles practice is of the supposed Episcopal Authority of Timothy over Ephesus and that not only over the Laity to Command and Teach 1 Tim. 4.11 to receive or reject Widdows 1 Tim. 5.9 c. But also over the Clergy to take care for their Provision 1 Tim. 5.17 Not to admit Deacons but upon tryal nor Ordain the Elder till a good acquittance in the Deaconship 1 Tim. 3.10.13 to receive accusations put the Guilty to shame 1 Tim. 5.19.20 And to exercise this Jurisdiction without Preferring one before another v. 21. which could not be without a Jurisdiction over them He has also ascribed unto him an Ordaining Power as to the laying on of Hands 1 Tim. 5.22 All which Authority that it was given him by Paul for a standing Form of Government the Dr. proves from this Ground because it was after the Presbytrie was formed and settled there and after Paul's great Labours in that large Church for Three Years And therefore he may be supposed not only to have Planted a Presbytrie there as in other Churches Acts 14.23 but also to have reduced it to much gâ—eater perfection than any other And by consequence Establishing this Authority in a single Person is such a Form of Government as the Apostle must needs have understood and intended to be of of that Nature as was to continue as a Pattern to other Churches It is Answered 1. There is nothing here of a New Argument but a Repitition of the former and a New Begging of the Question Viz. The â—tanding ordinary Office of Apostles and Evangelists which we have above convict of Falsehood But 2. To come a little closer to the Drs. New Instance since he presents here some Actings of the Power of Order which he acknowledges tho performed by Timothy and enjoyned to him by Paul in that Church yet are likewise Competent to Presbyters or Pastors Viz Teaching c. which together with other Actings of the Power of Order he makes common to Pastors and at large discourses this P. 427 428.429 c. I would fain know how the Dr. will diversifie these in this Instance and shew that the enjoyning to Timothy in this place such an exercise of the Power of Order as is above exprest will give him no peculiar Interest therein but joyntly with the Presbyters and yet that the Commands in point of Jurisdiction are delivered to him peculiarly and not to them Where will the Dr. shew this distinction and difference in the Apostolick Precepts to Timothy It should seem the ordinary Rule will take place here non est distinguendum ubi Lex non distinguit since the Precepts are equally delivered and without the least Intimation of such a difference or distinction The person who makes the distinction seems Chargable with arrogant Anti-scriptural Boldness The Dr. pleads that the Apostolick Precept 1 Tim. 5.22 Lay Hands suddenly on no man prescribes a standing Rule in Point of Jurisdiction Viz that the Prelat has a sole interest therein secluding Presbyters wholly from any Authority in this Matter For this he makes the Bishops peculiar prerogatiue P. 436.437 c. And he draws his great Proof in this place from the Apostles addressing this Precept to Timothy not to Pastors or Presbyters Now what if any shall lash the Dr. with his own Argument and Plead from the Apostles Solemn Charge to Timothy 2 Tim. 4.1.2 Preach the Word be instant in Season cut of Season and several such Precepts relative to General Ministerial Duties or Actings of the Power of Order such as a Right behaving in the House of GOD 1 Tim. 3.15 To be a growing Minister in the Words of Faith 1 Tim. 4.6 To exercise himself to Godliness v. 7. To be examplary to Believers in word and Conversation c. V. 12. To give attendance to Reading Exhortation and Doctrin not to neglect but to stir up his Gift to Meditat upon the things of God and give himself wholly thereunto to take heed unto himself and to the Doctrin and continue in them v. 13.14.15.16 with 2 Tim. 1.6 That such Actings of the Power of Order are proper only to the Bishop and such Ministerial Duties peculiar to him So that Presbyters or Pastors have no Interest or concern therein because these Precepts are pecuâ—iarly addressed to Timothy not to them What Answer and evasion can he have to save him from a Contradiction and inconsistency with himself If his own Argument be good against us upon the forementioned Ground why not the very same Argument in this Case against himself The Drs. only Answer and evasion which he can have is That these Commands as to the Exercise of the Power of Order or respecting Pastoral Duties in general tho peculiarly addressed to Timothy yet could give him no peculiar or sole Interest therein because Presbyters are elsewhere in Scripture Instructed with the same Power But 1. In this Answer he breaks his Argument all in pieces the Strength whereof is drawn from the peculiar addressing these Precepts to Timothy But here he acknowledges that the peculiar Address will bear no such conclusion of Timothy's sole Interest in the Duty enjoyned And 2. If he say that the Bishops peculiar Interest and Jurisdiction is elsewhere evident in Scripture who sees not that he but pityfully beggs the Question and baffls his own General Argument And further he should know that the Presbyterians stand upon an advantagious Ground with him in this Point For we hold and can prove that the Power of Jurisdiction is prescribed and competent to Presbyters since the Scripture shews the Power of Ordination to be seated in a Presbytrie 1 Tim. 4.14 with Act 22.5 Luk. 22.66 Matth. 18.17 Consequently correspondent Actings of a Jurisdictional Power All that watch for the Peoples Souls are in Scripture held out to have a joint Rule over them Heb. 13.17 In the Church of Thessalonica the Labourers in the Word and Doctrin jointly fed and laboured jointly censured and as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers were to be submittted to and obeyed 1 Thess. 5.12 So it was in the same Church of Ephesus Act. 20. So with these Elders or Bishops 1 Pet 5. And I would fain know why the Drs. Notion and Argument from the peculiar addressing of Precepts will not hold good in our Case against him upon the ground of these and such like Scriptures where the Power of Order and Jurisdiction is jointly ascribed to Presbyters without the least hint of a Superior Authority herein or their Precarious dependence upon
any Officer of an higher order Moreover will the Dr. be bold to affirmâ— that what was prescribed to Timothy in Point of Order and Jurisdiction was confined within the Church of Ephesus and not rather to be exercised through all other Churches as the Apostle enjoined him And if this last must needs be asserted upon the Ground of his Evangelistick transient imployment through the Churches as is above from Scrpture evinced and delineat it follows by inevitable consequence that the Addressing of these Prescriptions to him while at Ephesus can infer no peculiar Relation he had to that Church but respected the Exercise of his Evangelistick Office in other Churches as well as there especially since the Apostle here enjoins him to do the Work of an Evangelist i. e. of such an unfixed transient Minister as is above described not the work of a Prelat over this Church If the Dr. deny this he will advance him to a Metrapolitan over several other Churches or else must quite his plea. But finally to Raze the Foundation of the Drs. Notion and Argument which he draws from Paul's Constituting a Presbytrie at Ephesus and reducing it to a greater perfection than in other Churches before Timothy had these Prescriptions in point of Government Adddressed unto him therein From whence the Dr. concludes that the Apostle established the Government to continue by a single person presiding over Clergy and Laity Besides the exceptions above touched to which this is lvable I would First know of him whether this Pâ—esbytrie or Presbytries so perfectly Constitut in his Judgment had not an essential and inherent interest and Authority in such Actings of the Power of Order as himself acknowledges competent to them such as Teaching and the like And if so as himself doth hold and suppose notwithstanding of the Addressing of Precepts to Timothy hereanent why were such Precepts addressed to Timothy Why was not this left to the perfectly Constitut Presbytrie and Precepts only in Point of Government addressed to him Especially since it s known the Bishops do not much concern themselves in Teaching and these other Ministerial Duties exprest in the Precepts abovementioned And if the Prior Authority of a Constitut Presbytrie hereanent was no Just Ground to stop the Apostles Precepts to Timothy in the Power of Order and such Ministerial Duties as are contained in the forementioned Precepts nor can infer Timothy's sole Interest therein why I pray shall this Reason be valid in point of Jurisdiction What will the Dr. Answer if one should improve his own Argument thus Notwithstanding of Pauls great pains in Preaching and Constituting a perfect Presbytrie to use his own term and that there were many Pastors gifted to Preach and admonish yet the Apostle afterward in his Epistle to Timothy gave this Commandment to him not to them Therefore this is proper and peculiar to the Bishop only And sure I am whatever Answer he can give to this which has any Sense or Consonancy to Scripture will loose and Answer his own Argument against us In a word its easie to retort this Argument from a Priority of time and shew that when pertinently improven it stands upon our side against the Dr. and his Fellows Which retortion I thus offer After Timothy had received these Instructions in the Church of Ephesus with reference to the Clergy and Laity as he speaks the Apostle Committed the whole Episcopal Charge to the Elders or Ministers of Ephesus as to both Order and Jurisdiction without the least hint of any Interest that Timothy had in or over them herein or of any precarious dependence of these Elders and Ministers upon him in the exercise of this their Power notwithstanding that Timothy was present with them when the Apostle gave this Charge and that it was his last farewell-Charge when never to see their Faces more Now if the Apostle had given Timothy a standing Episcopal Authority before and Constitut him their Bishop what a pityful inconsistency retraction and contradiction was it to his former Doctrin and practice in the Instalment of Timothy to devolve his whole Authority upon these Elders Commanding them as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Feed and Rule Surely if the Argument from Priority of time be valid it must be signally so in this Case wherein it is strengthened by so many Corroborating Circumstances of the Sacred Text and to use the Drs. expression and Address him in his own words ibid. this Constitution was to be a Pattern to all Churches and to be sure the Government now at last Established at Ephesus was such as the Apostle intended should continue The Dr. will needs have this Practice of the Apostle Paul to proceed upon the express Institution of our Saviour consequently to found a Divine Right of a Subordination of Ecclesiastick Officers since the Apostles ordained other Apostles and Bishops to presid over the Churches But sure looking to his Scope and Pleading nothing could be said in a more inconsistent Mould For he cannot but acknowledg That the Institution of our Saviour did relate to the Apostolick Office in its whole Nature and Extent as above delineat viz. To found and plant Churches through the World to establish the Gospel Government and Ordinances in them and this with extraordinary Gifts and infallible directive Authority as Christs immediatly sent and first Ambassadors Yet the Apostles supposed prosecution of this Institution he maks to consist only in setting some certain Bishops over particular Churches with an ordinary and limited Power for I hope he will not make them all universal Patriarchs Now how exactly these Bishops are shapen to the Pattern of Christs institut Apostles any may judg yet he will have them not only Bishops but Apostles properly so called such as were the first Apostles and as succeeding them in their formal Office Besides in speaking of this Divine Right he tells us His Arguments pleads for a Superiority and Subordination of Ecclesiastick Officers Which is a General easily accorded by us as is said and no way will come home to prove his supposed distinct Offices in the Pastoral Charge The Dr. tells us ibid That if the ordaining of Presbyters be an Argument of the perpetuity of the Office as we hold why not the Apostles ordaining Bishops as good an Argument for the perpetuity of that Office I answer when the Dr. shall make it good that the Apostles ordained Bishops of his Mould 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church by Church as we can prove and it is evident they did ordain Ministers or Elders or make it appear that the Apostle gave to Timothy or Titus any Rules for the Ordination of his supposed Bishop or for his Qualifications as in that Capacity as it is evident he prescribs Rules anent the Ordination and Qualification of the Pastor in both these Epistles then and not till then the Drs. paralel Argument shall be admitted But till then we must
Ordination of any higher Officer than a mere Pastor or Prerbyter I shall only add 3 ly That it is evident in the Apostles Doctrin and Practice that they own the Ministers of the Word as to the perpetual Pastoral Charge and in the ordinary Power of Government their equals as their practice in Ordination and Jurisdiction among Churches Constitut which is above discribed doth make evident And it were strange that Evangelists should beâ—instructed with Episcopal Preheminence in such Churches who were inferior to Apostles That Timothy who was ordained by a Presbytrie concurring Authoritatively tho Paul was present should usurp Preheminence over a Presbytrie tho inferior to an Apostle and that whereas Presbyters did concurr pari passu with a whole Presbytrie of Apostles in every piece of a Judicial Act and Decree wherein was put forth both the Diatactick Critick and Dogmatick Power and Authority in Church Government yet an Evangelist inferior to any of the Apostles should take Episcopal Preheminence over a Presbytrie in this Matter For the Drs. proofs from Antiquity upon this Head that we may understand how well he has laid his Measures for reaching his Scope and End let it be remembered what it is he undertaks to prove viz. The Churches universal Reception of the Office of Apostolat in its entire Nature as a standing necessary Function in the Church to be transmitted to after Ages with the same Authority and Commission as delivered at first to the Twelve For this is that which the Dr. directly and designedly pleads for from that passage of Scripture where Our Lord said to his Apostles As my Father hath sent Me so send I you And according to this Rule let us examin his Instances His first proof P. 406 is from St. Clement who mentions in his Epistle to the Corinthians three Orders of Ecclesiastical Officers whom he calls the High Priest the Priests and the Levits which Words saith the Dr. can be no otherwise understood than of the Bishop Presbyter and Deacons A strange proof and an odd Explication indeed How doth the Doctor prove that Clement did any otherewise express himself than with this Allusion to the Old Testament Church Officers signifying that there are diverse Officers in the New Testament Ministry as in the Old Again How comes the Dr. to explain him of Bishop Presbyter in the Singular and Deacons in the Plural And how does this correspond to Clements expresion of High Priest in the singular and Priests in the plural Will the Dr. owne the Primacy of an High Priest over the Christian Catholick Church as of the Church of the Iewes Or be bold to Averr that Clement Asserted this Moreover the Drs. Explication of Clement viz. That he means by the High Priest the Bishop by the Priests the Presbyter c. Baffles his Design and cuts the Throat of his Cause and pleading For if Clement lookt upon the Presbyters or Pastors as holding an Office and Authority corresponding to that of the Priests under the Old Testament then certainly he did hold them to have a necessary Essential Interest in Government such as the Priests had For the Dr. will not be bold to say that the Sanehedrin made up of Priests had not a governing Power or that it was Monopolized in the person of the High Priest as he affirms it is in the person of the Bishop secluding the Presbyters And further to discover how the Dr. has abused his Reader and forefeited his Credit in this Citation let us take Notice that Clement to remove the Sedition raised by the Corinthians against their Presbyters p. 57.58 tells them how God hath alwise appointed several Orders in his Church which must not be confounded In the Iewish Church he appointed an High Priest Priests and Levits and then tells them that for the times of the Gospel Jesus Christ sent his Apostles through Countreys and Cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which he Preacht and constitut the first Fruits approving them by the Spirit for Bishops and Deacons to those who should afterward believe From which Words the learned Authors of the Append. Minist Evang. Have long since concluded against the Dr. and his Fellows 1. That in the first and purest times the custom was to chuse Bishops in Villages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And how small little Apostles these were I need not tell the Dr. and such for Authority and extent of Power as are many Pastors now in Scotland 2. That Bishops and Deacons are the only Orders of Ministry owned by Clement as planted by the Apostles the first Primitive Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which shews the Drs. palpable Forgery in making Clement to assert three Orders of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons Clement adds p. 57. That the Apostles by Jesus Christ knowing that contentions would arise about the Name of Bishop and being endu'd with perfect knowledg they appointed the foresaid Orders Viz Bishops and Deaeons Upon which the Learned Authors of the Apendix do further note 1. That by Name we are not to understand the bare Name but the Honour and Dignity as the word is taken Philip. 2.9 Eph. 1.21 The Controversie among the Corinthians being about the Dignity of Episcopacy and the Deposition of their Godly Presbyters p. 57.58 2. That the only remedy appinted by the Apostles for the Cure of all Contentions arising about Episcopacy is by Committing the Care of the Church to Bishops and Deacons in Clements Judgement What ever Remedy of Schism the Church afterward applyed in setting up one Bishop over another Clement tells us that the Apostles endued with perfect knowledg of things Ordained only Bishops and Deacons Whosoever shall Peruse him p. 57.62.69.72 will find he clearly asserts the first and purest Primitive Church to be Governed by Presbyters without Bishops Besides that he uses the Names of Bishop and Presbyter promiscuously and supposes them to be one and the same throughout the whole Epistle The Dr. brings next Ignatius upon the Field Whose Six Epistles written on the way to his Martyrdom he tells us are express for the derivation of this Superior Order from the Apostles So that we have no other evasion but to alledg they are Counterfeit from which imputation they have been Triumphantly vindicat so he expresses it by a Learned Pen And that therefore no Man of Learning without exposing his Reputation can call them in Question Who this learned Pen is who thus vindicats them the Dr. hath not thought fit to let us know and if he mean Dr. Pearson as probably he doth he should know that his pretended Vindication was confuted by a learned French Divine Dally and his Proofs convicted of Forgery So that the Dr. exposes his Understanding and Modesty in this Assertion That the Vindication is Triumphant And as for the Drs. Re-vindication this Author should know the learned L'Rooque a Famous Pastor of the French Church replyed to Dr. Pearson and Dr. Beveredge in defence of Dally upon the Point of Ignatius's
Ierom and approve his Testimony who affirms that upon occason of Divisions the Government was altered and immutata ratio as he speaks it is a pityful and palpably absurd inference to argue upon this that either Ierom or we do impute this providential issue and Mans sinful abuse and miscarriage to the Divine Institution it self And if the Dr. own such a consequence he will justify all such abuses and Ieroboams Plea for setting up his Calves at Dan and Bethel because he judged it could not consist with the safety of the Kingdom which God had given him over Israel that the Ten Tribes should go up to Ierusalem to worship after the Kingdoms were divided Secondly He says We hold that upon this occasion it was universally agreed upon that one Presbyter should preside over all the rest which was the beginning of Episcopacy And this appears as dark and confused an Account as the former For 1. As to the Office of a President or Moderator whose Work is to be the Mouth of the Meeting to gather the Votes and moderat the Procedures we hold that the very nature of all Government essentially requires this and consequently Church Government and that this was alwise and necessarly practised as in all Church Government so since the beginning and is examplified in that first Christian Council Act. 15. wherein we judg it probable that the Person presiding was the Apostle Iames And therefore its gross Non-sense to say we hold this Presidency to have been first introduced upon occasion of Schism But next if the Dr. by by a President over the rest mean such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is either advitam or who has such a Presidency as encroaches upon or inhances the Decisive Votes of Pastors this indeed we acknowledg with Ierom came in Paulatim and by peice-meal tho at first he was but a mere President advitam and had some Honour and deference upon this account And this we hold was the rise of that Prelacie which in Process of time swallowed up all the decisive Power of Pastors and their exercise of Government But the Dr. badly represents the Matter P. 415. when he calls this a Chusing of one to preside over the rest which is applicable to any President of a Judicatory or mouth of a meeting or unto a speaker in Parliament Thirdly The Dr. says we hold that this remedy was Universally agreed upon If he means that upon occasion of Schisms we hold that this custom of the fixed President with Authority and deference as above exprest came in by degrees and became Universal in Process of time as additional corruptions ordinarly do this is easily accorded But if he mean that we hold there was a Formal General Council decreeing this as the Dr. with his Fellow-Pleaders fasten this gloss upon that Passage of Ierom prospiciente concilio toto orbe decretum he should know that we disown such an Opinion and have sufficiently made it appear that Ierom intended no such thing since in collating his two Testimonies viz his Comment upon the Epistle to Titus and his Epistle to Evagrius the contrary is evident For Ierom makes this a Consuetudo or Custom and says it came in Paulatim or by Degrees And no man of Sense can but distinguish betwixt a gradual reception of any Practice spreading it self and growing up to a custom and a practice taking its rise and Original from a formal joint Decree of a General Council The Dr. having set down some part of one of these Testimonies of Ierom alledges that we hold or guess as he expresses it that this Universal Decree was about the Year 140. We hold indeed with Blondel that about this time the forementioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 took place but that we hold or guess it was by an Universal Decree is the Drs. groundless imputation which he can Justify from none of our Writers Let any Peruse the Learned Iunius his account and explication of this Testimony de Clericis Cap. 15. Not. 16. together with the Authors of the Ius Divinum Minist Evang. Part. 2 d. P. 56.57 and the Appendix thereto P. 102. 103. and this will be convincingly apparent Well what says the Dr. to this Testimony Having given out our Sense of Ierom's words wherein he contradicts his former Gloss his First exception is That Ierom being Born but about the Year 330 is a Witness far short in Antiquity to these early Witnesses which he has adduced That he is a Hundred Years after Origen three Hundred after Clâ—ment and one Witness must not stand against so many early Harmonious Witnesses We have made it appear that none of the Drs. early Witnesses give a Relevant Testimony to the Point and These he undertakes to prove viz. the derivation of the Apostolick Office in its proper formal Sense to an Order of Ordinary Officers Superior to Pastors and inhancing their whole Authority in Government We have made appear that all that his Testimonies amounts to prove is only a General designation of Bishops made use of by the Ancients and at most a supposal of some deference and fixed Presidency which they had in Judicatories And who sees not that this is utterly short of proving what he intends So that his Witnesses are mute in our Cause and speaks not to the Question and Iâ—â—errogatur The Dr. from P. 433. to P. 447. asserts and endeavours to prove that the Bishop hath for his peculiar prerogative annexed to his person and Office as Bishop 1. The Legislative Power which he calls the Essence of Government in the very same manner as he supposes the Apostles possest and exercised it 2 dly The sole Authority to Consecrat and Ordain 3 ly The whole Authority of Spirituall Iurisdiction to Cite Examin Judg Censure and absolve Delinquents 4 ly To Confirm the Baptized From all which he as intirly excluds all Pastors in Meetings never so frequent and formal and allows them no more Interest in any of these than if they were no Church Officers at all So that their medling in the least with these his supposed sole prerogatives of the Bishop is in his Judgment as gross Antiscriptural encroachment and stepping beyond the Duties and limits of their Function and Office as if they should invade the Kings Authority and prerogative Now the Office of the Bishop being of this Nature and extent in the Dr's Judgment let any Person of Candor or Conscience give sentence upon it what the Witnesses before adduced by him do say to prove this and what strength there is in their Testimoneis to reach this conclusion Again 2 ly As the Drs. pretended early Witnesses are but general and ambiguous in their Testimonies and consequently can make no Faith in this Matter so they are so far from being unanimous as he calls them that upon the contrary several of them as is above cleared do give Witness against him Particularly Clemens and Ignatius two of his most Ancient Witnesses
Augustin and Ambrose imputing also with Jerom the Episcopal Presidency which obtained in their time to the Churches Custom not to Divine Appointment do thus cast a contradicting blot upon his supposed Testimonies Ambrose acknouledging in special that non per omnia conveniunt Apostolorum scripta ordinationi quae nunc est in Eeclesia Comment in Cap. 4. ad Ephes. And tho it be controverted whether this was the true Ambrose yet we must tell him with the learned Professors of Saumur De Episcop Presb. Discrim P. mihi 300. Thes. 19. that he was Coetaneous with or rather more Ancient than Ambrose being Cited by Augustin who was Ambrose Disciple as an Holy Man lib. 2. ad Bonif. Cap. 4. which Epithet he would not have put upon a person of small account or one hetrodox 3 ly The Dr. knows that Jerom holds not the parity of Bishops and Presbyters as his privat Judgment only but least he or any else suppose this he proves it by Divine Testimonies of the Apostles Writings yea and gives the same Sense of them which Presbyterian Writers do And therefore the Dr. must acknowledg him in so far acting a Divine Witness not giving a human Testimony only and that he more than â—utweighs his Human Testimonies else he is obliged to examin his Proâ—fs and Answer them and show if he can Ierom's Sense of these Scriptures to be disowned by any of his Authors which he doth not so much as attempt All who have seen Jerom's Testimony do know that he Reasons this Point of the Identity of the Office of Bishop and Presbyter from Scripture least any should take this to be his private Opinion Putat aliquis saith he non Scripturarum sed nostram esse sententiam Episcopum Presbyterum unum esse the one Name importing the Age the other the Office of the Pastor Then he goes through these Scriptures Philip. 1.1 Act. 20.28 Heb. 13.17 1. Pet. 5.2.3 Drawing out upon the whole this Conclusion that the Bishops Authority and Superiority to Presbyters was rather by Custom than any true dispensation from the Lord. But of this again The Drs. Second Exception is That Jerom being a Presbyter himself speaks in his own Cause and in a warmth of Passion to curb the insolency of some pragmatick Deacons Ans. Jerom reasoning both in this place Cited and the Epistle to Evagrius this Point from Scripture and exhibiting the Divine Oracles the Apostles Doctrin and practice for what he holds speaks the mind of God and no Passion and untill the Dr. Answer his Scripture-reasonings in the Forecited Testimonies he is lyable to the Charge of imputing to the Scripture and to the Apostles Passion and Partiality As for his being a Presbyter himself what then can no Presbyter speak truely and impartially upon this head Besides he knows that several of his Witnesses for Episcopacy and whom he most Esteems are by him supposed Bishops of his high Hierarchical Mould and how shall we receive their Testimony in their own Cause And why may not we impute to them partiality and Passion and reject their Testimony unless their Episcopal Chair hath as that of the Pope a supposed infallibility anneâ—ed to it So that the Dr. is put to this Delemma either to quite his great Episcopal Testimonies as insufficient upon his own Ground or admit this of Jerom. It is the same way from Athens to Thebes and from Thebes to Athens The Dr's Third Exception is That Jerom elsewhere owns the Bishop's Superiority whereof he exhibits First this Proof that in his Dialogue Advers Luciferians he gives this Reason why one not Baptized by the Bishop received not the Holy Ghost because the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles Which the Dr. says makes it plain that he placed the Bishops in the same rank with the Apostles A strange Proof indeed First we heard that Jerom Reasons the Point from Scripture that the Bishop and Presbyter are all one and therefore it is odd from Jerom's Naming a Bishop to understand him of his Hierarchical Bishop Again Jerom says quid facit excepta Ordinatione Episcopus c. what doth the Bishop except Ordination which the Presbyter doth not A Clause and Passage we find the Dr. much harping upon but in his gloss upon this Testimony he doth in contradiction to himself and Jerom also appropriat to the Bishop the Administration of the Sacrament of Baptism What if one Reason thus against the dispisers of this Ordinance Such a Person is not Sealed by the Spirit because not Baptized by a Pastor for the Holy Ghost Descended on the Apostles Will the Dr. disown this Reasoning Or will he own the Inference that therefore Pastors are equal to Apostles Or say it were such a Reasoning such a Person or Persons cannot be Converted or Sealed by the Spirit not having heard the Converting Word Preached by a Pastor since the Apostles thus Converted and Ministred the Holy Ghost Will any but such as draw Reasons and Illustrations beyond the Moon as this Dr inferr that the Pastor is thus equal unto Apostles Will the Dr. in good earnest affirm that the Person who performs such Acts of the Power of Order as the Apostles did perform and with the saving Blessing of the Spirit is upon this Ground equalled in Office to the Apostles If so he must make all Faithful Pastors thus equal and overturn all his Reasoning from a supposed Succession of Bishops to the Apostolat The Dr's next Proof is drawn from Epist. 1. ad Heliod where he says the Bishops are in place of St. Paul and Peter And so say we are all Faithful Pastors whom Ierom makes one with Bishops according to the Scripture acceptation and at large makes it good in the place of Apostles as to the exercise of an ordinary Ministrie and the Power of Order and Jurisdiction Essential and necessar to the Church else our Lord had not promised His presence with His Apostles to the end of the World when He sent them out and Sealed their Patent to Preach the Gospel and Disciple all Nations to Him Of the same Stamp is that which he Cits of Ierom on Psal. 45.16 That in stead of the Apostles gone from the World we have their Sons the Bishops the Fathers by whom they are Governed For I pray will this Dr. either assert 1. That Ierom held that the Power of Government and Authority Ecclesiastick died with the Apostles that the Power of Order and Jurisdiction was not to be preserved continued in the Church and Exercised by ordinary Church Officers and in this respect enjoined in the Fifth Comâ—and which Commands Obedience to all Lawful Governours and so are Ministers called in Scripture under the Character and Denomination of Fathers Or 2 ly Can he deny that Ierom holds that except Ordination or rather the Rituals of it at that time appropriat to the Bishop the Pastors and Presbyters performed all Acts of the Power of Order and Jurisdiction And that
cut off the Dr's third Argument which he prosecutes P. 424 425 c. that nothing needs be further added as there might be with Advantage if a particular Examen were made of his Citations The Folly of his first Headless Testimony appears in that it makes the Apostle Iohn to assume a new Archiepiscopal Chair or Primacy over the Asian Churches The Sottishness of which Conceit and the Contrariety thereof to the Scripture Account of the Apostolick Office is evident to any of common Sense since the Apostles by vertue of their Office which extended to all Churches planted and to be planted were Ministers thereof in actu exercito and yet this Apostle must be assisted with seven Bishops forsooth to support his new Archiepiscopal Chair over that Province The Citation speaks of a Province in general which the Dr. will needs have to be that of Ephesus and the seven Angels must be these seven Bishops by whom he governed that Province Again the Angel is called by Augustin the Praepositus or President therefore he was an Hierarchical President as the Dr. has shapen out What Consequence is this As to what He adds out of Ignatius and Irenaeus in reference to Polycarp's Episcopacy over Smyrna from Eusebius Lib. 4. Cap. 15. and Polycrates's Episcopacy over Ephesus Lib. 5. Cap. 24. we have spoken to it already and to the Credit to be given to these supposed Epistles as likeways to Eusebius's History Besides that in Eusebius Lib. 5. Cap. 23. Irenaeus calls Anycetus Pius Heginus Telesphorus Xistus Presbyters of the Church of Rome Presbyteri illi qui te praecesserunt We also did shew that he thus expresses himself further Nec Polycarpus Anyceto suasit ut servaret qui sibi Presbyterorum quibus successerat consuetudinem servandam esse diceret We have also already made appear that Polycarp his supposed Bishop disownes the Office and Doctrin imputed to him by the Dr since Writing to the Philippians he ownes only Bishops and Deacons as the two Orders of Ministry and perswades the Philippians to be subject to their Presbyters and Deacons as to God and Christ. To which we may add that Bishop Bilson himself acknowledges Perpet Gov. P. 158 159. that Elders at first did govern by common Counsel For what he adds of Eusebius's Testimonies anent the existent Bishops in several of these Churches when Iohn wrote to them it is abundantly removed by what is said above in reference to the Sense and Acceptation of the Term Bishop by Ancient Writers as likewise by that which we have often observed of Eusebius himself The Dr. adds a Passage of Paraeus which we shall take notice of he tells us that Paraeus proves out of Aretas Caesariensis that Antipas the Faithful Martyr mentioned Rev. 2.13 was Bishop of Patmos immediatly before the Angel of that Church to whom Iohn wrote and that that Angel was one Gaius who as he proves out of Clement succeeded to Antipas in the Episcopal Chair Paraeus says indeed that these of Pergamus had cruelly slain Antipas but adds quis fuerat ex Historia parum constat that there is no Light from History who he was He adds Aretas Pastorem ejus Ecclesiae fuisse sensit sub Domitiano fortem fidei assertorem c. that Aretas thinks he was Pastor of that Church and under Domitian a Strenuous Asserter of the Faith and Burnt in a Brazen Bull. He adds that he to whom our Lord wrote might be tempted to lay aside his Office for fear of the like Punishment c. But what the Dr. adds of an Episcopal Chair and of his Name Paraeus says nothing neither doth he ascribe to Antipas any other Office than that of Pastor seeming to take these Churches for Congregational And if the Office to which the Angel succeeded was that of a Pastor only where is our Dr's Episcopal Chair which he here assigns him Besides Paraeus affirms the History to give no certain sound touching the Office and Character of Antipas Neither doth he mention any thing of Clement The Authors of the second part of Annot. under the Name of Pool do affirm That no Ecclesiastick History makes mention of Antipas and that he seems to have been a Person of obscure Note And that no History giving Account of him has inclined some to think this Epistle is wholly Prophetical and that Antipas signifies all such as oppose the Pope as if it were the same with Antipapa The Dr's Conclusion upon the whole of this his discourse and Argument from the Seven Asian Angels is That it being apparent that there were Bishops presiding in each of these Churches when Iohn wrote consequently they had the Government of these Churches committed to them since he Writes to them as Governours and Overseers of these Respective Churches So that they being Bishops our Saviour in these Epithets allows and approves of the Episcopal Order But by what is above replyed it is evident that nothing which the Dr. has adduced amounts to prove the existence of any such Bishops as he has shapen out in one or all of these Churches And therefore our Lords writing to these Angels gives not the least shaddow of allowance or approbation of that Episcopal order which he asserts And so to the Dr's Summ of all as he expresses it viz That the Episcopal form is of Divine Right upon Ground of our Saviours Institution Seconded by the Practice of the Apostles and conformity of the Primitive Churches and our Lords express approbation We may confidently repone from what is above replyed that it is evident that the high-flown Hierarchy he pleads for has no Foundation either in our Lords Institution or the Practice of the Apostles is noways Authorised by the Conformity of the Primitive Church or our Saviours Approbation in his Epistles to the Asian Churches but as opposit to all these is by the Churches of Christ to be rejected and disowned CHAP. V. The Dr's Scripture Proofs of a Four-fold Ministrie or Prerogative of a Bishop as Superior to a Pastor in Point of Government considered THE First Prerogative of the Bishop as contradistinct from a Presbyter is with the Dr. to make Laws and Canons which is the Essence of Government and supposes a Legislative Power else faith he Christs Wisdom is impeached if he left a Governed Society without a Legislative Power I need not stand to tell the Dr That by consent of Protestant Divines the Churches Power is not properly Nomothetick Architectonick Legislative but Ministerial and declarative of Christs Institution in reference to Ordinances the Doctrin Worship Disciplin and Government of his House The Dr. proves this Authority P. 433.434 from the Apostles Power Act. 15. Determining the Controversie anent Circumcision And says That in their Decree they exercise a Legislative Power laying upon the Churches to abstain from what was not prohibited by any standing Law of Christianity That as the Apostles and Primitive Bishops made Laws by common consent for the
the Dr's Strained Exposition of such a Ceremony or Ordinance peculiar to a Bishop in the Sense he has offered is evident beyond all contradiction For taking it to import the Spirits Work in a Figurative Allusion to this Imposition or for Ministerial Imposition I mean in the Ordination of Pastors In both Senses it quite rejects the Dr's Gloss And even taking it in the most favourable Sense to his Scope viz. To import an Imposing Hands upon and Praying for the Baptized either at Baptism it self generally or upon the Adult who were Baptized it is beyond all contradiction that in this case it was joyned with that Sacrament and consequently performed by the Admistrator of that Ordinance Or admit that it was an Imposing of Hands upon Baptized Children sometime after their Baptism when grown up to give an Account of their Faith before their Admission to the Lords Supper the very Nature of the Action it self doth evince that in its purer and Primitive Practice and before Clogged with Additional Corruptions the thing was performed by the Elders and Ministers of the Church And the Dr. cannot shew either from Scripture or pure Antiquity that this was peculiar to a Bishop of his Cut and Mould Again it is a strange and most unaccountable Notion to assert that such as have Authority to Preach the Word and Administrat the Sacraments and Seals of the Covenant and in special Baptism whereby Persons are to be Discipled and brought to Christ which was the great Commission of the Apostles themselves should notwithstanding have no Authority to Administrat such an Appendix of Baptism and Confirming Rite as this is supposed to be That such as have Authority to lay the Foundation can put no Hand to such a supposed Superstructure Nay that such as have Authority to dispense the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that great Sealing Faith-Confirming Ordinance have no Interest in the Administration of such a Confirming Ritual as this is Besides in the 3 d. place it is easie to destroy the Dr's Argument with his own Notion and Pleading He pleads That tho the extraordinary effects of Gospel Administrations be ceased yet such Functions and administrations continue as are means of the Spirits ordinary influences Gifts and Graces since our Saviour has promised to the Church a continual Communication of his Spirit Now dare the Dr. deny a continual Communication of the Spirit in and by the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments If these be to continue and for the great ends of Conversion Confirmation and grouth in Grace and in the Hands of Pastors as the proper Authorized Dispensers of these Ordinances which are the Ministration of the Spirit by what Shadow of Ground can the Dr. seclud them from any interest in this his Ministration of the Spirit He tells us that Christ now Communicats ordinary Operations in the same way that he did the extraordinary And he will not deny that he did Communicat the Extraordinary by the Word and Sacraments concredited to all Ministers I mean in the external Administration and why not also the ordinary by the same Persons and Dispensers Again 4 ly The Dr. adds this his supposed strong proof and corroborating Argument especially saith he considering that this laying on of Hands is placed by the Apostle in the same Class with Baptism Hence I subsume if in the same Class it must be so as a Principle of the Doctrin of Christ as Baptism is so he calls it and as having the same Authority with Baptism as an Ordinance of Christ and a mean of dispensing the same influence of the Spirit And if so how will the Dr. Assign a Shadow of Distinction as to the Administrators and make it appear that two Ordinances of so near a Cognation and both Acts of the Power of Order of such an Affinity in their nature and scope should so vastly differ in the Instruments of Administration that the one is peculiar to the Office of Apostolat and a Succeedaneous Prelat Forsooth the other not but may be Administat by a Pastor He tells us The Apostle put both Ordinances in one Class but the Dr. in this crosses the Apostle and sets up in this respect Confirmation in the higher Class Here I would offer to the Dr. or those of his Perswasion Amesius's Answer to Bellarmin's Argument for this Right of Bishops One of his Arguments for the Divine Right of Episcopacy and of Bishops above Presbyters is Soli Episcopi ut Ordinarii Ministri c. Bishops only as Ordinary Ministers can Confirm the Baptized as also Consecrat Temples and Altars Citing Act. 8. Amesius returns him thus the Protestant Answer De Consecratione Templorum non laboramus c We value not the Consecration of Temples and Altars whited Walls may be the sole Consecraters of Walls and stones but for Confirmation of the Baptized in so far as it seems to have any thing of Divine Right in it and is thus lookt upon it doth equally agree to Presbyters and Bishops This saith he may be sufficiently proved from the Canon Law it self Dist. 95. and is evinced by this Reason of Ierom what is greater than Christ or what may be preferred to his Body and Blood He adds in Answer to that of Act. 8. that â—he Apostles were no Bishops nor sent unto an Ordinary Confirmation Bellarmin enerv Tom. 2. P. mihi 110 I need not inlarge upon any deductions from this Passage nor insist in shewing the Dr. the Correspondence of this Answer with what is above offered We may adduce another Venerable Countryman of his Cartwright Answering the Rhemists Pleading for this Sacrament of Confirmation from this Text tells the Iesuitâ— That the Apostle means no Sacrament much less Confirmation after Baptism but by a Trope or borrowed Speech a Metonymia adjunctis as he calls it the Ministry of the Church upon which Hands were laid which appears saith he in that whosoever believes not that there ought to be a Ministry by Order to Teach and Govern the Church overthrows Christianity whereas if Confirmation of Children were a Sacrament as it is not yet a Man holding the rest and denying the use of it might notwithstanding be saved Upon this Testimony of Cartwright we may very probably Conceive that the Sense he gives of that Passage is the General Sentiment and Judgment of Protestant Divines in his Day And to this Scope we find many of the later Protestant Divines expound it as might be easily made appear I need not add how obvious it is that the Drs. Opinion and Gloss hath no small influence upon the hardning the Papists who make Confirmation a Sacrament See for Cartwrights Sense of this place Gomarus Simplicius Pareus Mr. Dickson c. Among whom Gomarus shews that the Imposing Hands upon the Baptized is a Practice later than the Apostles But to proceed The Dr. in Confirmation of this his Gloss and Conceit adduces the Instances of the Holy Ghost comming upon these of Ephesus Act.
as a Corruption of Popery Chap 12. Now the Divine Right of the Courts and Officers we own in opposition to Prelacy being thus Asserted in these Books of Policy and in the Judgment of the Compilers thereof drawn forth from the Fountain of the Word the Model also presented and described in these Books amounting to a specifick form of Government and eversive of Prelacy the Compilers also as is said presenting it as the Divine and Scripture Pattern they must needs hold it to be a standing Form appointed by our Lord and his Apostles Again if the Dr. hold that the New Testament Oeconomy contains a specifick standing Form of Government and a Standart for all Churches while time lasts then such a Form as with Respect to the main is asserted to be consonant thereunto is asserted in so far to be not only allowable but necessary And this the Dr. must needs admit unless with Papists he will make Scriptures themselves a Nose of Wax and the New Testaments Prescriptions in Point of Government and its Oeconomy versatile and so Lax and General that it discovers no Species of Government Besides if these Reformers affirm the Pastor to be the highest Church Officer Iure Divino and that he is all one with the Preaching Presbyter then by necessary Consequence they must needs hold that by Original Authority of Christ and his Apostles all Churches ought to be Governed by a Parity of Presbyters or Pastors and that no Ecclesiastick Officer above a Presbyter can pretend to a share in Ecclesiastick Government These Assertions are of so close and clear a connection that if the Dr. attempt to cut this Gordian Knot he will fall into such a shameful Assertion as to affirm that an Officer not allowed by Christ but condemned by his own Original Authority and that of his Apostles has notwithstanding a share in Ecclesiastick Government Besides the dull inadvertency of this Assertion appears in this that he holds our Reformers did plead that their Form was allowable and not repugnant to the New Testament Oeconomy and yet not such as was recommended by our Lords Original Authority to all Churches For if he hold that the New Testament Oeconomy is a clear fixed Standart and Model for all the Churches then whatever Frame of Government is not Dissonant or Repugnant is conform and consonant thereunto and consequently not only allowable but necessary And if our Lords Original Authority prescribed this Oeconomy as a Standart and Rule for Church Government in all Ages that Model that comes up to this First Standart in so far as it comes up to it is that which the Church is to imitat in all Ages unless he will say that all Ages are not to imitat this Pattern shewed upon the Mount And in special our Reformers hold that our Saviour in the Original Prescription of this Pattern presents the Pastor or Preaching Presbyter as the highest ordinary Church Officer And therefore it is no rashness to affirm that in all times of the Church such an Officer as a Prelat Superior to Pastors is forbidden and Condemned The Dr. says That tho our Reformers affirm their Government was not repugnant to the New Testament Oeconomy they were not so rash as to affirm the Church ought to be thus Governed in all Ages So it s with this Grave cautelous Dr rashness to affirm that a Government suted to the Divine Pattern is for all Ages consequently a precipitant Assertion to affirm that our Lords Pattern is the just Standart for all Ages The Dr. will be satisfied That we plead for our Iudgment in Government which he calls a New Notion as probable but cannot endure that we plead for an absolut infallible Right and require obedience to it as due to infallible Authority This he says is worse than speculative Enthusiasm I Answer if we can produce no Scripture Warrand for that Government we own we shall be satisfied it come under the Character of a New Notion But if we can make it appear to be the Government recommended in the Scripture-Oeconomy and Pattern then as being founded upon Infallible Authority we justly challenge Obedience to it and while this Light is shut out and rejected by the Dr. and his Fellows they are justly Chargeable in so far with Speculative yea and Practical Enthusiasm The Dr's pretended Rhetorical Florish whereby he would set off this Charge upon Presbyterians taken from the similitud and allusion to the person who should threaten to knock him on the Head unless he wil affirm against his Reason and Senses that he sees such Armies in the Air as are pointed out to him Is but a phantastick Flash of his own Airy Imagination for we impose nothing Arbitrarly or Imperiously upon his Reason or any of his way but challenge the utmost attention and best Exercise of their Sense and Reason to that Scripture-Light and demonstration of our Government which we offer from the Word which had he seriously searched and pondered with an Eye to God the Father of Lights he had been otherwise and better imployed than in flinging out such Squibs and Crackets into this Countrey and in writing his folly and ignorance in such an Airy Childish Pamphlet as this is He adds P. 14. That it were better to fall into High-way-Mens hands than amongst such Spiritual Robbers But he commits this Robbery upon himself while shutting his Eyes against that Scripture-Light which has been offered upon this Point And he knows by what numerous cruel Laws and Barbarous execution thereof in the late Reigns he and his Masters our Scots Prelats endeavoured to knock down the reason and Conscience of many Thousands of this Nation both Godly and knowing in an Imperious obtrusion of their ungodly Hierarchy upon them and many wicked Vows and Oaths for upholding it The Dr. next alledges That we vainly boast of a Divine Institution of our Government and unanswered Writers in its defence but when put to produce Arguments for it we have have nothing but perplexed Probabilities intricat consequences from wrested Scriptures to offer contrary to the Uniform suffrage of the Ancients c. Ans. what Divine Warrand we plead for the Divine Right of the Courts and Officers we own is so well known to such as are acquaint with this Controversie and how solid our Scripture-proofs are and consonant to the Sense both of Ancient and Modern Writers that this Mans flanting boast can make no other impression upon them than of his procacious vanity Had he intended as a Champion indeed for his Cause to Fight not to bragg in this Pamphleting Bragadocio which any may see to be ad pompam non ad pugnam he should have fairly and formally encountred Ius Divin Reg. Eccles. Ius Divin Minist Evang. Smectym with its Vindication Mr. Baynes Diocesan Tryal in Answer to Dounham Didoclav Cap. 4. And the Scripture-Pleadings of many Forreign Divines against the Hierarchy and for the Parity of Pastors and then to have boasted having discussed
his Super-eminency above them is insinuat yea Asserted The Dr. is bold to assert that when Authority and Jurisdiction is Named the Bishop with regard to his Dignity is alwise reckoned above a Presbyter Of this alwise we demand one instance the Dr's extensive Phraseologie boasts of a Plenty of Instances but in not offering so much as one he shews great penury especially when as the affirmer he stands so clearly obliged thereto But here as often elsewhere he plys us with generals alien from the purpose He tells us P. 26. Tho neither Aaron nor Eleazar in the beginning of the Jewish Oeconomy were called High Priests it had been Madness from this Confusion of Names to have inferred an Equality since their Offices were distinguished by their special Ministries and Iurisdiction Here again a Poor Repeated General Alien from the Point If this Dr. had intended to Dispute not to Rove with Unprofitable Talk he should instead of Begging Poorly the Question in Supposing it have made that good in the Case of the Bishop and Presbyter in the New Testament Church Government which he here asserts of the Priests in the Iewish Oeconomy viz. That as the special Ministries and Jurisdiction of High Priests and other Priests were distinguished and what was appropriat to the one denyed to the other under that Dispensation so there is exhibit in the New Testament the same Discriminating Distinction betwixt the Bishop and Pastor or Presbyter in point of Ministry and Jurisdiction It is pity to see a Man Represented in the Frontispiece of his Book in the Character of a D. D. proceeding with such Big Words in a Dispute and supposed Confutation of the Presbyterians yet as an Officiperda so far mistaking his Mark and Measures that he never comes near the Point which they deny and he undertakes or stands obliged to prove He adds ibid. Bishops were called Presbyters who had Presbyters under them in the Days of the Apostles If he mean this of ordinary Officers distinguished as Bishops from Presbyters I deny it and that there were any such ordinary Officers with such Authority over Pastors under the Denomination of either Bishop or Presbyter He tells us that the Presbyters signifie the Priests who assist the Bishop in his Ecclesiastick Administrations A New Begging of the Question I deny either that Priests is the New Testament Designation of Ministers and do consequently hold that this his Designation is Popish and Anti-Scriptural or that the Term Presbyter or Pastor doth ever signifie in the Scripture such an Officer as has a Relation to a Bishop of his Mould The Dr. is bold to tell us That tho all Bishops are Presbyters yet not all Presbyters Bishops and therefore to infer an Equality from the Promiscuous Use of Names is neither good Logick nor Good History But since the Dr. exhibits no Scripture Warrand nor History for this his Forged Distinction betwixt the Bishop and Pastor wherein I dare appeal to all who ponders these his Answers he shews himself no good Historian in Obtruding such Doctrine And since instead of proving he still beggs the Question and that doubly First In supposing that we ground our Assertion of the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter upon the mere promiscuous Use of the Names without respect to the Official Identity exhibit in the places which we plead Next In supposing the Scriptural Official Distinction of Bishop and Presbyter and grounding all his Answers thereupon without the least Offer of a Proof it is evident that his Logick is as bad as his History and Divinity He runs on in the same Carreer of a Petitio Principii P. 27. He will not be thought to conclude the Bishops Superiority to Presbyters from the High Priest among the Iews But since this is all the Scripture Proof he has yet offered what then would he prove Tho we meet with the same Dichotomies in the New Testament we ought not to conclude an Equality among them of the higher Order I have often told him that we conclude the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter not from his Fancied Dichâ—tomies but from the Scriptures full and constant Assertion of the Equality and Identity of the Official Power And where there is such a Dichotomie as he alledges as Philip. 1.1 our Argument proceeds not merely upon this but also upon this Ground and Topick that the Office and Officer do there stand so described in the Context as necessarly infers this our Conclusion The Dr. tells us next That the Jewish OEconomy was never abrogated in the New Testament and that their Taxis was Divided into Supreme and Subordinat Priests Thus we have a clear Vidimus what he would prove from this at least what the Series of his Reasoning concludes even a standing Primat over the Catholick Church And therefore needs Stumble no Protestants nor Amuse them tho he set the Cross upon the Frontispiece of his next Pamphlet or upon his Breast as a Devout Catholick Dr. of his Holy Mother Church He adds That still the Jews subdivided the Priests into highest and Subordinat as is clear from Philo the Jew He told us the Scripture distinguishes them pray good Mr. Dr. what need is there of Proofs or Instances from Philo since the Presbyterians are satisfied in the first and think themselves not concerned in the Proof it self But to proceed P. 28. He is still upon this Idle Repeated Begging the Question telling us of the Apostles speaking in the Jewish Phrase Classing the Clergy into a Bipartit or Tripartit Division as reckoned either among themselves or with relation to the People as the Priests were by a Tripartit while reckoned by their Distinctions That Community of Names was as observable when the Offices were as truly distinguished as could be But still we are Wearyed Calling upon our Triffling Dr to come Home from his Prodigal Wanderings to the Point which is to shew us in the Scriptures of the New Testament such a true Distinction of the Bishop and Presbyters Office as is exhibit in the Offices of the Iewish OEconomy in the Old The Dr. affirms That the Proestos in the Apostolick Age was as much above the Subordinat Presbyters as the High Priest among the Jews above other Priests who yet was Ranked among them without a Nominal Distinction But as in the rest so here the Dr. presents us his Magisterial Dictats for Proof and Argument He should have given us a Scripture Instance of such a Prâ—estos or first Presbyter Vested with a Prostasie of this Nature in the Apostolick Age and then drawn his Inference from the Nominal Identity 2. What if we should grant the Matter of Fact or such a Proestos in that Age Will that merely prove the Ius If the Dr. say so and he does say it in his Way of Arguing then he Claps the Lawful Mitre or a Divine Warrand at least upon the Head of a Diotrephes and Stamps this Ius Divinum upon the begun Mystery of Iniquity and other Tares which the
with relation to ordinary Pastors or Ministers when the Office of Apostles and Evangelists is ceased But if I might be bold with a Person of the Dr's Reverence I would ask him this Question He holds Timothy was Consecrat a Bishop here we find a Presbytrie Laying Hands upon him with Paul whom the Dr. holds to be here Acting the Bishop How comes he then to say It is uncertain whether they were Presbyters or Priests of the first or second Rank Really if he be uncertain in this he holds by clear Consequence that mere Presbyters might have laid on Hands upon a Bishop at his Consecration yea and this by Apostolical Warrand tho Bishops superior to them were present at this great Work And what Consequence in Doctrine and Practice this will further amount to I leave to the Dr's Melancholick Reflection But further in mentioning this last Text the Dr. says He is put in mind to stir up the Gift which he received by the Laying on of St. Pauls Hands He has also told us and positively asserted that this Senat was composed of Apostles in the plural How many there were I think the Dr. found it hard to determin but in this he is clear and positive that there were other Apostles with Paul and consequently of equal official Authority with him in this Action Now upon this I would desire his grave Judgment how comes this Apostle to mention the laying on of his own hands solely and of no Apostles else We find him so humble an Apostle and Biishop that in the inscription of several Epistles he takes in the Inferior Clergy and Presbyters with himself whence then comes this singularity of expression herein attributing to himself solely what was equally applicable to other Apostles concurring with him What he adds further of the Work and Ministry of Apostles and Pastors sometimes exprest by the General term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have already made appear how insignificant it is to his scope so that it is here Idlely repeated We are next told P. 38. That if any infer the Community of Offices from the Community of Names he confounds the highest and lowest Rank of Officers The Presbyeerians are of his mind when the inference is from a mere Community of Names while the Offices are otherwise distinguished in Scripture but when both Name and Office in all essentials thereof are identified they think the Argument from hence for an Official Parity concludes well and they pity this Dr's continued Repetition of his mistake in stead of an Answer to their Argument He tells us next That it is certain the Offices were carefully distinguished and separated in those days This is true when understood of Church Officers in general and hence we conclude that the Spirit of God has left us clear distinguishing marks of the Superiority and distinction of such Officers as do communicat in General Names with the inferior and this to prevent the mistake which he instances And therefore unless the Dr. will fasten a blasphemous Reflection upon the Spirit who dictat the Scriptures he is obliged to let us see therein the distinguishing marks and Characters fixt to the Bishop and Pastors Office to shew the Official difference of the one from the other And this he cannot but acknowledge necessary to prevent the bad consequence of an Official Identity drawn from the Community of Names And no doubt had he as sincerely designed to give and receive light in this Point as to present a vain prattling Pamphlet he would have examined the Presbyterians Arguments for the Official Identity of Bishop and Presbyter and endeavoured to produce the Scripture distinguishing differences discriminating the one from the other What more We are told ibid. That the Humility of Superior Officers hindered them not to distinguish themselves from their subordinat Brethren Right Paul no doubt owns and strenuously pleads for the Authority of his Apostolick Office notwithstanding of his often instanced Humble Respect to Officers of inferior Rank What then Why Bishops in the second Century transcribed this tho they preserved the distinction betwixt Priests still Priests of the first and second Order But we are wearied seeking from this Dr. the Scripture Distinction of Pastors and Presbyters into a first and second Order Besides it is odd that no Bishops were so modest and humble in this point and prudent withal but those of the second Century We must know the Dr. prefaced thus that he might tell us That they studied humble modest Expressions and of Condiscension which he instances in the Inscription of Polycarp's Epistle to the Philippians But since this modest Condescension the Dr. will acknowledge did not prejudge his care to distinguish the Offices of Bishops and Priests of Priests of the first and second Rank he must either exhibit this in the place cited or he puts this Reflection upon Polycarp He may also remember how that afterward p. 84. he makes Augustine to pass from his Episcopal Authority in a Complement to Ierom in his foolish gloss on that passage of Ep. 19. Episcopus Presbytero major secundum honoris vocabula quae Ecclesiae usus obtinuit That he was distinguished from Ierom by a customary Title only of a Bishop As for the Elegy of Apostolick Martyr which he bestows upon Polycarp we let it pass as capable of a sound Sense But for that of Prince of the Asiatick Church I remit him to 1 Cor. 3.5 1 Pet. 5.2.3 2 Cor. 1.24 to be censured for his vain precipitancy The Dr. P. 38. drawing to an end of these impregnable reasonings must needs give us a touch of his pulse and humour in concluding with high Rantings This Argument he tells us he has considered the more carefully in that he Finds it over and over again in all the Writings of the Ecclesiastick Levellers as their first and last refuge Truely if these Disputers he calls so had as inspidily proposed it far less repeated it so often as he has Parat-like câ—nted over and over in so many Pages his babling repetitions of an impertinent quible instead of an Answer they had as much exposed their Judgment and ingenuity in this Controversy as I am sure his now is in the Sense of all men that understand it and have Read the Authors mentioned by him whereof this petulent Scorner discovers he knows no more but the Names As for the Character of Ecclesiastick Levellers which he bestows upon the Presbyterians I think indeed his experience together with that of his Fellow has taught him that in this respect they deserve it Viz. That their nervous Scripture Reasonings which he dare not encounter has so levelled and laid along and aboard the high Top-gallant of the Hierarchical Prelat he so zealously fences for as all his Wit and Learning will never erect it again which in this place is convincingly apparent since among the many Argumnts used by them he has upon this head insisted so long upon if not solely singled out this
might hope to get this believed Some of the Books he mentions P. 22. his Conscience could tell him are Written by Scotsmen viz. Didoclav and Mr. Durh. And we know of no Answer returned to this Day unto either of them It should then seem that his Countreymen should rather alledge these Doth he think indeed we esteem that we need no other Answer than to tell of Blondel and Salmasius But yet more of this Hellish Blusterings Tho there are saith the Dr ibid. few of them that ever read them and that every Line of their Writings that hath Colour of Argument has been frequently exposed yet such is the Power of Prejudice and Partiality that they shut their eyes against the clearest Evidences produced by their Adversaries Here 's a Deep Charge 1. His Countreymen Presbyterians becomes such Peevish Ignoramus's that few of them read these Books 2. So Hardned in their Prejudices against Truth that they shut their Eyes against all Convictions thereof so that a Judicial Stroke and Judgment has fallen upon them if this Man may be believed But I will be bold to ask him what are these Evidences I mean Scripture-Evidences produced by him or any of his Party which we have not considered Dare he say that all in Scotland Embracing the Presbyterian Perswasion do thus shut their Eyes And may we not easily Retort his Charge and Enquire what Evidences has been produced by Didoclav Mr. Durh. and others whom he mentions And besides these many not Named by him to whom neither he nor any of his Gang have offered an Answer to this Day Why do they shut their Eyes against the Light produced by them Presbyterians no doubt need no other Evidence than this Pamphlet to convince the World that the Power of Prejudice has Shut and Blinded this Mans Eyes against Light He pretends therein by his mighty Arguments to Beat his Presbyterian Countreymen from their Principles He presents in the beginning of his Famous Work some considerable Authors whose Writings and Arguments he tells the World they ground their Perswasion upon yet never offers to Scann so much as one of them when fairly presented in their genuin strength And let all men Judg what prejudice and partiality this savours of And if he be not wholly a Stranger thereunto he cannot but know that our Judgment in this Point is the Sense of the whole Body of Protestant Churches and Divines And are they also thus Hardned But more yet ibid. the Dr. tells us further That it is enough for us that Blondel has written a Book of 549 Pages and this in our Iudgment may barr all Dispute Indeed Mr. Dr. if there were no more Strength or Nerves in them than in your 339 Pages Stuffed with Blustering Talk and Empty Quiblings the Defence were no Defence We are again told That when we are bidden Name the Place which proves the New Doctrine we refuse any such closs Engagement Really the good Narcissus here sees his Picture in the Well Decline a closs Engagement Let all Men that ever read the Authors he Names judge what closs Engagement this Man has made with them and if he has not as evidently Snaked away from their Arguments as ever did any Coward in Disput. For Ierom that he was of this Judgment of the Parity of Bishop and Presbyter the Learned have sufficiently discovered But saith he Salmasius and Blondel have been exposed by the Incomparable Bishop of Chester Had Presbyterians put this Elegy upon any of their Writers they had been posted up for Admirers of Mens Persons But now our Dr. will Examine some of his most Remarkable Testimonies from Antiquity Some no doubt not all and in the same manner as he does the Presbyterian Scripture Arguments i. e. so as to convince all Readers that he Traces but Phantastick Quiblings instead of Answer But being closs in my Examining his Scripture Pleadings that I interrupt not the Series thereof I must here pass over to his Second Chapter CHAP. III. Wherein the Dr's Absurd Description of the Apostolick Function in Opposition to Protestant Divines is exposed Together with his Assertion about the Succession of Hierarchical Bishops to Apostles in a proper Formal Sense His Opinion loaded with Gross and Palpable Absurdities IN this Chapter the Dr. having told us That he has Examined our most plausible Pretences for Parity And what Scripture Arguments he has Examined let any judge gives us Encouragement by undertaking Truly to State the Controversie I am sorry he has not done it sooner No doubt all will acknowledge this to be what he stands obliged to But to Trace his Steps and Examine him clossly 1. I am agreed with him in this That the Government of the Christian Church has been established and fixed by Christ and his Apostles to continue to the end and who oppose this Institution are Schismaticks 2. For what he adds P. 95. That it is agreed there was an Hierarchy under the Old Testament the High Priests having a Superiority and Iurisdiction over inferior Priests I must tell him that we do hold with all our Divines that this Superiority was such a fixed Presidency as had adjoyned thereunto some special Ministrations peculiar to it And moreover we hold that both the one and the other was Typical and also such as did not encroach upon the ordinary Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin or invade their Decisive Suffrage as Iunius particularly observes Our Dr's Inference That Subordination of one Priest to another is not simplely unlawful if meant of a Subordination of Officers in general is admitted If of one Pastor to another in Point of Official Authority it is a bad Inference and a Begging of the Question which is not about what may be simplely lawful or unlawful in this Case but upon the Hypothesis of Gods Institution in the New Testament OEconomy and Government The Dr's Distinction ibid. of the Apostles Ordinary Permanent Essential Power and their Extrinsick Extraordinary Priviledges suteable to the first Plantation of Churches is in general accorded But his Application and Explication subjoyned viz. That by the first they were distinguished from all subordinat Ecclesiastick Officers in the Christian Church is that which I deny And that upon this ground That Power which was Ordinary Permanent and Essential behoved to be so eminenter in the Apostles as it was to be transmitted to standing Officers who were to be Invested with the same Ordinary Essential Permanent Power else the Dr's assertion cannot subsist that this Power was ordinary and permanent in its nature or a Power necessary for the Churches Preservation when the Apostles at first Cloathed with it were gone off And therefore to be Transmitted to successive Officers consequently these ordinary succeeding Officers were in this equal to them when cloathed with this Power and invested therein And by further necessary Consequence the Apostles were not by this essential necessary Power distinguished from all Subordinat Ecclesiastick Officers it being such as the Churches
subsistence required the same in all times And besides these succeeding Officers when invested with this ordinary Power were still subordinat to them as Apostles and cloathed with that formal Office and Authority I know that in this Phrase of Subordinat Ecclesiastick Officers the Dr. excluds the Bishops in the Series of his Reasoning that he may take them within the compass of a supposed Apostolical ordinary Power over Pastors But how absurdly and inconsequentially as well as cross to the Sense of sound Divines in this Point is already evident and shall yet further appear To proceed the Dr. tells us That by the second i. e. their extrinsick extraordinary priviledges suted to the First Plantation of Churches they were in capacity to exercise their Authority with greater Success in the Conversion of Infidels in the Government of Churches Wherein I differ from him in tâ—is that he makes their Extraordinary Apostolical priviledges necessary only for the bene esse which were necessary Simpliciter for the Planting and Government of the Churches in that infant State thereof The very exercise of their Apostolical Authority as such did consist in exerting these extraordinary priviledges For thus their Mission their Gifts their extensive Power essential to the Apostolick Office taken in a formal sense Respected the founding and watering of the Churches in that Infant-state of Christianity the Establishing the Gospel Ordinances therein and all its ordinary standing Officers I must then mind the Dr. that when he speaks of the Apostles ordinary permanent essential Power by Essential he must not nay cannnot understand that Power which is Essential to them as Apostles strictly or under that reduplication qua Apostles For then their Office were not extraordinary but a standing Office to be succeeded to in its intire Nature formally as they were invested with it and did exercise it which is cross to that Sense of the Apostolick Office exhibit by Protestant Divines as I shall further make appear The Dr. will needs distinguish their Essential Apostolick Office from their extraordinary Prerogatives their transient temporary Priviledges who were the first Apostles and were Limited in the exigences of the First Christian Mission Wherein he speaks confusedly For 1. These Prerogatives suted to the Churches First exigence were in such manner suted as was the very Office it self and consequently were Essential ingredients thereof for this end Hence 2. The Essential Office of the Apostolat as such or taken in a proper formal Sense could admit of no such spliting and distinction unless the Dr. will split and distinguish the Essence which he should know consists in indivisibili The Essential Apostolick Office the Dr. tells us P. 96. is necessary peramanent perpetual citing Matth. 28. Lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World Hence in his Sense the Command and Promise in that place imports the standing Essential Office of Apostolat to the end What Harmony this keeps with the Sense of Protestant Interpreters let all judg Pool tells us The Promise imports his presence to the end with his Ministers Preaching Baptizing Teaching to observe what he has Commanded That it relates to Gospel Ministers in their Ministrations as the Apostles successors thus the English Notes and Belgick Divines But that it imports a standing Apostolick Office to the end no sound Protestant ever dreamed To proceed to make this appear the more saith the Dr. ibid. The Apostles as such were formally and essentially distinguished from all other Ecclesiastick subordinat Officers This indeed makes it appear more if one contradictory Proposition will prove another For if the Apostles were Formally and Essentially i. e. in respect of their essential formal Office distinguished from all inferior Officers all Officers who were not in a proper formal Sense Apostles How could any succeed them in this proper formal Office And consequently How could that Office be permanent It being certain that such Functions wherein they were to be succeeded could not be their Characteristick as Apostles and their mark of distinction from succeeding Officers For instance the Function of Preaching and Baptizing with the appendant proportioned ordinary power of Government was a Work and Office wherein they were to be succeeded The Apostles were at first enjoyned go Teach Baptize and Disciple the Nations Paul enjoyned to the Elders of Ephesus to Feed and Rule by the Word and Discipline within their Percinct Hence these Duties simplely considered could not be that wherein they were distinguished from inferior Officers For 1. In respect of this Pastoral Work both the Apostle Peter and Iohn owned themselves as Co-presbyters which could have no good Sense if in this they were distinguished from all others 2. Hence this distinguishing Criterion had then evanished when inferior Officers had it So that the Dr. in his Series of Reasoning is driven upon this Scylla or Charybdis either to say that their Essential Office perished with themselves and consequently was not permanent in opposition to what he asserts P. 95. or else in respect thereof they were not formally and essentially distinguished from inferior Officers in contradiction to what he asserts P. 96. I know the Dr's tacite Evasion is that he supposes the Bishops not to be Subordinat Officers which how cross it is to the Series and Contexture of his Reasoning as well as the Sense of sound Divines we shall further mâ—ke appear The difference of their Office from that which is properly and formally Apostolick being so palpable that himself is forced to place a Distinction betwixt the Function of the one and the other yea and calls them a sort of secondary Apostles Thus distinguishing them from those he would have to be Primary But the Dr. will now enquire ibid. What distinguished the Apostles from the Seventy two from Presbyters in the Modern Notion as he speaks I could wish he had exhibite and refined his antique Notion from Deacons and other Offieers of the New Testament He undertakes 1. To exhibite the Presbyterian's Account of the Apostolick Office and tells us That the Presbyteriand and Socinians contrary to the uniform Testimony of Antiquity affirm that the Apostolick Office is ceased as extraordinary that the Apostles were distinguished from Subordinat Ecclesiasticks by infallibility in Preaching their power of Miracles their being immediatly called by our Saviour to the Apostolat by their unlimited and unconfined Commission to propagat the Gospel among all Nations This is such Stuff as I dare challenge and appeal all Protestant Churches and Divines to give Judgment and Character upon the person who presents it which I am sure will be such as will fasten upon him an infamous Stigma Nor shall I here much medle with or stand upon the shameless Man his comparing us to and ranking us with the blasphemous Socinians in this point citing their Racovian Catechism Sect. 9. Chap. 2. But to convince all that are but acquaint in the least with the Protestant Doctrine in this point I shall exhibit in some
come The 8 th Prerogative he represents thus Authoritas qua nullus ex Discipulis ipsorum comparari cum ipsis unquam potuit aut potest qua enim Apostoli Christi supra Ecclesiam reliquam extitâ—runt Their singular Authority which was of such a Nature that none of their Disciples or Successors in an ordinary Ministry could be compared with them nor can be For as Apostles they had a Supereminent Authority over the whole Church P. 538. He describes the Pastors to be such as are set over some particular Flock Citing Act. 20.28 Here I need not tell the Dr that this Man also is of the Novel Scots Opinion and if we may believe the Dr's Reverence a Socinian as to the Sense of the Extraordinary Apostolick Office giving the same Sense of its Ingredients as we do and holding that the Apostles neither were nor could be succeeded in their Office and consequently that their Formal Office as such ceased with themselves He asserts ibid. the Official Identity of the Bishop and Presbyter And thereafter tells us that Episcopi omnes Apostolorum Successores sunt All Pastors are the proper Successors of the Apostles in the Gift of Feeding Teaching the Church Citing Anaclet Dist. 21. Cap. in Novo Hierom. ut citatur Dist. 35. Cap Ecclesiae si in Apostolorum Loco sumus c. Asserting that Pastors are properly in the Place of Apostles in the Exercise of an Ordinary Ministry And also Urbanus Secundus ex August Dist. 68. Another yet of the New Scots Opinion in this point of the Apostles extraordinary expired Office we may propose yea oppose to the Dr. viz the Famous and Learned Rivet Cathol Orthodox Tract 28. Quest. 23. Ballaeus the Iesuit against whom he disputes proposing the Question in his Catholick Catechism Habent ne Episcopi in Sacerdotes reliquos que ordines praeeminentiam Whether Bishops has a Pre-eminence above Priests and all other Orders of the Ministry I need not tell the Dr. the Answer of his Catholicus papista the same it is with that of our Catholick Dr. and upon a pretence of universalis patrum consensus universal consent of the Fathers The great Answer is Apostolis Episcopos successisse That the Hierarchical Bishops have succeeded the Apostles in their proper formal Office And to shew the sweet Harmony betwixt these Dear Catholicks and Patrons of that Cause our Dr. makes this the goodly Title of his second Chapter viz Of the succession of Bishops to the Apostles And remarkable it is that the Catholick Iesuit and he pleads upon the same very Grounds viz The Apostolat called Episcopacy Act. 1. Then comes in Iames's Episcopacy at Ierusalem Afterwards the warry Iesuit strikes Hands with our Dr. in obviating the Objection taken from the Nominal Identity of Bishop and Presbyter shewing that this will not infer the Protestants dangerous heresie of the Identity of the Office Then comes in the Episcopacy of Timothy and Titus yea and our Dr's Testimony of Tertullian is not forgot lib. de Baptismo Episcopus Baptizandi autoritate pollet c. That the Bishop has the power of Baptizing then Presbyters and Deacons by his Authority that the Subordination of the Ecclesiastick Hierarchy may be kept intire Thereafter the Iesuit as our Dr. exclaims upon the Reformers as pleading for a confused Parity Well some will alledge the Dr. in this point is pretty near the Sacred Order I cannot here transcribe all that this French or Scots Novelist Presbyterian Rivet returns in Answer to this point which I really judge had our Dr. impartially read and perused it would have saved him the Trouble and Labour of this Pamphlet He is first severe to the Iesuit and to our Dr. as to the Name Sacerdos or Priest whereby they represent Pastors De Episcoporum in Sacerdotes praeeminentia saith he frustra disputatur cum sacerdotum ordo nullus sit in Christianismo ut antea docuimus c. That there is no access for a Debate concerning the Pre-eminence of Bishops above Priests since in the Christian Church there is no order of Priests as he hath before taught so upon the preceeding Question Par. 4. He tells his Adversary the Protestant Churches acknowledges no Priests properly so called for offering Sacrifice in the Christian Church and that CHRIST the Eternal Priest has no Successor Beware then Mr. Dr. of naming any more Priests for Ministers if you will accord with Rivet but there is no access for this Admonition to a Dr. fixed in his Perswasion again all Scots or Extraneous Novelists Thereafter he is positive in asserting our Principle of Parity against his Dr. Iesuita and our Dr. Negamus saith he Episcopos supra Presbyteros jure Divino praeeminentiam hà bere He denys the Bishop's Preeminence by Divine Right above Pastors Thereafter reciting the Iesuits Medium and our Dr's quod Episcopi Apostolis Presbyteri Discipulis suecâ—sserantâ— That Bishops Succeeded the Apostles and Pastors the Seventy Disciples He answers thus hoc falsum est ac utrorumque Officio contrarium quod extraordinarium fuit nemoque ipsis in eodem ordine ac autoritate successit Quamvis omnes vere Pastores Apostolorâ—m in Doctrinae publicatione Iurisdionis Ecclesiasticae exercitio successores dici possunt That this Asserton is false and contrary to the office of both Apostles and Evangelists which was extraordinary and none did succeed them in the same Order Office and Authority altho all true Pastors in respect of the publication of the Doctrin and the exercise of Ecclesiastick Disciplin may be called Successors of the Apostles Here the Scots Presbyterian Opinion pretty clear Mr. Dr. it seems Rivet was in this Point a Socinian and a gross ignoramus in all Antiquity I cannot stand to transcribe his Answers to our Dr's and the Iesuits Arguments Subjoined His Answer to that of confusion of Names as not inferring the sameness of things is thus faetor vocum confusionem non semper verum identitatem innuere sed cum res eadem iis attribuuntur quibus eadem nomina dantur vera est synonomia si quidem nomen cum definitione sit commune That granting that confusion of Names does not alwise infer the identity of the things themselves yet when the same things are attribute to those to whom the same Names are given there is a true Synâ—nomie or sameness of both Name and thing the Name being common with the definition Here in this one Jâ—dicious Answer he cuts the Sinews of all our Dr's Reasoning upon this head Then for Confirmation of this Identity he Cites 1 Tim 3.1 2. Tit. 1.5.7 And from these known pregnant Passages pleads as we do that the Name Qualities and Ordination of Bishop and Presbyter are the same For Tertullians Testimony which the Dr. Iesuita and our Dr cites he tells him That Tertullian speaks de humano ordine suâ— tempore recepto of the human Order or custom received in his time which was that the probatus quisque Senior or
every approven Presbyter as he expresses it Apol. Cap. 39. presided over the Collegiat Meeting of Pastors and was called Bishop The same he tells the Iesuit may be applyed to Ignatius's Epistles and what is Cited from them to this Scope si sicuti jam se habent fidem mererentur upon condition that they deserved to be credited as they are now presented But then subjoins sed omnibus notum est eas additionibus ac dimunitionibus fuisse corruptas But it is known to all that they have been corrupted with additions and Dimunitions Referring upon the Margin to his Crit. Sacr. Lib. 2. Cap. 1. Cooks Censure Vedel Not. Wallaeus de past P. mihi 473 ascribs also to Apostles the extraordinary call and Function upon Grounds of their immediat vocation citing Gal. 1 1. Paul's calling himself an Apostle not of Men nor by Man their infallibility in Doctrin c. The ordinary Officers and Successors of Apostles he holds to be the Pastors as being first planted by them in the Churches for which he Cites and improves these places Act. 14.23 where we find the Apostles Ordaining Ministers or Elders Church by Church as their proper immediat Successors in an ordinary Ministry Tit. 1.5.7 where the Office of Bishop and Presbyter is identified in Name and thing 2 Tim. 2.2 where he is enjoyned to commit what he had heard of Paul to faithful Men able to Teach others So Act. 20.28 where the Episcopal Office is enjoined to Elders by Paul in his last farewell to the Church of Ephesus So also Eph. 4.11 with Rev. 2.3 In which places the Pastors power and Jurisdiction is to this Scope asserted Iunius Cont. 5th Lib. 1. Chap. 14. Not. 15. hath these notable words nunquam instituit Christus ut Apostolis Secundum gradum succederetur quae res si fuisset jam Apostolatus functio ordinaria dicenda esset hoc autem veritati rationi adversatur omnes Dei servi in Doctrinam Apostolorum suecesserunt in gradum eorum neminem adoptavit Deus God never appointed or allowed any succession to the Office and degree of Apostolat which had it been the Office of the Apostles might be called ordinary but this is contrary to the Truth and sound Reason All the servants of God have succeeded into the Doctrin of the Apostles but God hath adopted none of them into the Apostles degree and Office None succeeded to Apostles and Evangelists as to the degree and Office saith Baynes since it was extraordinary and temporary The Pastors and Presbyters because ordinary Officers succeed them from another Line but not as one Brother succeeding to another in the Right of inheritance As the Laws of Moses during that Oeconomy were to be kept tho Moses who delivered them had none Succeeding him in his Office and degree So neither were the Rules in Government presented in the Epistles of Timothy and Titus delivered to any succeeding them in their Office Ecclesiastical Authority saith Gerson de potest Eccles. considerat 6 ta may be considered either formally absolutely or respectively as applyed to this or that person and executively Altho the Authority absolutely considered continues the same yet in the application it is various and that which was in Apostles and Evangelists remained not alwise with such Apostles and Evangelists As in Point of Right none could succeed to the degree of Apostles and Evangelists so in Matter of Fact none did succeed Causabon exercit 14. P. 314. makes this the quarta Nota of the Apostolat Potestas longe major Augustior quam ulli unquam alii functioni Spirituali fuerit attributa The fourth discriminating mark of an Apostle is with Causabon their greater and more Venerable Authority and Power than was competent or allowed to any other Spiritual Function or Office Which he illustrats from Chrysostom 1 Cor. 12.29 asserting the Apostles to be above all other Spiritual Functions Quis nescit saith August lib. 2 de Baptismo cap. 1. illum Apostolatus Episcpatum cuilibet Episcopatui praeferendum Who knows not that the Episcopacy of Apostles is set above all other Episcopacy whatsomever Now I supose from what is said it is evident that this Man in stead of exposing the Presbyterians in this account of their Judgement anent the Apostolick Office hath opposed himself to Protestant Divines and hath blotted himself as a Calumniator of the true Protestant Doctrine in this point espousing therein the Popish Cause and Interest But let us hear what is our Dr's Account of the Apostolick Office It is thus In opposition to which saith the Dr. P. 96. i. e. the premised Presbyterian or rather Protestant Account of the Apostolick Office We affirm had he added we Catholicks and Iesuits some would alledge the Epithet had been suteable to his Doctrine Well What affirms he That the true Characteristick formal and distinguishing Mark of an Apostle was his Constant Supreme Spiritual Perpetual Power Authority and Iurisdiction over all subordinat Officers and all others believing in Christ and his Power to transmit this Authority to his Successors according to the Command of our Saviour Here we have it in his own Words Upon which 1. Let it be considered that he presents this Description and Account of the Apostolick Office in opposition to that which he premiseth as ours We hold as well as he that the Apostles had a Supreme though collateral and equal and Spiritual Power and Authority over Officers and Members of the Church Only we add these further Characteristicks of their Office viz Their extraordinary Gifts their immediat Call including and having connected therewith an unconfined Commission to propagat the Gospel among all Nations as himself words our Tenet and which is also proved from that Passage he cites Matth. 28. Now since in opposition to our Description he holds that his not ours are the proper discriminating Marks whereby Apostles were distinguished from other Officers he must of necessity hold that these Characters are proper to other Officers as well as them For there is no Mids Either these Prerogatives were peculiar to Apostles or proper to others also and thus common to both and it being so not to mention other properties since their unconfined Commission to Preach to all Nations And he cannot but acknowledge as immediat Officers of all the Churches in actu exerciso and in order to the founding them and planting Gospel Ordinances and Officers therein according to our Saviours Commission Matth. 28. is our great Mark and Characteristick of an Apostle I challenge him to shew me what succeeding ordinary Officer had this applicable to him whether of his supposed Episâ—opal Mould or any other The Dâ— will not deny that upon this Ground the Churches are said to be built upon the Apostles Foundation and this in an exclusive Sense not the Foundation of any succeeding Officers whether the Dr. call them Subordinat or otherwise And he knows the Churches Foundation is not to be twice laid So that he is obliged either
them that believe And in these first times gives Instance viz. their Casting out Devils Speaking with Tongues Taking up Serpents without Hurt this we read of Paul Act. 28. their Drinking Deadly Things without Prejudice yet Paul says speaking of these extraordinary Gifts truely the Signs Wonders and Mighty Deeds of an Apostle are wrought among you But notwithstanding this we know that Stephen tho no Apostle did Wonders among the People But who knows not that in the Apostles these Actings of the Divine Power were of another Nature and for another immediat End viz. To Confirm and Ratifie an Apostolick Authority as the Churches Infallible Universal First Messengers upon whose Doctrine the Foundation of the Church was to be laid Thus according to the Sense of the Judicious and Learned Professors of Leyden their Office consisted in this That they were Christs Universal Ambassadours to lay every where the Foundation of the Gospel Church and were sent immediatly and extraordinarly by him instructed with Infallibility in Doctrine and Power to Confirm it with Miracles So that in their Sense and in the Sense of Sound Divines already exhibit when we speak of the Apostolick Office somethings were more remotely and less principally Ingredients therein somethings more immediatly and properly to which the other was subservient Their Office lay in that Universal Legation mentioned and as Levelled at that great End of Founding the Gospel Church which necessarly included their immediat Mission as is said other things as Correspondent to this End were Ingredients in their Office in the remote Sense above cleared such as the Gifts of Tongues Miracles c. This serves to Unravel our Dr's Foolish Notion which he has P. 98 99. to disprove our Sense of the Apostolick Office Such as First That the Laity many of them had Extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost I Answer not to stand upon his Expression the Laity or upon an Enquiry who of them had these Extraordinary Ministerial Gifts by denying they were either of that Nature Measure or for such an immediat End as those of the Apostles None certainly had such a clear comprehensive immediat infallible Light in Divine things as they And many things may convince the Dr. of this his Error For First What meant else their Solemn Extraordinary Seal of the Spirit Act. 2. striking the World with such Admiration What need the Promise of the Spirit to lead them unto all Truth and endue them with Power from on High Again the Dr. will acknowledge that the Apostolick Office was to Plant the Christian Church and Gospel Ordinances through the World And therefore he must by necessary Consequence acknowledge that their Gifts behoved to be of such a Nature and Measure as were suted to this End and in special to the immediat infallible Government of the Churches and the Direction of both Members and Officers thereof in their respective Duties Hence our Lord spent fourty Days after his Resurrection in instructing them in the things pertaining to his Kingdom that they might be thus immediatly fitted for this Work The Dr. will not deny that the Pastoral Gifts before Instanced of Scriptural Knowledge Skill in the Languages Prudence c. are proper Ingredients in that Office and Characteristicks thereof as suted to the Ends of the same and the Evidences of the Divine Call all other things concurring notwithstanding that some of the Laity may have these Gifts Next for their Infallibility the Dr. tells us That the Evangelists and Seventy Disciples were such I Answer supposing the Seventy to be Evangelists I deny this Infallibility competent to them understanding it of such a Nature and Extent as competent unto Apostles and an Ingredient of their Office else I beseech him why was Timothy after his Inauguration instructed by the Apostle in reference to so many Points of his Office and Duty and so many things pointed out to him to beware of As for Lukes Writing from the Testimony of Eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word Any with half an Eye may see that this falls utterly short of proving an Apostolick Infallibility in its Nature and Extent and with respect to its Ends Altho the Spirit of GODs infallible Guidance in what he wrote is necessarly supposed What he means by Under-Ministers I understand not If the Spirit of GOD made use of his Information by Apostles or others in order to His End of this infallible Writing can any imagine that this will prove an Apostolick Infalibility properly and formally such As for Stephens doing Miracles and being endued with such Wisdom as Adversaries could not resist him I deny the Consequence that therefore he had Infallibility or Gifts of Miracles of that Nature and Extent or to such a proper immediat End as was competent to the Apostles upon the Ground already exhibite Next He tells us That Matthias was not immediatly called but by the Apostles yet had power to continue that Succession to the End I deny his Assertion which is among the rest of his gratis dicta It is evident to any that but reads the History that Matthias was by GODs immediat choice and Declaration by a Lot the Disposal whereof is of the LORD set a part for his Work and Office and GOD was sought unto by Prayer to shew His Mind as touching this Choice Which therefore was immediatly his own It is true the Apostles who had the Mind of CHRIST did with the consent of the Church present the two to the LORD but the Choice and Call was GODs And the presenting of these Eminent Persons to GOD by the Church will no more prove that Matthias was called and authorized by them than the Peoples presenting the seven Deacons to the Apostles to be ordained will prove that they not the Apostles ordained them The Dr. tells us That the first Apostles were Witnesses of Christs Resurrection yet this did not make them Apostles What does he drive at None sayes that merely to witness this made any of them Apostles or that to be an immediat Witness of it was indispensably needful in order to the Apostolick Office For so was not the Apostle Paul Altho there is no doubt but that the Testimony of CHRISTs Resurrection was a great Point of the Apostolick Doctrine and Testimony But the Dr. will needs add his Proof Or else saith he Matthias had been an Apostle before he was Invested Who would not pitty such impertinent triffâ—â—gs I know none who asserts that to be a Witness of CHRISTs Resurrection made an Apostle Who knows not that several Women incapable of a Ministry were among the early and first Witnesses of our LORDs Resurrection Besides that the Dr. has not proved that Matthiaâ— was such an immediat Witness The Dr's Conclusion ibid. is That the Essence of the Apostolick Office consisted not in extraordinary Priviledges so plentifully poured out on the first Ministers and Converts We have told him in what Sense the Apostolick Office included these Ingredients thereof And even
granting that some of these extraordinary Priviledges or Gifts might have been in some Sense communicated to other Officers The Dr. is never a white nearer his Conclusion since the Apostles proper Work and Function consisted in this to lay the Foundation of the Gospel Church to plant and water it and as being infallibly inspired to order the Ordinances and Officers thereof as being Immediat and Catholick Officers of the same Herein we have often told him lay their Office as to its main Essentials and unto this their other Prerogatives were Subservient Now in all his Instances he has exhibite none who ever did or could share with them in this Priviledge 2. He alledges P. 96. That we include among the Essentials of their Office their unconfined Commission to propagat the Gospel among all Nations which necessarly includes an Immediat Relation in actu secundo to the whole Church and inferrs their Duty to be of the Nature and Extent as above exprest Yet he neither can nor offers to give the least shadow of any such Officer that did or could share with the Apostles or come up to them in this Prerogative The Dr. Concludes That the Nature and Essence of the Apostolick Office is perpetual His Conclusion is like some Mushroms that Naturalists speaks of as a Miracle of Nature because they grow without a Root His Reason that our Saviour promised to be with them to the end is as far remote from the Conclusion as East is from West taking the essence of the Office in a proper formal Sense as Apostolick For himself will not say that this promise will includ the continuance of all the Apostolick Priviledges or Gifts several of which he holds to be expired And therefore it must still come under trial wherein their Office was succeeded even when this is admitted How he has proven this to be the Nature and Essence of their Office we have seen above Paraeus with the current of Protestant Divines takes the place he cites to import a general promise to the whole Church in specal the Faithful Ministers the Apostles true Succcessors thus he Paraphrases it Nec paucis tantum diebus sed omnibus vobiscum ero nec vobiscum tantum sed vobis mortuis cum vestris successoribus Fidelibus Evangelii Doctoribus Ecclesiarum Pastoribus usque ad consummationem saeculi That the Lord promised to be with his Apostles and when they were gone with all their true Successors the faithful Pastors and Doctors of the Church till the end of the World This derived Power saith the Dr. P. 100 is strictly Jure Divino No doubt that Power which the Apostles derived is such He adds that nothing can more formally distinguish an Apostle from all other Ministers of the Gospel Oeconomy than a supreme Spiritual Power to Govern Ecclesiastick affairs by their Authority of which they are to give account to our Saviour But we have often told him that this Supreme Power most formally includes an immediat Relation unto and Universal inspection over the whole Church and the nature of the Work and consequently the Office as is above exprest And the Dr. when put to let us see the persons who are the Subjects of this conveyed Power what ordinary Church Officers are the proper Recipients thereof must go to Utopia to seek them and in his arguing traverses in an inextricable Labyrinth which besides what is said hâ—s in this late Passage a new proof For he says that the Apostles were to give an account to our Saviour of this Power described by him He will not say they were to give this account merely as all Ministers are in a mediat Sense For thus he would contradict his Scope of delineating their Supreme Power so that his meaning must be that they were to give an account only to our Saviour and were accountable or Subject to no Church Judicatory upon Earth for their Administration Now Mr. Dr. except the Pope of Rome your dear Patron I know no Church Officer whose head this infallible Mitre will sute unless these Supreme Infallibles be multiplied according to the Number of Bishops or Arch-Bishops it must necessarly resolve thus in the Supreme incontrolable Patriarch And what absurdity there is either in the one or the other I need not shew We are told next that the Name with the Office was derived to others besides the Twelve and Epaphroditus must needs be the Philippians Apostle and Bishop because called their Apostle Philip. 2.25 How impertinent this inference is we have heard above The Dr. alledges the word signifies always a Messenger from God to Men. But Mr. Dr. your always is here notably baffled since he is expresly called their Mâ—ssenger sent to Paul to Minister to his wants This looks like a Messenger from Men to Men unless the Dr. will deifie the Philippians and deny them to be Men. P. 101. Our English Translators miss their Mark not only here but in 2 Cor. 8.23 in Translating it thus the Messengers of the Churches and the Glory of Christ. What Glory of Christ was it saith he that these Apostles were imployed from one Church to another but their Authoritative Delegation was his Glory Therefore the Dr. will have them understood to be their Apostles or Bishops I Answer the Translators could not but know that the Sense and context necessarly led them to this Interpretation the Apostle being to commend unto this Church while in treating of this Point of the Colâ—ection the integrity of Titus and the other Brethren who upon his exhortation were come unto them for this end it follows necessarly that their Mission and Message here intimated by this epithet must be the same with that of Titus So that both appear to be sent in the same manner and to the same scope As for the Dr's Reason it s palpably naught the Apostles scope is to stir up this Church to their Duty of Charity by these high Elogies put upon the Messenger sent to them beginning with Titus whom he calls his Partner and Fellow-Labourer and the Argument is strong and lyes Level to the Apostles Scope and Conclusion v. 24. therefore shew ye to them and before the Churches the proof your Love why to them The Reason is I have imployed in this Message to you such eminent and Faithful Ministers who are as in that capacity the Glory of Christ. I must tell him further that as CHRIST Gloried to do the meanest Service to his Saints and Humbled himself to Death for them so such Ministers are likest their Master who esteem the meanest Service to his Elect their Glory and above all worldly Dignity Angels are Ministring Spirits to Gods Elect David esteemed it more Honourable to be a Door-keeper in his House than all worldly Glory His sense of Rom 16.7 Will not help him against the current of the Context and Interpreters The Belgick Divines Translate it Renouned among Apostles i. e. say they them that Preach the Gospel here and there
or well known with the Apostles Diodat and the English Annot. take it to import Excellent Evangelists or Preachers or such as were well known to the Apostles But now our Dr. P. 101.102 〈◊〉 obviat one main Objection taken from the narrow Limits of the secondarie Apostles as he calls them This saith he alters not the Nature of their Apostolical Power within their Bounds no more than Kings of Judah can be denyed the Honour of sitting upon the Throne of David in full Power and Royality after the Apostacy they were as truâ—ly Kings as any of their Predicessors as Solomon tho the number of Subjects was not equal Ans. I pray was not in his Sense the Rectoral Spiritual Power which our LORD conferred upon his Disciples and Apostles of the Nature and Extent above exprest and such as he calls Supremâ— over all Church Officers and all other Believers And sayes he not expresly that this very Power thus described by him is Essential to the Apostolick Office and Permanent and that the Apostolick Office being no other than this remains for ever in the Church How then is it possible that such Officers as derive down this extensive Apostolick Power should crumble into a petty Diocess How are such petty confined Successors Supreme and over all Church Officers 2. The Dr. Similitudinary and paralel Reason cutts the Sinews of his Pleading and Argument It is true Kings â—â— Iudah sat upon Davids Throne in full Power over Iudah But I pray did they succeed to David or Solomons Throne or Dignity as they left it I trow not Now he has told us that the Bishops succeed the Apostles in that same Supreme Authority over Church Officers and all Believers which Christ committed unto them Should England be divided into two Kingdoms or into an Heptarchy will any say that the Man who succeeds to one of these petty Dominions succeeds to the Crown of England or unto the Kings thereof because they possess a part of his Throne and Dominion Surely not And so the Case is here In a word since in the Dr's Sense the narrowing the Limits of the Authority impeaches not the Episcopal Power and since he will no doubt owne the Maxime Majâ—s minus non variant speciem Nazianzen and such Bishops as aâ—e said to have had but little Dorps for their Diocesses had this Apostolick Power What consequence this will bear in reference to Pastors some whereof have a larger District I have already told him P. 102. The Apostles Bounds and Provinces of their Inspection was not as equal as their Power it self wherewith they were vested Who doubts of this Whatever was their Condescension this way and adjusted Measures of Travels for the more commodious spreading of the Gospel yet by vertue of their Commission their Authority reached the whole World and all Churches planted and to be planted and this conjunctly and severally As when the twelve Spies were sent to Canaan whatever wayes they might have separatly gone in a voluntary Condescension yet their Authority and Commission joyntly and a part immediatly and formally reached to a search of the whole Land But I need not labour in proving this For the Dr. is â—o ingenuous as to confess it telling us That the different extent of places to which they went did not alter or change that Rectoral Power and Iurisdiction wherewith they were endued But thus he inferrs ibid. no more did the Apostolick Authority transmitted to Successors differ from that which was lodged in the first Apostles tho confined in its exercise to narrower Limits But good Mr. Dr. the Paralel is pittyfully Lame the Original Authority lodged in the Apostles by our LORDs Commission is by your Confession and Description immediatly relative to all Churches and all Believers in them So that this immediat Relation and a Right to Officiat upon Occasion accordingly was still Vigent and Existent with any one of the Apostles tho ordinarly exercising their Ministry in never so narrow a Circle every one of them being Universal Doctors Bishops and Inspectors of the whole Catholick Church planted and to be planted and that ex natura officii as Apostles But I hope ye will not say this of the Bishop he being properly and immediatly related only to his Diocess It had been a gross absurdity to say Paul or Iames are only Apostles of such or such a Province and have a Relation Apostolical to no other Church as it is proper to say this Man as Bishop of such a Diocess has an immediat Relation to it and to no Diocess else How often shall we tell the Dr. whose nauseous Repetitions forces us to repeat that the Apostles were capable of no particular fixed Ralation to any one Flock or Diocess being as Apostles vi natura officii Catholick Doctors of the Church Catholick and constant infallible Inspectors and Directors of its Government and all the Ordinances and Officers thereof And consequently that this their proper formal Office of Apostolat went off and expired with that infant State and Exigence of the Church and could never be succeeded unto by any Church Officer P. 103. We are told That the Apostles by lot divided the places of their Travels and went about what fell to their share None doubts of this in general tho the particular Account of their dividing the World by lots and who were to go to Asia who to Scythia c. is a piece of Discovery on the back of the Bible which we let pass among the rest of the Dr's profound Notions He adds It s plain that when Matthias was chosen it was to take the lot of his Ministry and Apostleship Who doubts of this either And that every Apostle had a share of this Ministry of Apostolat because all of the same Office But this will noways infer except by the Dr's Logick which can prove quidlibet ex quolibet that they were capable of a fixt Relation to any one Post or Watch Tower of the Church That they Governed the Churches where they resided as the Dr. next tells us we doubt not Tho I add if the Churches were constitute in their Organick Beeing according to Gospel Rules their Apostolick Inspection was Cumulative unto not Privative of the Government of the Ordinary Officers Constitute therein He adds ibid. They committed their Apostolical Episcopal Inspection to particular Persons who succeeded them even in their Apostolick Authority This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Question which the Dr. still Cants over without Proof We have often told him that their Apostolick Rectoral Power as he calls it related immediatly to the Catholick Church And to say that this they committed to particular Persons related to one fixed Post and by Consequence solely Pastors or Bishops thereof in an immediat proper Sense and subject to Superior Collegiat Churches and Judicatories which he must needs hold unless he embrace the Independent Principles and he cannot deny that de Facto the Bishops he pleads for were and
and Titus are found actually Recalled in these same Epistles For what the Dr. adds That his Occasional Travels disingaged him not from his Episcopal Inspection It is long since Presbyteriaâ—s and in special the Authors mentioned by him have Baffled this Answer telling him and such as have pleaded thus that they are challenged to prove that any one appointed Overseer of a particular Church had such a Planetary Motion and Transient Imployment as that of Timothy is proven to have been Or 2. That either he or Titus after this Imployment did constantly or ordinarly return to Ephesus or Crete and not to the Places of the Apostles present Abode or Imployment 3. They also tell him that this Answer is a Begging of the Question since all the Ground of Instalment exhibit here by the Dr. and his Fellows is in that Charge in Reference to Ephesus wherein this Transient Imployment is clearly held out The Dr. adds ibid. That Presbyterians would not take it kindly if told that the Relation to their Flocks were lost if upon Occasions they were Imployed now and then to Visit Forreign Churches Certainly they would not but they take it as unkindly that the Dr instead of an Illustrating Argument and Proof by this Paralell Beggs the Question still and draws a Simile from an Instance wherein there is a palpable Disparity and Dissimilitude For in the Instance adduced the fixed Relation Instalment and Title is supposed 2. The ordinary fixed Attendance upon the Pastors Charge in Consequence thereof whereas in the Case of Timothy his fixed Instalment is begged not proved but rather a Transient Occasional Imployment pointed at in the very Place which he Cites Whence it clearly follows That this Transient Unfixt Ministry was Timothies Ordinary Imployment and Ministry The Dr. proceeds to tell us ibid. That the Ancients took no notice of this Objection against his Episcopacy at Ephesus and that in the 11. Act of the Council of Chalcedon Twenty seven Bishops are Reckoned from Timothy What notice the Ancients took of this Objection is not the Question But for the Catalogues Presbyterians have long since told him what a poor Argument this is and have largely baffled this Phantastical conceit particularly Ius Divinum Minist Ang. in Prop. 7. of the Appendix in several weighty Considerations to which I refer him They have therein made appear that in these Catalogues besides that there is an Homonomy in the word Bishop the nearer they come to the Apostles days they are the more uncertain and contradictory one to another that the Catalogue-drawers spoke in the Language of their own times and in these Catalogues is a far other design than what is pretended by the Episcopalians that the Catalogues resolving in Apostles or Evangelists who were not Bishops nor could be properly as not having an ordinary but extraordinary Office the proof of a successive Line of Bishops from them which is drawn from these Catalogues appears palpably unsound and impertinent Before I pass from this since the Dr. mentions Act. 20.4 5. to prove that Timothy was left at Ephesus by Paul He had done well to look downward to the 28 v. where he would have found the whole Episcopal Charge over that Church committed after this to the Elders or Pastors of Ephesus before Timothies face in Pauls last farewell unto them and this without the least hint of any Interest that Timothy had in or over them or of their precarious dependence upon him in this Matter And here he might have seen a passage looking like the Apostles committing their Episcopal Power or what was ordinary in their Function to a Colledge of Presbyters and consequently a Scriptural Decision of this Question and Controversy against him But to proceed The Dr. P. 107 108 undertakes to prove from the Epistles that an Episcopal Authority was Committed to Timothy And to clear this by instances viz. That he is Charged not to rebuke an Elder but intreat him 1 Tim. 5.1 Not to receive an accusation but before two or three Witnesses v 19. To rebuke such as sin before all v. 20. Not to lay hands suddenly v. 22. To ordain such Deacons as were blameless 1 Tim. 3.14 15. Where his particular Relâ—tion to that Church is insinuat the Apostle Writing to him to instruct how to behave himself in the House of GOD c. To these the Dr. adds his Charge of the care of Widows and Objects of Charity and ordering the publick Worship and Liturgies of the Church 1 Tim 5.9 1 Tim. 2.1 1 Tim. 5.21 He and he alone saith the Dr is Charged to observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by partiality Ans. 1. If all these prescriptions suppose only in Timothy an Evangelistick and consequently an exraordinary expired Inspection not an Episcopal and ordinary then this Parade of the Dr's Argument is cut off with one Blow For as for his proof of an Episcopal Relation to that Church drawn from the Apostles shewing his scope to direct him how to carry in the House of GOD it is so clearly adapted to an Evangelistick Inspection over that and other Churches that it can afford him no shadow of a Reason or Evasion For Convincing the Dr. of this I shall make use of his own Paralel Argument and turn his Weapons point upon him He hath told us that no Presbyterian would think his Relation to his Particular Flock untyed if imployed to visit now and then Forreign Churches Now suppose that in this transient visitation of such Churches the Church Rulers do write several directions to such a Pastor in reference to Government adding as a pressing Motive that he is therein instructed how to behave in the Church of the living God which is his House in case he continue any time in this imployment as the Apostle here adds the limiting Clause if I tarry long Will the Dr's Argument hold good that this will infer such a Pastors relation to these Churches If he says this he Contradicts himself And on the other hand he will not dare to affirm that a Minister in this Case is not capable of such directions which would upon the Matter infer that these Churches were not the House of God and that a Minister is not concerned how to behave in them And if this will not conclude such a Pastors particular Relation to these Churches but supposeth only a transient Imployment in this Case then I say his Reason and Argument is naught which Infers Timothies special Episcopal relation to Ephesus I mean to that Church from this expression of the Apostles Scope in the premised directions Moreover the Dr. will not deny that Timothy visited and watered several other Churches after this at Ephesus and after the directions given while officiating therein Now I would fain know if the Dr. will deny that these directions together with this expressed scope thereof viz that he might know how to behave in the Church of GOD were clearly applicable to him in
Jerusalem having a fixed Relation thereto as his proper peculiar Diocess and Exercising an ordinary Episcopal Iurisdiction over that Church The first Proof is That Peter pays a Deference to him in enjoyning notice to be given him and the Brethren of his Escape from Prison Act. 12.17 Here is an Account given of an Important Mercy to a Fellow-Apostle and other Ministers at Ierusalem but a Deference to him asi Bishop of Ierusalem in the Sense above exhibit even granting the ordnary Exercise of his Apostleship there is such a Consequence as no Rational Man can admit For 1. Were not all whether we may suppose them Apostles or Brethren present concerned in this and capable of the Deference of this Information Yea are they not thus Represented 2. Suppose Apostles present without any such Residence or supposed Episcopal Relation will the mere Deference of such an Information prove this Yea say this supposed his special Residence there and consequently his and the other Brethrens Concern in the Information can any Rational Man imagine that this Deference thus expressed will suppose any more than such a Residence for the time Besides that the more Severe Critick would Interrogat him how this Information simplely considered comes under the Character of such a Special Deference and Honour as the Dr. makes it Will the Report of an Important Mercy prove this since another End is evident viz. The Instruction and Comfort of the Person Informed simplely considered The Critick would also Pose the Dr. upon this What Deference was paid in Peters first Personal Visit to the House of Mary and the other Praying Persons with her I think if mention had been of Iohn Mark his Personal Presence this Deference by the help of the Dr's Logick and Quickned a litle by his Zeal for Prelacy would have put fair to set him up as Bishop of Ierusalem at this time But the Dr. tells us this Deference is taken notice of elsewhere as Gal. 1.19 Gal. 2.1 9. For the first Passage the Apostle tells v. 18. that he went up to Ierusalem to see Peter Here is some Deference He adds that he saw none of the Apostles save Iames. What Deference is here insinuat and in special eo nomine as Bishop of Ierusalem will require a new Essay of the Dr. to draw it from the Text. Pool takes the Naming of these here to import That the other Apostles being scattered and gone off to prosecute their Work these two Apostles were only at this time resident there Thus it seems the Dr's great Topick from a Residence at Ierusalem as peculiar to Iames is much Weakned by this Testimony And his Reverence did not well to raise this Ghost As for Pauls second Journey to Ierusalem Recorded in the other Passage and the mention of Iames with Peter and Iohn as Pillars I know not what Shadow of Argument can be drawn therefrom for his pretended Episcopacy at Ierusalem more than of Cephas and Iohn Whatever Eminency in Moral Respects is here insinuat sure it is Shared among all the three without any Shadow of a Preference of Iames to the rest and far less eo nomine as Bishop of Ierusalem unless the Dr. draw the Strength of his Argument from his being first Named and thus Patronize the Popish Argument from the first Nomination of Peter to prove his Primacy Which is long since Baffled and Disowned by all Protestant Divines The Dr. alledges that Presbyterians would needs Impose upon Mens Senses and Belief their own Dreams as if some Phantastick Person should pretend he sees Visions of Armies and Battallions in the Skies and Challenge and Threaten others to see what they see not If his Consequences in this and many other places of his Pamphlet be not of this Nature surely never any were But the great Demonstration of the highest Class follows which the Dr. Prefaceth with a most of all What is that Why Act. 15.19 He pronunces the Sentence of the Council by his Episcopal Authority Here is an Airy Vision indeed a Demonstration the Rules whereof are existent only in the Dr's Brain The Sentence and Decision of this Apostolick Council upon Conference and Debate was pronunced by Iames Ergo as a Deference exhibit to him by all the Apostles above themselves yea and eo nomine as Bishop of Ierusalem What a Rope of Sand is this I know it s ordinarly supposed he presided in the Council but that this doth import any Official Deference or Supereminency over his fellow-Fellow-Apostles and far less as Bishop of Jerusalem is a Consequence as far remote from this Concession and Supposition as East from West The Dr. saith he pronunced the Sentence by his Episcopal Authority Thus it seems his Episcopal Authority was a higher Sphere of Authority than ever he had by his Apostolat And if so the Dr. hath Razed all his former Pleadings for a Succession of Episcopacy to an Apostolat and must devise a higher Function than even that of Apostolat to found Episcopal Authority But the Dr. will not be thought now that he is in a Calmer Humor to plead that James alone Decided by his sole Power without Concurrence of oâ—her Apostles but as Bishop of Jerusalem he presided in the Council But here it might be asked what sort of Presidency it is that the Dr. here ascribes to James in this Council Whether the mere Presidency of a Moderator or that which is properly Episcopal having the sole Rectoral Power included therein The asserting of the first only seems not Consonant to the Dr's Scope which is to prove an Episcopal Authority in Judicatories as here Exemplified If he assert the second then in Contradiction to himself he robs the rest of the Apostles of this Rectoral Power Monopolizing it in the Person of James Or if he should ascribe this Episcopal Power to him with respect to the Inferior Clergy there present he cannot deny that his Fellow-Apostles Shared with him herein And so there is nothing of sole Episcopal Power Exemplified in this Instance or any thing else except a mere Presidency which might be allowed upon the Account of his ordinary Residence at Jerusalem by his Fellow-Apostles not unlike unto a Moderators Office allowed by a Synod to the Minister of a City wherein it is assembled which doth nothing impeach the same Rectoral Power competent to every Pastor of the Judicatory But as to the Episcopal Rectoral Power the Dr. cannot be ignorant that his Fellow-Pleader Bishop Downam in his Defence with whom the Dr. will not desire to Justle and Deal Stroaks is clear and positive in this Assertion of the Bishops sole Authority in Government That James presided in the Council I have told the Dr is supposed though I conceive it a pretty hard task to offer a demonstrative Argument from the Text to make it good But that it was as Bishop of Ierusalem is a phantastick Dream which hath no shadow of Ground That Passage My Sentence is the Authors of the 2 d. Part of
his Methods in Pleading and he will not doubt of their diligent Searching the Original Text and that they knew of these Manuscripts as well as Dr. Hammond and he yet do render the Text with the Conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Current of all the Greek Copies It s strange that the Dr. hath the Confidence upon the Supposition of one Copy or of two at most reading the Text without the Conjunction to assert that the most Ancient Manuscripts do thus read it as if these two deserved that Character and might stand good against the whole Body of all the Greek Copies wherein this Particle is found yea the whole Body of all Translators as hath been Instanced unto him by Presbyterian Writers We have above made appear that the Text cannot be consonantly read Read to the scope or contexture without the Conjunction since after that our Lord in vers 23. gives this general warning I will give unto every one of you according to yâ—ur Works c. He adds but unto you and unto the rest in Thyatira viz you Ministers and the People in that Church contradistinct from others c. The Dr will needs have the words we insist on applicable to those mentioned in the latter end of the 23 verse and not properly to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira And this is his Answer even upon the supposition of our Reading with the conjunction which he is forced to acknowledge is the common Reading and thus discovers his folly in opposing two suppâ—sed Copies to it His Reason is that they are the other Churches of Asia which because mentioned in the Speech directed to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira the immediat transition from him to them is natural and easie and all the Churches shall know viz the Churches of Asia shall know that I am He which searcheth the Reins and hearts v. 24. But unto you i. e. saith the Dr. the Churches of Asia c. Thus he scor's out and expungeth the adversative particle But in 24 verse clearly limiting the you here and distinguishing it from the more extensive you in verse 23. I hope the Dr saw no Copies reading the Text without the adversative particle But The Dr. says because the Particle they in v. 23 is understood of all the Churches of Asia in the Speech directed to Thyatira the Transition from him to them is easie and natural all the Churches of Asia shall know c. But unto you i. e. the Churches of Asia c. If this be not an offering violence to the Text nothing ever was For after that our Lord hath added a general appendant motive v. 23. that by this stroak on Iezebel all the Churches shall know viz the Asian Churches that he is a searcher of the Reins and Hearts c. He returns to an express Application and Address of the Speech to Thyatira 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First in general by the discriminating But or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly in an express mention of Thyatira And that we may not mistake it for a general partition of the Churches of Asia unto those of Thyatira and others as the Dr. dreams he expresly in terminis thus restricts the phrase and address to that particular Church to you and the rest in Thyatira not to you in all Asia The Dr will not deny that in this clause the you and the rest are distinguished and within distinct Limits and Marches but so cannot those of Thyatira be distinguished from the Churches of Asia whereof they are a part For what he adds of Beza's Acknowledgment of the Angel to be a Praeses we have already made appear how insignificant this is to bear the weight of his conclusion of a Prelatical Presidency here supposed since he owns him only as a Moderator or Praeses of the Meeting by the Dr's acknowledgement But the Dr. tells us he makes him in a ridiculous manner a Weekly or Monthly Modâ—rator This Charge of the Dr's is ridiculous Beza only pleading against the fixed Moderator which with him is the Episcopus humanus without mentioning any such Limits of time as the Dr. Imputes unto him The Dr. will needs remove the Objection taken from the Angels not being called Bishops to which he returns That neither Baptism nor the Sacrament of the Lords Supper are called Sacraments though we express the Scripture Sense of these Institutions when so terming them But by his favour this Objection is not so inconsiderable as he imagins nor his Answer so considerable for if the Apostles Scope was to point out the Nature and Office of the Diocesan Bishop whom the Dr. distinguishes from inferior Officers and owns him as distinguished by this term Bishop which he knows to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in terminis a Scripture term and epithet such as is not the word Sacrament it should seem this discriminating term should here have been made use of rather than a more general Term aplicable to all Pastors And in a word when he shall make the Divine institution of the Diocesan Bishop appear in Scripture then his Paralel answer with reference to Terms of Trinity and Sacraments expressing what is revealed in Scripture though not in Scripture Terms shall be admitted as valid But till then must make up the Number of the rest of the Dr's gratis supposita and beggings of the Question The Dr. will needs have the whole Question to be determined by the Ancients affirmation of a Prelatical Succession to Apostles And next by their insisting on this Succession in their Disputes with Hereticks And in the Third place by the resolution of this doubt whether we may safely Lean on their Authority and Tradition in an affair of this Consequence What Credit is to be given to the Ancients in this Poinâ— and what strength is in the Argument drawn from their supposed Testimony in reference to our perswasion of the Divine Right of Prelacy is above fully cleared And our scope being to trace only the Dr. in his pretended Scripiure-proofs we leave him sufficiently exposed in this Point of Antiquity by those who have fully examined him and traced his human Proofs on these heads Wishing him a Sounder heart and more sincere diligence in this Controversy FINIS A REVIEW and EXAMINATION OF THE Scripture-Grounds UPON WHICH The AUTHOR of the Survey of Naphtali Supposed to be Mr. Andrew Honyman Bishop of Orkney Pleads for the LAWFULNESS of the Episcopal Office Where the Arguments of the IV. Chap. of his II. PART are Discussed CHAP I A Consideration of the Scripture Grounds upon which the Surveyer pleads for the Lawfulness of the Episcopal Office TO Examin with as Succinct Perspicuity as we can the Surveyers Scripture Pleadings for Episcopacy in this 4 th Chap. It is in the first place to be noticed how that he was afraid to set his Foot upon such Slippery Ground as to plead directly for the Necessity of Prelacy upon a Divine or
forbids his Disciples to do so it shall not be so among you therefore it is concluded that there should be no Superiority or Governing Power of Ministers of the Church above Ministers but all should be equal Ans. These Texts have been above considered and improven It is evident that our Lord Commanded Parity of Official power among his Apostles his First Ministers and by clear Consequence the same equality among Pastors who are equal and of the same Order as Apostles were and their proper Successors in the ordinary power of Government That the Prelats acclaimed Power in Civils and Dominion over Church Judicatories brings him within the Compass of the prohibition in these Texts is above made good The Surveyer in his way of expressing our Argument seems to oppose to this Official equality of Pastors the Superior power and Authority of greater to the lesser Judicatories which is the necessary Ligament of all Government and of Presbyterian consequently But to proceed The Surveyer in his First Answer will needs question That there is at all a Prohibion in these Texts given to Christs Apostles but only a mere prediction of what was to be their Lot in the VVorld Viz. That they were not to have a Stately Glorious Pompeous worldly Superiority over others Christ assuring them they were to be dispised of the World It was as Incongruous to prohibit them to Reign as Grandees as to Charge a Man not to act the King who is assured that all his days he is to be a Beggar Ans. This pitiful Shift and Gloss out of the Road of Interpreters discovers what a desperate falling Cause the Surveyer was maintaining which needed the support of such a Conceit as this To which we oppose 1. The Circumstances and Scope of the place clearly refuting this irrational Subterfuge It is evident our Lord was here curing the Disciples Emulation and sinful Debate about Superiority and Chiefness in his Church and Kingdom and directing them both negatively and positively in the exercise of their Spiritual power as his Ministers and this in order to the preventing of mistakes in Judgment and contravention of their Practice in Reference to the Nature and Exercise of Church Government In order to which Scope the pointing at the events of Providence merely in their external Condition had been utterly extraneous and impertinent And as in this Gloss the Surveyer doth Violence to the prohibiting part of the Text so most palpably to the positive Injunction He that will be great or Chief as Luke hath it let him be as the Youngest recommending to them a Humble Ministry in Opposition to Pompous greatness 2. The Surveyers Reason is palpably absurd and impertinent for notwithstanding of our Lords warning them of their despised State in the World yet he also Instructed them in the Nature and Exercise of his Kingdom did shew he was to have a Church which is his Kingdom against which the Gates of Hell should not prevail In which Kingdom they being Officers and Governours it was necessary they should understand its nature in order to a due exercise thereof and as necessary it was their Successors should have the same knowledge The Offices in the House of GOD are truely Honourable to be counted worthy of Honour and Highly Esteemed by the Members of the Church was it not then necessary that the Nature of this Spiritual greatness and Honour in opposition to worldly Pomp should be thus pointed out The Surveyer holds there was a Prophetick Intimation that Apostles and their Successors should not have a Glorious Pompous Worldly Superiority and thus excludes from an Apostolick Succession Prelats who are Princes of the Empire and Peers of the Land and must set them in Terms of Contradiction to this his supposed Prophecy Secondly Granting there is here a Prohibition the Surveyer will consider what is prohibited and to whom For the First He tells us It is that Sort of Dominion exercised among Kings of the Gentiles according to the Notion the Apostles had of Christs Kingdom Act. 1.6 Luk. 24.21 Mat. 18.1 Mark 9.34 So that our Lord discharged Earthly Pomp Coactive Power of Worldly Kingdoms not all Superiority of one of his Ministers above others non Rem sed Modum Rei Ans. This is above Examined and Confuted We have made appear that all Masterly Power and Dominion is here forbidden as inconsistent with that Humble Ministry and Ministerial Service enjoyned in the positive part of this Precept which doth not Discriminat one Dominion from another as if one sort were allowed and another forbidden or as if Government which is in the Nature of Lordship and Dominion were Diversified and Distinguished in respect of its manner of Exercise good or bad but all Masterly Power though in its self lawful is here both as to matter and manner forbidden to Christs Ministers in the Exercise of their Authority This Man acknowledges Earthly Pomp to be forbidden and Worldly Grandure and what could his thoughts be of Prelats being a third Estate of Parliament bearing State Offices of the Highest Sort He says our Lord discharged not Rem but Modum Rei If by this Modus Rei he understand a Civil Dominion he hath cut off the Prelats Civil Rule and in so far acknowledges their Transgressing this Precept If he restrict the Sense to a Dominion which he may call Spiritual he leaves still a Latitude for the highest Extension thereof even to a Papal Primacy He tells us that a Chiefness is rather supposed than forbidden as he labours to prove P. 201. from Luk. 22.26 And thus neither the Disciples Distemper nor Emulation about a Primacy nor the Papal Pretensions thereof are ever touched by this Prohibition according to his Gloss And in this as he crosses our Lords Scope so he contradicts himself since P. 199. he asserts with Cyprian that the Apostles were Pari honoris potestatis consortio praediti had equal Power and Authority This Answer of the Surveyer wherein he embraces the Popish Distinction and Evasion upon this Text viz. That our Lord discharged that Sort of Dominion only exercised among the Kings of the Gentiles and as he expresses it non Rem sed Modum Rei brings to Mind a remarkable Passage of the Learned Turretin Institut Theol. Elenct Part. 3. Loc. 18. Quest. 16. de Regimine Ecclesiae P. mihi 164 165. Having Cited this Passage Luk. 22.25 26. against the Papal Monarchy together with the paralell 1 Pet. 5.2 And from both having inferred that Dominion in the Church is forbidden and a Ministerial Service enjoyned He brings this Popish Argument and Exception Nec dici potest apud Lucam Monarchiam Dominationem absolute non interdici sed tantum ejus modum qui non sit simulis Dominationi Politicae seu Tyrannidi Regum Gentium That is It cannot be said in the place of Luke that Monarchy and Dominion is not absolutely forbidden but only the manner thereof or such as is like to that Tyrannical
Prohibition the Apostles exercised Authority over Ministers it doth not Discharge such an Authority of Pastors over Pastors Ans. The Laws of our LORD delivered in the New Testament and the Correspondent Recorded Practice thereof doth State a clear distinction betwixt the Extraordinary and Ordinary Officers and Pastors and that both with respect to the Nature and Extent of their power The Surveyer tells us the Ambition beginning among the Apostles the cure should have been applyed to them Ans. So we affirm it was in our Lords prohibiting either a Prelatical Dominion among themselves or over Inferior Officers But this could not impeach their extraordinary Inspection over the Churches which was together with their Office to pass off and die with themselves when that Case and exigency of the Church was over The Surveyers Second Counter-evidence P. 199. is drawn from 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set in his Church First Apostles Secondarily Prophets Thirdly Teachers which is an ordinal Numbering with reference to the Object they were imployed about as Presbyterians hold upon this ground the Pastors Office Superior to the Elder Ans. Not to stand upon this his ordinal numbering nor upon an enquiry wherefore the Evangelist is excluded by the Surveyer in this Account of ordinal numbering whom we find Numbred Eph. 4.11 It is Evident that 1. This Instance is extravagant from the Point For from our Assertion that the Prohibition of Unlawful Dominion over their Fellows was given to Apostles as representing Pastors or Ministers he draws a Conclusion that thereupon will follow a Discharge of the Superior Authority of one Pastor over another he means an Official Superiority the Contrary whereof he undertakes to prove by Instances and here his great Instance is drawn from the Apostolical Authority which the Apostles exercised over inferior Officers or the supposed ordinal Numbring of Extraordinary Officers But I pray what is this to prove the Official ordinary Superiority of Pastors over Pastors or to evince their Superior Degrees among themselves Apostles Prophets Evangelists c. were placed in their several Degrees or had their special Pieces of work in the Churches Infant State therefore there ought to be the same Degrees of the Pastoral Office What Consequence is this 2. He is inconsistent with himself in this Reasoning For 1. He hath already distinguished the Apostles Official ordinary Power in the plenitude whereof he alledges Prelats do succeed them from another which he must call extraordinary else his Distinction is chimerical and must fly with one Wing And 2 He alledges some things are spoken to them alone in their Apostolick Capacity which concerned none else and thus distinguishes that capacity from the capacity of Pastors Now when he is about to prove that the Apostles qua Pastors or in that Capacity and under thus reduplication strictly and properly were above other Pastors and consequently that there are different Degrees of the Pastoral Office As if he had forgot his Distinction he draweth his Argument from the Apostolical Acts of Superiority over inferior Officers and the supposed Degrees of Apostles Prophets and others in that extraordinary Function wherein he palpably baffles his former suposition and Distinction That in the Text Cited together with the Paralel Eph. 4.11 there is a Numbering whether we call it ordinal or not of Extraordinary Officers now past off with these first times of Christianity is the consentient Judgment of sound Divines and by Consequence that no Argument can be drawn from hence for distinction of Degrees in the Pastoral Office The Surveyer P. 200. cannot understand how the Pastor having a Doctrinal Superiority over other Officers of the Congregation should in Point of Disciplin which is but a Personal application of the Word sink below his Assistants in the Session and have his Voice swallowed up by theirs But he might much more wonder at his own Principle who alledges the Pastor to have in dispensing the Word and Sacraments an Authority and Power of the same Nature with that of the Hierarchical Bishop and yet when he comes from the Pulpit and sitteth in a Judicatory with the Prelat losses all Authoriry in Government and according to the last Edition of our Hierarchical Prelacy become a mere Cipher without a Figure having no Power but to advise the Prelat and scarce that As for the Pastors Authority in the Session we say that although the higher Honour allowed to the Labourer in Word and Doctrin above the Officer who Rules only and who doth not thus Labour will allow the respect deference of a constant Presidency in the Parochial Church Judidicatory yet Ruling Elders having an Essential interest in Church Government he cannot have the sole decisive Vote though there is still access to appeal to a higher Judicatory in case of mal-Administration The Surveyers Third ground is That if Governing Superiority be inhibit to Pastors over others it is either of one over others and thus we unjustly distinguish this Monarchical Government of one while we allow the like Government of many which in an Aristocratical form may have as much of State and Command as of one If we say that he Discharged all Superiority of many or of some Number over others this will in favour of Independents destroy Presbyterian Government and the Subordination of Iudicatories Ans. This is in part already removed by what we have offered anent the Essential difference in Point of Government betwixt the Judiciary Power as Subjected in a Colledge or Society and the Monopolizing and concentring it in one Person 1. We have told him that our Lord hath Established and Instituted both the Nature and Subject of Church Power 2. Having Instituted Pastors of an equal Official Authority all Pastors as Members of the Judicatory have an Essential interest in the decisive Votes and an equal decisive suffrage therein upon this Ground so that there is a Clear exclusion of the Monopolized Government in one Person who appears excluded and Discharged by our Lords Instituted Principles and Grounds of Government since this Concentring of Government in one robs Pastors of this their Decisive suffrage excludes a free and full Conference and Debate in order to a sutable Determination by a free suffrage as is exemplified in that Council Act. 15. And therefore this Dominion of a Prelat over Pastors besides his Pompous Civil Dominion brings him palpably within the Compass of this Prohibition 3. That the Presbyterians Subordination of Judicatories cannot fall within the Compass hereof nor come under the Surveyers imputation of State and Dominion is many ways evident 1. This is founded upon the Light and Law of Nature and the Nature of all Governments 2. This is notably consistent with the Jurisdictional exercise of the Pastoral Office and the ends thereof both which the Prelatical Dominion destroys This Subordination is founded upon our Lords Institution as is evident Matth. 18. where the gradation in Point of Censure and Appeals is from the Lesser to the greater Number which
Flock ascribed unto them and that of such a Nature as imports a compleat Official Equality and Excludes Lordship over GODS Heritage Which doth clearly Justle out his Hierarchical Prelat as having no Interest in Church Government The Surveyer further tells us There is no ground to assert that the Presbyters Act. 20.17.28 were such only in the Modern Notion and none of them Bishops in the Modern Notion And to obviat an Objection from their Relation to Ephesus he adds That they were not only Elders of that Church but of the Churches of Asia about so far as in a transient Visit they might get Intelligence This often baffled Subterfuge Episcopalians have been told is contrary to the Sense of Ancient Fathers Ierom Theodoret Chrysostom contrary to several Councils contrary to the Syriack Translation which reads the Text thus be sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Dr. Lightfoot holds they were the Twelve upon whom the Apostle Paul imposed Hands and gave them the Spirit Act. 19.6 and such others if any such were whom Timothy had ordained See Lightfoot Harm Chron. N. Test. The Text says He sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church Sure of that Church to which he sent and there is no shadow of a hint of any other Elders there present Again he sent for the Elders of the Church in the Singular Number viz. that particular Church But the Surveyers Gloss will read the Elders of the Churches in the Plural viz. of Asia then mett at Ephesus The Scripture expresses Provincial Churches in the plural as the Churches of Asia Rev. 1.11 Churches of Iudea but otherwise of the Church of Ierusalem Corinth in the singular which were in Cities Neither will the old rotten Evasion help the Surveyer viz. that v. 18. it s said he Preached throughout all Asia and v. 25. speaking to these that were conveened he saith you all among whom I have gone Preaching the Kingdom of God from which he pleads there were others present as well as the Elders of Ephesus who might be proper Bishops in their places Since it is evident that the Term All ye doth properly relate to the Elders of Ephesus then present and was immediatly spoken to them Such Universal Terms used in such a Sense and to such a Scope are very ordinary and caseable as if one should say to a certain Number of an Assembly ye are all now dissolved it would not imply the presence of all the Members Again the Apostle might speak many things which did import the Concern and Duty of all though the Speech were directed immediatly and personally to those only that were present When he said You all among whom I have gone Preaching the Kingdom of God the Surveyer will not be bold to say this will infer that these all were present or that the Speech did import so much As for the Passages Cited viz. v. 18 25. It is Answered that the Apostle spent most of these Years in Ephesus only viz. two Years and three Months and the Superplus in the places adjacent So that these Elders could not be ignorant how the whole was spent Some have observed further that there is nothing of a peculiar Address here to a supposed Bishop of Ephesus and that all these Elders are Charged with the Oversight of that Flock But the Surveyer will not have the Presbyters here to be meaned in the restrained Signification or that this Term should restrain the Term of Bishop But we restrain none of them from their due and Native Signification as importing the Preaching Presbyter or Pastor As for his enlarged Signification stretching to an Hierarchical Prelat it is the Chimera of his own Fancy whereof he hath offered no Shadow of a Proof To that Text of Tit. 1.5 wherein the Bishop and Elder are found clearly Identified and a Plurality of them fixed in that one Church The Surveyer P. 211. repones again his Old Recocted Crambe of the Majores Minores Presbyteri as comprehended in these Terms and tells us of an Analogical Reasoning which the Apostle uses from the Qualifications and Duties of the Bishop properly so called to shew the necessity of the like in all Presbyters who are comprehended under their Order Ans. As his Supposition of the properly and improperly called Bishops is still begged by him without any ground as easily denyed by us as affirmed by him So his Gloss and Reason adduced is clearly cross to the Text Since the Apostle shewing Titus how the Elders to be ordained in every City were to be qualified adds this Reason of Advice for a Bishop must be blameless this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or for is causal shewing the Identity of the Office as well as the Name else the Reasoning were false Should a Chancellor in one of the Universities saith Smectymnus who useth this illustrating Similitude give Order to his Vice-Chancellor to admit none to the Degree of Batchelour of Arts but such as were able to Preach or keep a Divinity Act for Batchelours of Divinity must be so What Reason or Equity were in this And we may enquire here what Reason is this The improperly called Bishop must be so and so qualified because the Bishop of the higher Order and distinct Function must be so qualified Gerard. 〈◊〉 Minist Eccles. useth the same Reason to shew the Absurdity of such a Gloss. The Apostle in the Series of his Reasoning Identifies both the Work and Office of Bishop and Presbyter But this Surveyer will needs correct him and cast in his Limiting Cautions and instead of that identity that the Apostle asserts of the Offices make them only in some Sense the same not intirely He tells us That in Sacerdotal Acts they are the same But he cannot say that the Apostles Identity here asserted reaches and includes only the Acts of Order and is not to be extended to the Exercise of Jurisdiction As for the Acts of Order the Hierarchical Bishop is in their Principles the proper Primary Subject of the Sacerdotal Acts and Authority in the whole Diocess whereas that of the Pastor is Precarious and Subaltern to his and fixed to one Flock He calls P. 200. the Acts of Jurisdiction a Personal Application only of the Word or of the Power of Order yet he doth here Diversifie them so that though he assert the Pastor is the very same with the Prelat in the Sacerdotal Acts he is not so in those of Jurisdiction But we cannot stand to Trace all the Inconsistencies of the Surveyers Notions This distinction of Presbyters of the First and Second Order in a New Petitio principii serves his turn as an Answer to our Argument from 1 Pet. 5. And here we are again told That the Presbyterians allow two Ranks and Orders of Presbyters Where it would seem he Screws up his Hierarchical Prelat in this and the preceeding Answers to a Divine Right and thus quites and Justles with what he often pretends anent a
Names mentioned viz. Rulers Governours Overseers Bishops Ministers Stewards Ambassadors And next in Special that this Church of Corinth is clearly found to have been a Presbyterial Church and under the Inspection of a Presbyterial associat Ministry 1. There was a great multitude of Believers there mention being made of many Believers of many Baptized and added to the Church All whom Paul Baptized not himself consequently are supposed to be Baptized by other Ministers God likewayes having a great Harvest of Souls there much People in that City upon which Paul was encouraged to stay among them for so considerable a time as the Year and six Moneths compare Act. 18.1.7 8 9 10 11. This multitude behoved to be divided in particular Congregations 2. There is correspondent Plenty of Ministers and Preachers found there pointing it out as a Presbyterial Church and not one single Congregation first Paul stayed all this time at Corinth as a Master Builder having other under Builders Act. 18.11 1 Cor. 3.10 an occasion of their Doting some upon one some upon a second some upon a third Teacher So that there appears a plenty of Preachers there who had their several Flocks and Followers And Paul speaks of their not having many Fathers though they had ten thousand Instructers compare 1. Cor. 3. with 1 Cor. 5.14 Mention is likewayes made of a Subordination of Prophets to Prophets 1 Cor. 14.29 Considering likewayes the Division of Tongues and Languages this Church could not be one Congregation but united in a Presbyterial Classical Unity Which in a word is further confirmed from this Principle that we read of a Plurality of Churches there while the Apostle sayes Let your Women keep silence in the Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sayes not the Women in general but your Women in that Church Yet this Plurality of single Congregations in Corinth are called and owned as one Church in the Inscription of the Epistle which could not be merely upon the Ground of Heart-unity for thus they were jure-charitatis nor in regard of an Explicit Church-Covenant whereof the Scripture is silent nor in respect of the Ministration of the Word and Sacraments for these were dispensed in single Congregations severally since they could not all meet in one Congregation So that of necessity they are owned and designed as one Church in regard of one joynt Administration of Government among them by one common Presbyterie or Colledge of Elders associated for that End See Ius Divin Minist Eccles. P. mihi 206.207 208. That the Prophets mentioned 14. Ch. were ordinary Pastors and Ministers of that Church not extraordinary Officers as the Surveyer insinuats since Rules and Directions aptly agreeing to ordinary Pastors are imposed upon them for the well ordering their Ministerial Exercises is upon this and many other Grounds made good by Mr. Rutherfurd in his Due Right of Presbyt P. 466.467 The Surveyer in his next Answer is in with standing the Evidence of this Scripture driven upon the contrary extreme of ascribing the Authority and Jurisdiction here mentioned to the Apostle Paul solely He tells us That the Apostle speaks of the Sentence as proceeding from himself though the declaring and executing thereof was committed unto the Corinthians that they are charged for not mourning that the Incestuous might be taken away by such as had Power And it were improper to say a Man were to take a thing away from himself Ans. The plain reading of the Text is a sufficient Confutation of this Distortion and Gloss. The Apostle certainly reprehends this Church and imputs a Guilt to them as to Non-procedure in this Matter Now the Question is wherein their Negligence appeared And this is best seen and understood in pondering the Duty enjoyned viz. their Iudging such as were within Purging out the Infectious bad Leaven the Delivery unto Satan c. comp v. 5 7 12. with 2 Cor. 2.6 If they had no Authority hereanent why is such a Defect and Negligence reprehended This Surveyer in making them only the Promulgaters and Executers of the Apostles previous Sentence taketh the Guilt of this Negligence from the Corinthians and puts it upon the Apostle Paul The Surveyers Gloss upon the Apostles Rebuke as to their not mourning over this Wickedness viz. That they sought not with Tears to such as had Power to inflict the Censure If meant of a Power lodged in the Apostle is contrary to the Scope since they are enjoyned to deliver the Person to Satan and to put him away from among themselves But says the Surveyer the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have judged imports the Apostles sole Determination that none are taken in as Sharers with him in this Censure and imports he required only the Execution of their Sentence We have already removed this Objection the Apostles giving his Apostolick Judgment as touching the Necessity and Expediency of the Thing can no more exclude and prejudge the Authority and Interest of the Ordinary Church Officers herein than his giving his Apostolick Judgment in any other Uncontroverted Duty wherein the Persons enjoyned the same have an infallible Interest will bear such a Conclusion Suppose the Apostle giving his Judgment touching Archippus greater Diligence in his Ministry And giving his Judgment in the Point of Marriage and the Duties thereof as one that had found mercy to be faithful can this prejudge the Interest of the Persons concerned in the Duties enjoyned Or would the Surveyer have said that Pauls requiring the Obedience of Church Officers in any Point of their Ministerial Duties and shewing them that he had judged such and such things to be their Duty will conclude they had no Authority and Interest therein antecedaneously to such Judging and Enjoyning Surely not at all Nay suppose his Hierarchical Bishop set up in this Church with his arrogated Power of Ordination and Censures and that upon his Neglect of putting forth his Power Paul had thus declared that he had already judged the Necessity and Expediency of such Duties will this prove that the Bishop was destitute of all this Authority antecedaneously to such Judging or had none previous thereunto The Surveyer could not say it and no more could he assert it in this case The Apostle saith to whom you forgive any thing I do also which looks like the Apostles corresponding with the inherent Authority in these Officers so that the Apostles Judging in this Case was to prevent and obviat their Pretences of Delay and quicken them to their Duty But the Surveyer P. 213. from that Passage when you are mett together with my Spirit and the Power of the Lord Iesus inferrs That something was to be done beyond the Authority of the Church of Corinth viz. Delivering of the Man to Satan to be tormented outwardly which Paul only by his Miraculous Power could effectuat Ans. Suppose such an extraordinary Appendix distinct from the Censure it self which may be upon weighty grounds called in doubt it doth no whit
98. This Surveyer did but ridicule the Scriptures or rather expose himself while pretending to impugn the Presbyterians and answer their Scripture Reasonings for he comes on with his may be this and may be the other Sense the one sense may be striking out and Contradicting the other whereas in the Judgement of all who own the Truth and the Authority of the Scriptures the true sense is but one since otherwise there can be no Truth where there are different and various Senses In his first Answer he will needs have High Officers of the Church as he calls them to concur with the Apostle Paul in Imposing Hands upon Timothy these High Officers he no doubt advances far above the Sphere of Presbyters and Pastors and puts them in the Character of his Magnates or Hierarchical Bishops yet in this second Answer he will needs in a palpable Contradiction to the First croud in all these High Officers into one Congregation yea and positively asserts that there is no evidence in the Text to prove that this Presbytrie was any other than a Paroch-Presbytrie and that it will trouble the Presbyterians to prove the contrary But would it not much more have troubled this Fantastical Dictator with his Linsey-Woolsey party coloured Senses and Comments to prove that these High Officers near to the Apostolick Character were all related to one Congregation and but a Meeting of a Paroch Presbytrie as he speaks His Third answer is taken from collating this Passage with 2 Tim. 1.6 where Paul enjoins Timothy to stir up the Gift that is in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the putting on of my Hands as here 1 Tim. 4.14 He saith Grace was given thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytrie The former place importing his Authority in the Action and the latter the concern and consent of the Meeting of Presbyters with him So that granting a Presbytrie present there is no ordaining power can be hence inferred Ans. We have already made appear that these places Collated do clearly evince a Presbyterial Authority in the Point of Ordination and that since the imposing of Pauls hands in order to the Gifts is clearly distinguished from the imposing of the Hands of the Presbytrie which must needs respect his Ordination and consequently their Authoritative influence thereupon these Texts collated do confirm this Point and further do thus give light unto it that supposing that the Imposition of Pauls hands and the Hands of the Presbytrie were contemporary the Presbyterian Cause is the more strengthened in that the imposing of an Apostles Hands did not swallow up nor exclude the Presbytries Authoritative imposition So that this Authority may be much more now supposed competent to them when the Office of Apostle is gone I must here again Reflect upon it that this our vertumnous Expositor who will needs have in his First Answer several High Officers to concurr with Paul in this Imposition of Hands makes Timothy thereby to receive a Presbyterate only And I pray what needs such High Officers to concur with Paul in order to this end But in this Answer we find ordinary Pastors concurring in the Ordination of this his supposed Presbyter for the Surveyer in collating these Texts insinuats no Officers of a higher Order to have been present except the Apostle Paul And indeed the Passages themselves do only point at the Presbytrie and the Apostle Paul Here also Presbyters are found laying hands upon our Surveyer and his Fellows supposed Hierarchical Prelat set over the Church of Ephesus Next he acknowledges that the mention of imposing of Pauls hands 2 Tim. 1.6 with the emphatick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by respects the Gift of GOD in him wherein he seems to distinguish the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Authority and the Gift yet expones this precisely of Pauls Authority in his Ordination exclusive of that of the Presbytrie But so it is that the imposing of Hands in order to Gifts of the Spirit he must needs acknowledge to be of it self distinct from such an Imposition of Hands as is in order to Ordination Yea even some of his own party acknowledge that Hands were twice laid upon Timothy and once by the Presbytrie alone Besides that Passage 1 Tim. 4.14 we find him very confusedly and inconsideratly exponing thus Viz. The Grace given him with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the laying on of the hands of the Presbytrie Whereas the Text runs thus neglect not the Gift that is in thee which was given thee by Prophesie with the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytrie where it is evident the Gift given and the Prophesie are in two distinct Clauses and the laying on of Hands of the Presbytrie is in the third and last and diversified by a distinct Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both from the Gift and from the Prophesie So that it is apparent that this Grace or Gift hath a special Respect to the Prophesie but the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytrie is here set down in a distinct Clause as a distinct Priviledge from the other two and therefore must either import their Authoritative action or doth here signifie nothing especially since as is said the variation of the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or with doth here import so much and diversifie the one from the other Which baffles his Sense and Exposition that makes the imposing of the Presbytries hands to import no more but a Consent or Concurrence The folly of which Exposition is further evidenced in that 1. This solemn Action of Imposing Hands being in the Scripture Accounts and Sense a badge of Authoritative Blessing must neeeds import much more than a bare Consent or Concurrence for he will not dare to say that all those whose Hearts do concur in praying for the Blessing had right to impose hands upon the Ordained 2. He tells us in the beginning of his Answer that the Presbytrie imposed not hands alone without a Higher Officer joyned with them in the Act. Now I pray what was this Act if not of Ordination Now if the Presbytrie had an Authoritative Concurrence in the Act or rather an influence thereupon as their Act how can he say they did only consent to the thing For upon this ground of a naked consent he could not say that Paul was joined with him in the Act which imports their joint Authoritative Concurrence if this phrase have any Sense and yet notwithstanding of this according to his exposition in the latter part of his Answer the Action was Pauls alone and not theirs and he Confines the Authority of the Action within the compass of the Apostles Imposition solely I only add if the Actions were supposed diverse as severals do hold the Surveyer hath no Shield nor Buckler against such a Weapon which notwithstanding quite baffles this his Answer if admitted His fourth Answer is That since the Name of
Presbyter or Elder even in Beza's Sense on 1 Pet. 5. comprehends in general all who have any Ecclesiastick Function the Officers here might be of a higher sort than single Presbyters even admitting the Term Presbytrie to import a Collegiat Meeting Ans. The Surveyer is still here repeating his groundless Conjectures and beggings of the Question for an Answer yea and confuting and baffling himself in these his fantastick Quiblings For besides that the existence of ordinary Officers Superior to Presbyters and cloathed with Episcopal Authority is still begged by him in several other Respects this his Conjecture is most unaccountable and repugnant to the Text For neither first can he make appear that such a Meeting of such Officers of a higher Order than single Presbyters comes under the Scripture Denomination of a Presbytrie in any Passages of Holy Write or that when Officers of a higher Order mett with Presbyters they had no distinct Specification by their Titles or Names As when the Apostles mett with the Elders Act. 15. and Prophets and Teachers mett together Act. 13. we find distinguishing Epithets and Names given to these Officers Next As this conjecturing Surveyer could give no account whether this Meeting was solely of extraordinary Officers or a Meeting mixed of Ordinary and Extraordinary whether of his supposed Bishops with these Extraordinary Officers or not So whatever Answer he might embrace he is still in the Briars and overthrows his own Scope For besides that he cannot give account why a Colledge of Prelats is called a Presbytrie or to what end such a mixed Meeting can be here supposed If his Conjecture be admitted they could be no Paroch Presbytrie And thus his second Answer is baffled which supposeth this Again if there were in this Meeting higher Officers than Presbyters he would needs grant that the ordaining Authority was not monopolized in one And thus 1. He affronts and excludes all his former Pleadings for the sole Authority of the Prelatical Bishop in Ordination 2. He asserts that all here imposing Hands did Authoritatively Concur and therefore none of them were mere Consenters as he alledges this Presbytrie was and this universally without Exception of any one of the Number And the Authority of the Action was not solely Pauls And thus again he hath given a deadly wound to his third Answer asserting so much In a word if all were Extraordinary Officers the sole Authority of the Prelat in Ordination a supposed ordinary Officer is no way concluded nor that of a Presbytrie impeached If they were all ordinary Officers this Ioynt Authoritative Concurrence cutts the throat of the Prelats arrogated sole Interest in Ordination If mixed Officers of a Superior and Inferior Order this Surveyer could give no shadow of a Reason wherefore the Pastors did not Authoritatively concurr I need not mention the common Maxim pleaded by some of his Party in a like Case Actiones sunt suppositorum the Authoritative Act is ascribed to the whole Collegiat Meeting or Presbytrie without the least shadow of a Distinction of the Interest and Authority of one Member from another and he hath before told us that non est distinguendum ubi lex non distinguit The Surveyer adds If he was ordained a Bishop as some of the most Learned Commentators of the Ancients do think as Chrysostom Theodoret Theophylact and Oecumenius That Presbytrie might be a Meeting of Bishops concurring according to their Mind in that work with the Apostle Paul Ans. The Surveyer striving against the Light of this Scripture is still more and more involved in the Briars Before he would needs have Timothy to receive but the Office of a Presbyter in this Ordination and thus he expresly paraphraseth the Text Neglect not the Gift which is given thee by the laying on of Hands whereby thou was ordained or made a Presbyter This he seteth down in distinct Characters as the Genuin Sense of the Text Now here he quits this post and will admit that he was ordained a Bishop For he Ownes and Defends the Sense of the Authors cited to this Scope so that we know not where to find this Proteus in these his inconsistent Answers Again if Bishops here concurred in this Ordination of a Bishop he wil grant that they all Authoritatively concurred and were not mere Consenters in the Action And thus again farewel his third Answer which monopolized this Authority in the person of Paul or else he must say that all these Bishops were Apostles Again if not Apostles but ordinary Officers then sure Paul put forth no Extraordinary Authority in this Case but acted as an ordinary Bishop and then it would puzzle this Surveyer to shew wherefore the Apostle imputs this Ordination to the Laying on of his Hands solelie or why upon our true Supposition which he cannot disprove viz. That the persons concurring were Pastors or Presbyters the presence of Paul or the laying on of his Hands did swallow up or exclude their Authority rather than that of a supposed Bishops in this Matter As for the Authors mentioned it is above made appear that they spoke of Scripture Church Officers according to the Practice and Style of their own Times The Surveyer calls this a foul Imputation as if they did wrest the Scriptures to colour the Practice of their own times Ans. Here again the Surveyer is put upon this pitiful Dilemma viz. either he must disowne the Comment of these Ancients and yeeld to the Strength of this Objection which truely makes the best Apology for this Exposition or else he must acknowledge that his preceeding Answers puts him under this foul Imputation of palpable wresting the Holy Scriptures to patronize the Antiscriptural Hierarchical Prelat and imputs the same to these Fathers For it is evident to any that reads his Answers that these Fathers Sense of this Text and his foregoing Answers are Antipods yea and cross and destroy one another The Sense and Comments of these Fathers which he is so Zealous in defending makes Timothy to have received an Episcopacy in his Ordination His first Answer makes him to be ordained only a Presbyter His third Answer makes the Authority of Ordaining to be only the Apostle Pauls and the rest of the Meeting to be but Consenters The Comment of these Fathers makes them all to concurr with Official Authority For such certainly that of Diocesan Bishops is held to be The Comment of these Fathers makes the Members of the Meeting such Bishops as had every one of them Authority over a Diocess and consequently over many Congregations His first Answer makes them all Congregational Elders and crouds them within the small Circuits of one Paroch Now this Surveyer might or any of his way may still call in Vulcans Gymmerers to sodder these Assertions with themselves and with the Fathers Comments if they can That the Expressions of the Fathers touching Scripture Church Officers were of that Mould as is said hath been made good by several of the Learned and