yet the quite contrary is so plain in the Writings of the Ancients down from the very Apostles that even Epiphanius himself could not be ignorant thereof Neither are his Deductions from Scripture more solid than his Allegation of the Suffrages of the Catholick Church is true all he brings from Scripture being 1 Tim. 5. 1. and 19. but he so grossy abuses these Scriptures that even Spalatensis himself and the ablest Patrons of Prelacy are ashamed of these Inferences But Epiphanius had less exposed himself had he as he did in the Matter of Lents set Fasts Prayer and Sacrifice for the Dead and other such his dear and beloved Doctrines pretended only to Tradition and so the Lettice should have been fitted for the Lips and also his miserable weakness have been less apparent § 6. And though in the last place to render Presbytry more odious they still upbraid us with the Arrianism of Aërius we need be little concern'd therewith seeing we have the greatest Opposers of Arrians intirely Aërians to speak in the stile of our Opposits in the matter of Presbytry as we have already shewed But I must here add that it is upon no good Ground believed that ever Aërius was Arrian all the Schisms and Divisions though but very small among the Arrians themselves are diligently described by the Historians of these times as Ruffinus Socrates Sozomen Theodoret Theodorus Lector Philostâ—rgius and others but none of these or any others mention a word of the Schism of Aërius which if we believe Epiphanius was a Schism among the Arrians themselves for he tells us that Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia in Pontus from whom Aërius made the separation was a down-right Arrian and persisted therein till his Death Add hereto that Augustine and others who in their Catalogues of Hereticks mention Aërius still in their Preambles intimat that their Author is Epiphanius I name Augustine on the vulgar supposition that he is the Author of that tract de Heresibus which yet is very doubtfull seeing it 's altogether improbable that he ever heard off far less read Epiphanius his books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's altogether unprobable that they were then translated and it 's certain that Augustine was utterly unable to understand them in the Original Moreover we have in that Tractat Relations of the Nestorian and Eutichian Heresies not broached till after Augustine's Death Which Relations altho' some alledge to have been added by another to the rest which they think to be really Augustines yet seeing they are no less then the rest handed down under his Name tho' they now stand there as an Appendix for in the end of the Pelagian Heresie which is the last before the Appendix he promises more make a good proof that it 's not easie to discern the genuine part of that Tractat from the Spurious However this be from what is said the matter of Aërius resolves into this Issue that we have only the report thereof from Basilius and Epiphanius § 7. But that discourse of Basilius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which Aërius is mention'd is suspected well nigh condemn'd by Erasmus And to confirm what he asserts Robert Cock in his Censure of the Fathers adds divers Reasons as I am inform'd by Rivet for I have not perus'd Cock himself neither need I seeing in all that Tractat there is not the least mention of Aërius The ground of somes mistake was that instead of Aëtius who indeed was a most noted and pernicious Arrian by the escape of the Printer or some other accident the word Aërius had crept into Erasmus his Translation thereof But in the Original printed at Paris Anno MDXVIII there is Aëtius not Aërius They have saith he a certain old Quibble from Aëtius the head of his Heresie And indeed Basil could never have term'd Aërius or any thing said by him ancient seeing he was scarcely so old as Basil himself As for Epiphanius if we consider the Passion wherewith he manages the Debate with Aërius and his great credulity of whatever might favour his own Cause and his many Mistakes in Historical Matters he deserves little Credit in this Matter A mighty Tide of Passion which both blinds Mens eyes and opens their Ears to false Reports visibly appears in Epiphanius his whole conduct of the Dispute with Aërius and that he was most credulous believing the most light and groundless Reports and in matters of Fact of all men most frequently fell into Mistakes is attested not only by Melchor Canus and Baron in many places of his Annals among the Papists but also by the learnedest of the Protestants as Casaubon whose words are Epiphanius was a great Man but as is very evident he did most easily believe every most silly and groundless Report To which also the learned Rivet assenteth § 8. One Instance whereof appears in his Relation of the Donatists whom either out of misinformation or some other weakness he accuses also of Arrianism and tells us that they agreed with Arrius in Doctrine and that one Refutation would serve for both § 9. Augustine indeed speaks as if some of them believed the Son to be less than the Father But as appears from the same Author they erred rather in expression than reality for he presently absolves them from the Charge and informs us that between the Church and them there was no Question concerning this Matter And elsewhere he imputes this dangerous Expression to Donatus their Leader who had used it in some of his Writings but tells us with all that his Party follow him not herein Neither saith Augustine shall ye readily find one among them all who knows that Donatus had any such Opinion And Optatus plainly declares that in the great Foundations of Christianity there was no difference between the Orthodox and Donatists And indeed it is acknowledg'd by all except Epiphanius that the Donatists were only guilty of Schism not of Heresie § 10. But Aërius they may object his Arrianism is sufficiently attested by what is recorded of Eustathius his Friend and Bishop and indeed Basil accuses Eustathius of Arrianism but for ought I remember the Historians of these times differ from Basil. § 11. They accuse Eustathius of Levity Deceit Macedonianism or the denial of the Holy Ghost's Divinity a most damnable Heresie yet different from Arrianism And herein also they represent him rather variable and unfixed than intirely wedded to this Heresie He once subscrib'd to the Orthodox Doctrine and was approv'd as such by Liberius the Bishop of Rome then Orthodox and other Catholick Christians But they write that he relapsed In the mean while when he was most for the Macedonians he said as he would not call the Holy-Ghost God so he durst not call him a Creature hence he may rather be counted among these who were most dangerously shaken than a down-right Macedonian and may for all is said of his
and Practice of John Knox who as our Author grants compil'd the first Book of Discipline wherein the Appointment and Duties of Superintendents are set down § 14. And indeed that Knox was truly Presbyterian is so manifest that untill now when Men have broke the bonds of all modesty and abandon'd themselves to averr every thing to be as they would have it was in neither hand call'd in question but Enemies no less than Friends either more indirectly or more plainly acknowledg'd it This was the Policy saith Spotswood desired to be ratifi'd It had been formed by John Knox partly in imitation of the Reformed Churches of Germany partly of that which he had seen in Geneva c. Nothing then from England which flatly contradicts our Author who throw no small part of his Book pretends to prove that all was taken especially from England Now what was the Government of the reformed Churches of Germany and Geneva I think few are ignorant And elsewhere Many good Men saith Spotswood have disliked some of Knox ' s Opinions as touching the Anthority of Princes and the Form of Government which he laboured to have established in the Church The Prelat indeed here as his custom is delivers the Truth as sparingly as may be yet not so but both Presbyterians can perceive and Hierarchicks must confess what is wrapt up in this forced Confession And while he endeavours yet more to obscure it by impertinently adding that Knox was alwayes urging the Obedience of Ministers to their Superintendents he only hereby shews that he was loath the World should know that he had been forc'd to Confess that Knox was really a Presbyterian But their own dearest Friends and Brethren gave Testimony against them Knox say they was of the Consistorian stamp These sc. Gilby Goodman and Whittingham led the dance in England Knox in Scotland and at this day our Presbyterians do but write after their Copy professing the same Principles pretending the same Scruples and beyond doubt proposing the same end Let me be understood likewise by Presbyterians to intend these of the Scotish Race to whom we are beholden for our Discipline That Faction first advanc'd it self by popular Tumult and Rebellion Knox learned the Trick of it at Geneva and brought it into Scotland I forbear to cite others see in lieu of many Heylin's History of the Presbyterians who is most ample to this purpose I only Note how various Methods have been us'd to destroy our Reformed Religion The Papists when the Divine Light of the Gospel began to break throw their Babilonish Foggs to other means for extinguishing thereof added that of lying reproaching and bespattering most odiously our first Reformers endeavouring to ridicul and expose together with their Doctrine their Discipline also and Government which they saw like to obtain amongst most of the reformed and which sometimes in scorn they named after Geneva but they were open and profess'd Enemies and so the Net was laid in sight of the Bird A new Squadron must be added who under the name of Protestant may better manage the Romish Design Tuta frequensque Via est per amici fallere nomen These in the mean while with open mouth proclaim'd this Truth that Knox and the rest of our first Reformers in Scotland were no less than Calvin Beza and such transmarine Propagators of the Gospel truly Presbyterian and as they scornfully spoke fiery Zelots of tâ—e new holy Genevan Discipline And on this very account threw upon them all the Iniquity Aspersion and Infamy their black Art could invent or the spirit of Lies and Malice suggest Yet with all good Men and true Protestants they effected nothing save to bring themselves into just suspicion of being masked Romanists some of 'em therefore of late find it there interest to alter their Method to forbear somewhat to utter their wonted Calumnies and Malice against the persons of our Reformers for as for speaking any good of 'em we shall most rarely find them do it or if ever 't is done with so much coldness and lameness and with such mixtures of detraction that they appear content that the Reader believe them not and resolved to pull back with the one hand what they were compell'd to give with the other and in the mean while averr with an unparallel'd confidence that these our Reformers were never for the Genevan way as they call it were never for Parity of Pastors or Presbyterian Government that so they may the more securely follow the steps of the former and vent their splene at both Government and Discipline and yet be less obnoxious to suspicion of driving Rome's interest But 't is to be hop'd they shall not speed well seeing herein they only endeavour to darken the Sun to contradict what 's known and believ'd all Europe-over And loudly finally to give the lie to their own dearest Friends § 15. Now to their second Objection which is from the Superintendents which together with whatever else they advance from this Argument we having thus evinc'd that Knox whose Judgement is confessedly of such moment in the present Case was truly Anti-prelatick might without just blame have neglected it melts quite away if we remember that this practice was only a temporary expedient during the unsettl'd condition of the Church The Objection dwindles also to nothing on this account that tho' our Reformers had design'd the perpetual use of Superintendents yet these toto coelo as they say differ'd from Diocesan Prelats so that notwithstanding hereof the Government was really Presbyterian or without ought that can be call'd Imparity The former of these our Answers is plainly set down in the first Book of Discipline If the Ministers say our Reformers whom God hath endowed with his singular Graces amongst us should be appointed to several places there to make their continual residence that then the greatest part of the Realm should be destitute of all Doctrine which should not only be the occasion of great murmur but also be dangerous to the Salvation of many And therefore we have thought it a thing most expedient at this time that from the whole number of Godly and learned Men now presently in this Realme be Selected ten or twelve for in so many Provinces we have divided the whole to whom Charge and Commandment should be given to Plant and Erect Kirks to set order and appoint Ministers as the former Order prescribes to the Countries that shall be appointed to their care where none are now This was but too plain and therefore is much curtail'd by Spotswood as our Author who dwells long on this Objection from Superintendents cannot deny He therefore takes a new Way and thus glosses the Passage If I mistake not saith he the true gloss of this Period will amount to no more than this that because there were then so few Men qualifi'd for the Office of Superintendency tho' ten or twelve were by far too small
NAZIANZENI QUERELA ET VOTUM JUSTUM The Fundamentals of the HIERARCHY examin'd and disprov'd Wherein the choicest Arguments and Defences of the most applauded and latest Hierarchick or Prelatick Writers A. M. D. D. the Author of An Enquiry into the New Opinions chiefly propagated by the Presbyterians in Scotland the Author of the Fundamental Charter of Presbytry examin'd disprov'd and many others are sincerely expended the Plea they bring from Ignatius's Epistles more narrowly discuss'd many things much enlightening this Controversy either not at all or not so fully hitherto unfolded are from ancient Church-Writers and other unsuspected Authors advanc'd By William Jameson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Would to God there were no Prelacy no Prerogative of Place no Tyrannical Priviledges that by Vertue alone we might be discerned Now this Right and Left Hand and midle Rank these higher and lower Dignities and this Statelike Precedence have caused many fruitless Conflicts and Bruises have cast many into the Pit and carri'd away Multitudes to the place of the Goats Gregorius Nazianzenus Orat. 28. GLASGOW Printed by Robert Sanders for the Author Anno DOM. 1697. The Introduction to all the sincere Lovers of the Christian truly Catholick Protestant Principles and the Haters of Romish Dross and Innovations but Chiefly to these of the Church of SCOTLAND I Can truly say I am so far from loving a Salamandra's Life the line of Contention or Controversie for Controversie's sake as to pray earnestly that all our intestine Heats and Strugglings may resolve into that happy and lawfull Striving how each of us may best please him that has called us unto Holiness Peace and that there be no Provocation save unto Love and to good Works My main End is only to Dis-abuse my Protestant Brethren mislead by some who are so uncharitable as to Vn-church and Damn the greater and better part of the Reformed because they imbrace not as Divine that which at best is but of Humane Device and who thus conspire with the mortal Enemies of all Protestants against these of 'em whom the common and unsatiable Adversaries most implacably hate for above all others the Presbyterian Puritans as they speak are acknowledg'd to be most irreconcilable to the Roman Catholick Doctrine and on this account the prime Object of their Malice This is obvious in the Writings of the Romanists but chiefly in these of the Jesuites witness to name no more Petavius in his books of the Hierarchy and Appendix thereto and another Papist the Author of Presbytries Triall prime Armories whence our present Adversaries fetch most of their weapons The Papists in this as in many things else are followed by the Quakers as is evident from most of their Pamphlets but more especially from a pretended Answer to a part of a Book wherein I gave some further Discoveries than had been already made of the Impieties and Self-contradictions of that Sect. This Answer they for I do not think that it belongs all to one Parent name The Plow-man rebuking the Priest of which I can say with with the Prophet Jeremiah that I have suffer'd Rebuke for my God's sake and with Job can take mine Adversaries Book on my shoulder and bind it as a Crown to me having receiv'd all along thro't in stead of a Confutation a most strong Confirmation of the Truth of the Doctrine I propugn'd and much more ground to abhorr the Impieties of Quakerism and to bless God who hath brought to pass that their very Attempts to palliat their Abominations proved a further Detection thereof Read pray earnestly and compare it with mine and you shall find them most frequently yealding the whole Controversy as also overskipping the marrow of what I had adduc'd and yet anon triumphing as if they had never in the least been guilty of such dealling you shall find that the most pardonable pieces of their Book are wild Gibberies extravagant Roveries meer Impertinencies palpable Perversions loud Lies Heresies Blasphemies and in a ward a lump of stuff so Atheisticall that it proclaims the Authors neither to fear God nor regard man never to have consulted Conscience nor to have remembred of future Judgement or of the account they must give at the tremenduous Tribunal of God Yet all this is but what I expected and is not unworthy of these who with Satan's sworn Slaves renounce their Holy Baptism and therewith whatsoever is constitutive of a Christian. For a further Manifestation whereof hear the Quakers themselves who are now split into Factions to wit into Keithians after George Keith a prime Pillar of Quakerism and Foxonians as they 're called These reckon the Keithian Quakers for lost and call G. K. Brat of Babylon Apostate worse than prophane a Liar Devil one that always endeavoured to keep down the Power of Truth gone into a spirit of Enmity foaming out his own shame without the Fear of God before his Eyes a Preacher of two Christs c. Again G. K. who is herein approv'd by his Keithian Quakers calls them Fools ignorant Heathens Infidels Liars Hereticks rotten Ranters persecuting Quakers And informs us that no such damnable Heresies c are tolerated in any Christian Society as are among many called Quakers For Example that they deny the Day of Judgement and any Resurrection but what they have already attained that they make the Light sufficient without any thing else excluding the Man Christ Jesus and his Obedience Death and Resurrection Ascension and Mediation for us in Heaven I am grieved writes J. Humphrey's to hear some say they expect to be justifi'd by that Blood which was shed at Jerusalem Wherein as G. K. shews he 's patroniz'd by not a few Another great Zelot among the Quakers said and affirmed boldly saith G. K. that he expected not to be saved by that which di'd at Jerusalem to wit the Man Christ. And again G. K. calls them Pelagians and Deists And To many of the Quakers saith G. K. all are Christians to wit Jews Mahumetans Painims in whom any good seed of Religion appeareth and which they say is from Christ yea is Christ himself And Many yea the most or rather almost all the Ministers among the Quakers very few excepted do affirm that this inward Light is sufficient to bring forth the new Birth and to give eternall Salvation without any thing without us that is without the man Christ that was outwardly born and crucified and rose again whom some of their Ministers in my hearing hath called an outward thing a shell a husk that doth little or nothing profit us and the Faith of which doth nothing profit us And William Penn continues G. K. in that Meeting at Ratcliff where he falfly called me an Apostate did publickly proclaim after this manner Friends said he I see no great need of preaching the Faith of Christ's Death and Sufferings for all England and all Christendom hath that Faith and it doth not profit them But
the Faith which profiteth Men is the Faith of Christ within and that Friends preach Let now saith G. K. the Author judge or any other intelligent Person professing Christianity whether William Penn hath not sufficiently by these words proved himself an Apostate from the Christian Faith Thus you have a taste for it is no more compar'd with what I could produce of Quakerism from the Quakers themselves Surely most admirable and adorable is divine Providence in so prodigiously strange and clear a Detection of these infernal Blasphemies and Abominations from the very Mouths of the chief Actors themselves to the end doubtless that all may hear and fear tremble and quake indeed to meddle in the least with these Quakers least God as is the Lot of these Wretches by giving them up to so strange Delusions and damnable Lies make their Plagues wonderfull May God mercifully grant as the Effect of this Discovery that the sound and stable Christians may regard the Operations of his Hand and give due Praise to him that preserves them from so deadly an Infection that the Weak may be confirm'd in their Belief of these Divine Verities which are reveal'd in the Holy Scriptures and that these who are catch'd in the Gin may yet escape like a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowler But of Quakers enough only I must repeat that I cannot think my Plow-man to be the sole Author of the Book that bears his Name no I think some good part thereof belongs to some who own neither Name nor Profession of Quakerism It 's true they hate all Protestants and chiefly Presbyterians yet there is in that Book something singular its Author appears rather to have studi'd the blackning and bespattering of Presbytry than either the Defence or Palliation of Quakerism for in lieu hereof I find in many places only Libells larded with such Lies Calumnies and Slanders as the more invective Romanists and other invective Hierarchicks used to throw at all true Protestants but mainly at the Puritan Presbyterians There is moreover in some places more plainly express'd but all along couch'd yet obvious enough to the observant a warmth and kindness for these of the Hierarchick or Prelatical Principles In a word much of the Book breaths forth another Species or sort of Malignancy than is that of Quakerism a Malignancy peculiar to the Author of Presbytries Triall and such professed Romanists to Heylen and Le Strange and such barefac'd Papaturians much rather than to these more fallacious and spiritual Antichristians Neither can any sensible Man earnestly read their Book and not perceive so much Strange Cann't they not uphold their Hierarchy except they thus study to undermine Christianity and join with its deadly Enemies and that too with such Varlets of 'em whose Brutishness and molish despicableness as was the good fortune of Aesop's Ass are their only security and set them too low for any Man to nottice them I 'm also inform'd that the pretended Author us'd to have most closs and frequent Converse with an Episcopal Minister of no mean Rank Moreover seeing many of the Prelatists oppose the sometimes receiv'd Sentiments yea and common Articles of the Church of England for which they pretend such Veneration by Espousing with Papists Quakers and the like Opposers of Truth the Tenets of Pelagians and Arminians no great wonder tho' they syncretize with such Sectaries against the Presbyterian Calvinians as they speak and accordingly the Neopelagian Hierarchicks for there are Episcopals surely of a better Mind and Judgement more Orthodox make a third Squadron of this unsanctifi'd Army and in Railing Antichristian Sophistry and such unworthy Methods labour to come short of neither Quakers nor Papists Such a black Combination would well nigh move one to say of Presbyterians as Tertullian said of Christians There must needs saith he be some good thing among Christians seeing they were chiefly persecuted by such a Monster as Nero. It 's a sign of your greater Glory saith Hierome to Augustine that all the Hereticks abhorr you And here I cannot but nottice how the Author of The fundamental Charter of Presbytry c. having most untruly insinuated as if we ascribed to our first Reformers an Impeccability and espoused every particular Sentiment or Expression of every one of 'em as infallible no less falsly gives out and earnestly studies to perswade the World that all these our first Reformers and especially Mr. Knox were nothing but a pack of treacherous bloody Rebels and most odious Men see to name no other places from page 334. to 346. and is not this sufficient Evidence that the Author has a large measure of the Spirit of Ham the curs'd Exposer of his Father's nakedness but he knows who'll thank him Hoc Italus velit magno mercetur Abaddon The matter is these Men are much grieved that ever we were fre'd from Rome's Tyranny and Superstition and so know not how to be even with these precious Instruments of that our most happy and admirable Deliverance Another of their Arts is that they use boldly to pretend the Doctrine of their Hierarchy to be most Catholick and absolutely necessary and so Vn-church most of the reformed Churches and which is no less Vn-christian they strive to support it with such Arguments as equally serve to establish an universal Papacy Again they use to English these Romish Sophisms and yet quite dissemble the Answers and Refutations the Reform'd have giv'n thereto as to name no more is the constant Practice of A. M. D. D. Moreover they now darr to assert contrary to the acknowledgement of all Men and the Concessions of the greatest Prelatists that our first Reformers were of the Prelatical Perswasion They would possess Men with the same thoughts of the Transmarine Reformers and therefore among other Means to effect it they use to work on the necessituousness or ambition of some forraign Protestants as the Romanists do on needy Greeks and other Easterns and bribe them to publish for the receiv'd Doctrine of the Churches they were bred in what is quite contrary to their known and common Sentiments and publick Confessions I only give some Examples of these their Arts for who can recount them all this is certain that if ye ransack and unfold their Methods you shall find none of 'em without some noteable Cheat and fallacy at bottom Their Hierarchy leans on three Props as its fundamental Supporters The first is their wretch'd perversion of some Scriptures the second is their Fancy that it still obtain'd in the primitive Church the third that 't was believ'd by all Ages to be of Apostolick Institution These Conceits are the very Fundamentals of the Hierarchy which I here examine and as I trust disprove and accordingly so Intitulat the subsequent Papers I repeat as little as is possible of what has been said before and especially meet with the Hierarchys most applauded and latest Asserters and among these A. M. D. D. and the Author of
62 Knox alloweth no Prelacy to England 66 He exhorts the English to embrace a Church-government and Discipline altogether Antiprelatical 67 The Assemblies letter 1566. vindicated from this Author 's pretended allowance of Prelacy 69 Knox acknowledged by the fiercest Prelatists to be truly Presbyterian 70 Superintendents in Scotland a temporary expedient The nullity of this Author's reasons to the contrary detected 72 The falsness of his Gloss of our first Book of discipline largely demonstrated 76 Superintendency not really inconsistent with parity This Authors unchristian rallery his overthrowing of the great principle of Hierarchicks are discovered and his bottomless cavills enervated 77 The stock of Prerogatives he pretends to have belonged to Superintendents evinced to be unserviceable to his design of giving Superintendents a superiority over their Pastors 81 He at once yields the whole cause and clasheth with himself Our first Reformers their opposition to and hatred of Prelacy's being damnable demonstrated The Helvetian and other 〈◊〉 Churches opposite to Prelacy as beeing destitute of Scripture-foundation 86 SECT IX The forraign Reformed Churches truly Presbyterian The Judgement of Luther and Lutherans 89 The mind of Calvin and those called Calvinists both in their private capacities and confessions of the most famous Churches 90 Specimens of the chiefest objections adduced and removed where the uncandide dealing of our Adversaries is unfolded 91 Who yet are forced to acknowledge the truth of our assertion 95 The eminent Opposers of Popery before Luther truly Presbyterian 96 The first Reformers and body of the Church of England at that time for no divine right of Prelacy where some of Saravia's qualities are noted Ibid. SECT X. Some of the manifold Inconveniences attending Prelacy briefly mentioned A Spirit of Persecution still attended it 98 The Principles of Prelacy and practise of Prelatists most Schismatical Ibid. It 's native tendency to introduce Popery 99 And to a Papal Domination and enslaving of the Kingdom 100 The spite and hatred the Hierarchicks shew against our Reformation from Popery their impiety and affection to Popery Ibid. Dr. Burnets exceptions from the Regulars theâ—r trampling on the Bishops and the dealing of the Papalines at the Council of Trent enervated 102 Another exception or retortion of this Author cashier'd 105 Lousness and Prophanity the constant attendent of Prelacy 106 PART II. SECT I. Of Ignatius and his Epistles Papists and other Hierarchicks make a fairer appearance from humane than from Divine Writings 109 A short account of Ignatius and of the Epistles bearing his name 110 Various Editions thereof Ibid. Our Adversaries now acknowledge to be spurious that they once gave out for genuine where of the Florentine Copy 111 Debates among the Learned concerning it Ibid. The unhandsome arts of our Adversaries to free themselves of further dispute 112 The great Confidence they place in Ignatius 113 Three Hypothese laid down according to each whereof Ignatius becomes unserviceable to the Prelatists Ibid. SECT II. The first Hypothesis viz. that Ignatius is at best interpolated Writings pretending to greatest proximity to either Old or New Testament carry most manifest signs of spuriousness in which Divine Providence is observed 114 Their Epistolick Ignatius's want of Apostolick Gravity and Humility his enslaving of the People and flattering yea deifying of all Church-men 115 Dr. Pearsons Exceptions removed 119 Du Pin's self-repugnancy 121 Dr. Wake 's Error discovered 122 A brief sum of the Arguments evincing our assertion 124 Other things very early falsly father'd on Ignatius Ibid His Journey to Rome uncredible 125 SECT III The second Hypothesis viz. That the Antiquity of the true Ignatius could not secure him from all Lapses or Escapes nor serve to prove that there were no declension in his time Whole Churches suerving during the life of the Apostles themselves They grew worse after their death 126 Papias's mistakes and multitude of Followers 127 The failings of Justine Martyr and Irenaus Ibid. The influence they had on the Church The common mistakes of these times in Practicks no less than in Dogmaticks which is instanc'd in their debate about Easter 128 Both parties went contrare to the Apostolick practice which is proved by clear Testimonies of Iranus and Socrates 129 Their strange conduct in managing this debate who Metamorphosed some Apostles into Jewish High-Priests 130 The Credulity and Oseitancy of Hegesippus 131 We are to hearken to God before the chiefest of Men. Divine providence observable in the mistakes of the Ancients 132 SECT IV. The third Hypothesis that there is no real disagreement but a true concord betwixt the Doctrine of Ignatius and that of the present Presbyterians They are reconcil'd by sustaining the Hypothesis of ruling Elders which Office is vouched to be of greatest Antiquity and where Ambrose or Hilary is vindicated against Dr. Field 134 Ignatius most express for the reciprocation of a Bishop and a Pastor of one Congregation 136 Our Adversaries yield the whole Controversy where Dr. Maurice's Mist is dispelled 138 Vindiciae Ignatianae destroy their Authors ultimate design 140 SECT V. The Objections they pretend to bring from Scripture against the Doctrine now deduced from Ignatius removed D. M's reasonings for the Diocesan Episcopacy of Timothy and Titus annihilated 140 No power properly Apostolick ordinary and permanent in the Church 143 Willet's answer to the Iebusites vindicated against their Advocat D. M. 147 The Office and nature of an Evangelist declared out of the Ancients 148 D. Mâ—s mutilation and perversion of Eusebius 149 That Timothy Titus were Evangelists and not Diocesan Bishops made out from Scripture Ibid. Apostles and Evangelists degraded by the Hierarchicks 150 Their Arguments for Timothy and Titus their Diocesan-ship houghed by the very Authors in whom they most confide both ancient and modern Ibid. Their Argument from the Asian Angels several ways overthrown and D. M's shifts and perversions expunged 151 Malach. 2. 7. vindicated against Dr. Hammond 153 His Correction of the receiv'd Greek Coppy of Rev. 2. 24. corrected D. M's strange and wild Gloss. Ibid. Salmasius vindicated against him and the mind of Presbyterians concerning Apocalyptick Angels fully sustain'd by Scripture and Fathers 154 The best of our Adversaries really acknowledge Episcopacy destitute of Scripture warrant Dr. Hammond wholly destroys Episcopacy while he attempts to establish it 155 SECT VI. Our meaning of Ignatius confirmed from the writings of the Apostles his immediate Ancestors Acts 20. v. 17 28 vindicated against Dr. Maurice and others who are by the ears among themselves 157 Philippians 1. 1. vindicated where the Diocesanists their Digladiations are exposed 158 Philippi no Metropolis where Dr. Maurice his weakness is detected the fiction of the existence of Metropoles in the Apostolick age exploded by the Hierarchy's truest friends Dr. Maurice's slippery dealing 159 The first to Timothy 3. vindicated against Bellarmine and his Friend D. M. 162 As is also Titus 1. 164 SECT VII The grand objection taken from the Commentaries of the Ancients The primitive Doctors
of Mentz who only informs us that the Heresie of Aërius consisted in despising Sacrifices for the Dead From all which to me it 's more than probable that there 's no ground to believe that ever Aërius Arrianiz'd Section VII No Diocesan Bishops in several Ancient Churches THo' their Argument brought from Antiquity be already satisfi'd we shall yet give some Instances of Churches which for several Centuries were really without Diocesan Bishops St. Patrick the Irish Apostle is commonly said to have ordain'd several hundreds of Bishops in Ireland who I 'm sure could not be Diocesans Dr. Maurice being displeas'd with this Instance rejects Nennius the Author from whom we have the account of St. Patrick's ordaining 365 Bishops as fabulous But it 's not in their accounts of the numbers of Bishops but of the Deeds and Miracles wrought by Bishops and others of their Saints that the fabulousness of the Writers of these times is commonly to be observ'd He next quarrels with the common reading of that Author alledging that He speaks only of the Bishops in France and Britain in communion with St. Patrick not of his Irish Bishops But I think we may in such critical Learning give Bishop Vsher the Preference who neither judg'd this Book fabulous nor its common reading to be suspected And this account of the great number of Ancient Irish Bishops is strongly confirm'd by what Clarkson cites out of Bernard and Baron shewing that there were well nigh as many Bishops as Churches This the Doctor passes over in silence which was scarce fair enough dealling Neither can the Doctor 's ordinary salvo viz. that the Practice was not generally approv'd nor of primitive Constitution here serve them for whatsoever differ'd from the Roman Model was presently made a Novelty And tho' Bernard and Lanfranc dislike the Practice of having so many Bishops yet they adventure not to instance any time wherein the Irish had been rul'd by a few Diocesans And lastly the Authors most regardable herein inform us that this Practice of having so many Bishops had place even in St. Patrick's time and meer infancy of the Irish Church § 2. Most visible footsteps of this also appear in the African Church during the time of Cyprian for in that Council of Carthage where he presided there was no smal number of Bishops conveen'd tho' doubtless there were many moe Bishops in Africk who could not be all Diocesans seeing few then were Christians in Africk save a small part of the Roman Colonies only Yea the hamlets and villages these Bishops had for their Jurisdictions are so obscure that the learn'd Pamelius is at a stand where to place them And long after in the time of the Vandalick Persecution as Victor Vticensis relates there were in the Zeugitan or proconsular Province alone 164 Bishops others reckon moe Now this was but a small part of what the Romans possess'd in Africk and few beside the Roman Colonies were at that time Christian for the Moors or old Africans who beside what they had in the Cities possess'd almost the whole Country are by the same Victor without exception call'd Gentiles and many of the Romans themselves had not yet imbrac'd Christianity Now subduce from that small number of the Zeugitan Province who were Christians the many Arrians and other Hereticks and Schismaticks whom these Bishops did not reckon as a part of their Flocks and surely there shall scare be found so many as to make up above 164 Parishes Dr. Maurice tells us that all the African Bishops in Cyprian's time could not have suppli'd the Dioceses of one Province in the V or VI Century Which if true is a strong Confirmation of what we plead for viz. that they then were nothing less than Diocesans seeing as is now evident there were even in the fifth Century but a very small number of Christians in Africk compar'd with the rest of the Inhabitans And in Cyprian's time it may well be judg'd that there were some hundreds of Bishops in the Roman Africk But in such Cases not the extent of Bounds but number of Souls is to be considered Wherefore he should be a wild Reasoner that should conclude from Africa's having a dozen or such a number of Bishops or Pastors for surely there were but few at the entry of Christianity that there needed be no more afterward and so make that number the Standard to discern how many Bishops by primitive Right were to be plac'd in all Africa And this is a Kin to what he says elsewhere that tho' there were Bishops in small Towns this was not the primitive State of the Church it may be indeed nor yet at the first entry of the Gospel were there Bishops in most part of the great Towns but was this for fear of Multiplication of Dioceses no surely but these few were all could be then gotten The substance of his Answer here is that Africa was most large fertile popolous The first of which is readily granted but the second not so easily much of these Regions being more fertile of sand and Serpents than of Corn and Wine and this in part discredits the third seeing so much as was barren is not to be suppos'd Popolous wherefore it 's surprising to find him making the Old Roman Africk more Popolous than France is now He supposes that Africk had but 500 Bishops and yet might have 40000 villages But I answer that if the villages were considerable and had Christian Inhabitants for otherways this is nothing to this purpose then had Africk 40000 Bishops for H. Thorndick acknowledges that Bishops in Africk were so plentifull that every good village must needs be the Seat of an Episcopal Church Which words of H. Thorndick are cited by Clarkson but dissembl'd by the Doctor In the mean while I can find nothing which can shake what I have said above or overturn as for example what I have noted from Victor's words and oblige me to lessen my substraction Add to what is said the words of Dr. Burnet In St. Augustin's time saith he it appears from the journals of a Conference he had with the Donatists that there were about five hundred Bishopricks in a small tract of ground But we need not cross Seas in pursuit of ancient Churches free of Diocesans seeing our Country Scotland affords us so luculent a proof of our Assertion The words of Prosper Aquitanicus in his Chronicle annex'd to that of Eusebius and Hierome are most clear and cogent Palladius saith he is ordain'd by Pope Coelestine for the Scots that had already believ'd in Christ and is sent to them to be their first Bishop Never was a passage of any Historian more universally believ'd than this of Prosper which Beda◠and a MS. Chronicle of Scotland in the Library of Glasgow yea the whole stream of Historians repeat and approve but none more amply and plainly than Cardinal Baron whose words are
acting most rationally and only recovering her own Right when at any time she expell'd Prelacy together with all its Innovations § 9. There is yet another Advocat of the Party whose look is more stout than his Fellows We shall try if his reason be answerable to his confidence I mean A M. D. D. I shall design him D. M. The Author of a late Book call'd An Enquiry into the New Opinions chiefly propagated by the Presbyterians in Scotland Who in opposition to the Defender of the Vindication of the Church Scotland handles the same Argument at large and supposes as a main Ground of his Discourse that his Antagonist denies that there is any force in Argumento negativo To require saith D. M. that a matter of Fact be attested by competent Witnesses is in the language of our Author to raze the Foundation of all History He spends therefore about 14 pages to prove that a negative Argument in some Cases may have place But vainly seeing the Author of the Vindication does not once insinuat that a negative Argument can in no Cases be us'd or that to require competent Witnesses in a matter of Fact is to raze the Foundation of all History Yea he believ'd that there were Witnesses so competent for his Assertion that no Argument whither negative or of whatsoever kind else shall ever be able to darken their Testimony and that we have as good ground for our ancient Church her being without Bishops as for any other part of our Nations Antiquities And indeed the Argument the Apologist whom D. M. would vindicat us'd levels at all parts of our ancient History no less then at the thing under debate The Argument was There were none that lived near that age that wrote the History of it and the Monks who wrote any thing were extreamly ignorant Now this if it do any thing to the Author's purpose equally shakes and overthrows all parts of our ancient History seeing with the like force and success it may be brought against any of ' em Justly therefore repones the Defender of the Vindication that this is at one blow to raze the Foundation of the History of our Nation and that of most others and to make them all to be Fools who have enquired into these Antiquities that concern our Nation and others such as Fordon Major Beda Usher c. whereto all D. M. rejoins is that many collateral proofs may be brought from the Roman Historians that the Scots inhabited that part of Britain long before the imaginary period of his Presbyterian Church And the manner of reckoning the Scotish Genealogies at their Marriages their Births and other remarkable Solemnities was an infallible conveyance of true constant and perpetual Traditions Their Bards whose Science it was to repeat those Genealogies upon solemn Occasions to celebrat their greatest Atchievements in verse could not add one to the number of their Kings but upon the Death of his Predecessor But in all his Discourse there is wrapt up a concession of all the Defender of the Vindication charg'd on the Apologist seeing he evidently intimats that unless it be assertin'd some other way nothing in any of our Countries Historians merits any credit And to confirm this I except saith he against all the three viz. Fordon Major and Boethius that none of 'em could be a competent Witness in Affairs of that nature at so great a distance from their own time unless they had named the Authors and Records upon whose Testimony their Relation was founded As to his mentioning of collateral Proofs c. it is a meer Sham seeing if once we yeeld with him that no credit is due to any of our Monuments now extant except what is confirm'd by some exotick Records how sorry an account have we of any of our Antiquities of whatsoever kind which forraign Testimonies notwithstanding may if compar'd with our Writers give light to our Histories I 'm sure moreover notwithstanding of whatsoever old Traditions or Bard's verses are mention'd all or surely most of these now being lost or tho' extant mostly unintelligible our Royal Line could never be asserted without ascribing to our Writers both the reach and integrity of able and faithfull Historians And yet D. M. is not afraid to compare his Apologist negative Argument to another of Eusebius lib. 3. Where saith D. M. by this very Argument he overthrows the authority of several Books that some would impose upon the Church meerly because they were not duely attested and none ef the Ancients brought any Testimonies from them But Eusebius saw and perus'd these Ancients who either directly or occasionally mention'd all the Canonical Books and so justly their silence overthrew the Authority of the Spurious and baffl'd the credit of their Imposers but has D. M. or his Apologist seen or perus'd all the Monuments from which our Historians took their materials and which were lost long before either of them were born Can they from these Records tho' they would fain do 't rub shame upon all the Historians of our Countrey as a creu of lying Forgers seeing then that this is impoâ—â—ible to be done and that as the Advocat has solidly made out they were men of sufficient Candor and Reputation seeing they us'd many ancient Reeords now lost and were of sufficient Discretion and Knowledge to distinguish genuine from fictitious seeing they relate what we plead for with no less unanimity and concord than they do any thing else and either profess or sufficiently enough intimat that they brought all their Composours from ancient Records seeing that their Judgement is confirm'd by unsuspected Forerunners both ancient and modern yea and suffrages of all mankind who had ever any occasion to speak of this matter seeing what they relate is so far from being fabulous that our ancient Church-government they mention is sufficiently attested and acknowledg'd by the fiercest of our Adversaries to be truly Apostolick and seeing lastly as we have heard Prelacy for a long time after Palladius was of far less bulk and power in Scotland than in other Churches the Apologists negative Argument has just as much consanguinity with that of Eusebius as is between a down-right Paralogism and a solid Deduction yea I averr moreover that considering Prelacy was then at its Ela in Scotland and none of our Historians at least before Buchanan were Presbyterian nor could reap any Advantage by disobliging the Prelats any one of their Testimonies alone might give sufficient ground to believe that what they said was well founded on good and ancient Records § 10. But after a long and as himself truly says needless digression he comes to examine our Testimonies and will have Boethius to contradict the rest alledging that his meaning is not that Palladius was the first Bishop but only the first sent from Rome but of Boethius already Here D. M. falls foul on Blondel as a corrupter of Boethius because he said as out of him that the
Presbyters elected and ordain'd their Bishop There is nothing saith D. M. said by Boethius but that the Bishops were elected from among both the Priests and Monks And true it is there is no more said in the words D. M. cites but 't is as true that elsewhere Boethius expresly says that the Pastors Priests or Culdees themselves by common suffrage elected this Pontificem or Prefect Add hereto that if Boethius have said ought inadvertantly or obscurely he is to be correct'd or explain'd by the harmonious and most express Testimonies of Fordun Major Buchanan Craig and other such most learn'd of our Antiquaries all of whom are beyond scruple most positive for what we affirm § 11. Next he assaults Prosper's Testimony alledging that according to Baron Palladius was not sent to the Scots in Britain Baronius saith D. M. never thought that Palladius was sent by Pope Coelestine to the Scoto-Britanni but rather to the Irish. And whatever the Testimony of Prosper be Spondanus and Baronius leave the Vindicator for they understood Prosper ' s words of Palladius his mission to Ireland and not to that part of Britain which is now call'd Scotland To prove this his Assertion he adduces but which was his wisdom untranslated these words of Baron that he viz. Palladius was brought also into the Isle of Ireland but was soon taken away by Death is related by Probus who wrote the Deeds of St. Patrick Egregiously reason'd Probus saith that Palladius went once into Ireland therefore Baron thought the words of Prosper not at all to be understood of his coming into Scotland Surely this Author may be allow'd a chief place in their next Book of Sports for the Sabbath Yea these words that he was brought also c. seem clearly to hold forth that he was sent to another place beside out of which he came into Ireland and what place this was the immediatly preceeding words evince the same year and in the time of the same Consuls St. Prosper saith that Palladius was sent to the Scots being ordain'd the first Bishop That he continues Cardinal Baron was brought also into the Isle of Ireland c. Where 't is most evident that Baron distinguishes the Scots to whom Prosper saith Palladius was sent from the Inhabitants of Ireland But to cut off all further debate of this matter the Cardinal clearly demonstrats what we plead for while he expresly says that they highly honour Palladius his Relicts which are buri'd in the Mernes a Province of Scotland And the Cardinal continuing his Discourse of the same Scots whose first Bishop in his Judgement Prosper makes Palladius to have been saith that their late Queen viz. Mary was the Glory of the Catholick Faith and a Martyr but I insist not on a matter so evident the Advocat hath learn'dly made it out and prevented all such attempts of D. M. and the like Enemies of our Countrey § 12. He having thus abus'd Baron prepares next for the depravation of Prosper himself telling us that all that can be inferr'd is that Palladius was the first Bishop of the Roman mission But Prosper's words are clear and without any such limitation Palladius saith he is ordain'd by Pope Coelestine for the Scots that had already believed in Christ and is sent to them to be their first Bishop Behold our very Assertion and why we should yeeld it and in lieu thereof imbrace its contrary I am yet to learn He adds that as soon as the Pope aspired to his unlimited and universal Supremacy there were several Bishops sent to other Churches already constituted not to introduce Episcopacy which was the Government of the universal Church but rather a subjection to and uniformity with the Roman See But tho' all this were as true as some of it is false it 's nothing to the purpose except he find good Authors wherein a Bishop sent to a People who not only were Christians but also govern'd by Bishops before he came is called without restriction their first Bishop And Boethius continues D. M. understood the History of Palladius in this sense Which tho' 't were yeelded stands him in little stead seeing all the Historians Antiquaries of our Countrey and as we have heard from Card. Baron with whom joins our learn'd Advocat all men every-where else understand Prosper in the sense we plead for believing that there was no Bishop in Scotland before Palladius But 't will not satisfie D. M. to wrest Prosper's words except he also at once overthrow his whole Chronicle telling us that it is not thought by the learned to be the genuine Work of Prosper All he brings for this is a conjecture of Petrus Pithoeus fancying that the Chronicle ascrib'd to Prosper appended to that of Eusebius Hierome is of a different stile from that of a confus'd fragment which he took for a part of the true Prosper's Chronicle wherein there is nothing concerning Palladius But why the meer conjecture of one man should be enough to discredit that Chronicle so universally ascrib'd to Prosper I leave to the Judgment of the learned Vossius indeed mentions this fragment but if it be preferable to the vulgar Copy determines not neither for ought I know did ever any save D. M. embrace this faint Conjecture of Pithoeus and indeed there must be brought incomparably better Arguments before that confus'd fragment either be preferr'd to or vye with the universally receiv'd Copy immemorially under Prosper's name affixed to Hierome's Chronicle Moreover seeing this Schred is most disordered and the words now under debate most universally believ'd to have been written by Prosper 't is highly probable on supposition that this fragment is a part of the true consular Chronicle that it once contain'd that passage tho' throw mutilation and either negligent or malicious transcribing it hath now lost it however the matter be we are at no loss for never was there a sentence more unanimouâ—ly ascrib'd to any Author than this concerning Palladius is to Prosper and is by all both ancient and modern acknowledg'd so that all their endeavours to prove this passage supposititious and that it belongs not to Prosper or some else of equall Antiquity and Authority are the last efforts of meer desperation And indeed had they not in defiance of the whole Christian World and Truth it self resolv'd per fas aut nefas to maintain that there was never a Church without Diocesan Bishops before the time of Calvine and Beza they had never adventur'd their skulls on what is so hard firmly bottom'd and so universally believed Have we not already heard fully how the most knowing and zealous for Prelacy while they sustain'd the truth of our Countrey Histories and yet labour'd to disprove what we now plead for gave only in favours of their latter Assertion triffles so empty and prevarications so apparent that 't is most presumable they believ'd nothing of what they said how the
of our Freedom from Mystical Babylon our Adversaries acknowledging that Mr. Knox and his Fellow-labourers in the Church-policy did exactly follow the Genevan Model which these men use to make the Original of Presbytry It 's confess'd also that John Knox refus'd a Bishoprick in England on this account that it had Quid commune cum Antichristo Whereby tho' nothing else could be brought 't is clear as the Sun that Knox I may say the same of most of his Fellow-labourers in the Reformation was intirely averse from their Hierarchick Domination § 3. Wherefore the Author of a late Book call'd The Fundamental Charter of Presbytry examin'd and disprov'd quite skips over these Evidences of Knox's being Antiprelatick notwithstanding that the only design of the far greater part of his Book was directly to prove these out Reformers and Knox in special to have been of the prelatical Perswasion However let 's hear the chief of the Answers he gives to such other Proofs hereof as he adventures to engage with § 4. The first is a passage of Knox's letter to the Assembly viz. Vnfaithfull and Traitors to the Flock shall ye be before the Lord Jesus if that with your consent directly or indirectly ye suffer unworthy men to be thrust in within the Ministry of the Kirk under wâ—at pretence that ever it be Remember the Judge before whom ye must make an account and resist that Tyranny as ye would avoid Hell-fire To which our Author answers denying that Knox by Tyranny here means Episcopacy and saith that 't is impossible to make more of the Letter than that Knox deem'd it a pernicious and tyrannical thing for any Person whatsoever to thrust unworthy Men into the Ministry of the Church Which Answer evanishes so soon as we shall understand the occasion of Knox's Letter Some powerfull Courtiers had then sacrilegiously invaded a great part of the Churches Revenues and were greedily grasping the remainder to the great grief of all good Men and detriment of the Church which both in her Assemblies and otherways vehemently urged that these Revenues should be imploy'd on sustentation of Ministers many of whom being unprovided were ready to starve and on maintaining of Schools relieving the Poor and other such pious Uses These Courtiers therefore to free themselves of such unacceptable Monitors and secure them of what they had gotten plot the reduction of a kind of Diocesan Bishops Abbots Priors and other such Popish Orders with whom they were to make a sacrilegious Compact and to give these titular Church-men some small pittance of the Revenues the rest being possessed in their name by these Courtiers Now at the very time of the writing of Knox's Letter this was in agitation and a design laid to practise upon some of the Assembly as shortly thereafter at the Meeting in Leith appear'd at which and elsewhere in these times there were not wanting among the Ministers who moved with hope of Domination over their Brethren and some small augmentation of Rent made no bones of such simoniacal Pactions or to use the express words of the Confessions of their best Friends such durtâ— and vile Bargains And now judge what Knox mean'd by his Exhortation to keep out unworthy Men and resist Tyranny And 't is most presumable that Spotswood sufficiently saw that Knox's Letter goares Prelacy otherwise he had not mangl'd the same and wholly omitted all mention of Tyranny § 5. And that this Knox's Letter levell'd at the Bishops then about to be introduc'd is further evident from his refusal to inaugurat John Douglas Bishop of St. Andrews his denouncing an Anathema to the Giver and Receiver of the Bishoprick and his open professing his dislike of the whole Order At this our Author takes exception saying The certain Manuscript from which Calderwood says he had this relation is uncertain But he should have look'd into Petrie who names the Author William Scot that eminent Minister at Couper Now that 't is like enough that Knox who was then at St. Andrews said so and express'd suitable resentments of the durty Bargain between Morton and Douglas who by a simoniacal Paction got into the See is by our Author expresly acknowledg'd And indeed if we consider the indignity of the Crime and the Lyon-like boldness of Mr. Knox against such Vices 't is altogether incredible but that he vented his resentments with a Witness and to the noticing of all thinking Men then present yet all this is skipp'd over by Spotswood For he knew well enough that this Relation should have shew'd how little kindness Knox bore to their Hierarchy Moreover which is most noticeable in this matter these who then favour'd Prelacy being generally such simoniacal Pedlers were so far from writing the several Actions and Church-transactions of these times that they made it their care to suppress and destroy the publick Monuments of the Church Witness B. Adamsone one of the Articles of whose Confession to which as is acknowledg'd by Spotswood he subscrib'd was that not without his special allowance some leaves of the Books of the Assemblies were rent out and such things as made against the Bishops their estate were destroyed in Falkland before the Books were deliver'd to the King's Majesty Which considerations suffice to prove the truth of that historical Relation He alledges next that tho' we had reason to believe that Knox said and did so yet it follows not that he was for the Divine Right of Parity Adding That 't is like enough Knox said so for dreadfull Invasions were made upon the Patrimony of the Church But this Invasion was so linked with the introduction of Prelacy that they had both common Friends and Enemies so that Knox declaring against either must be judg'd equally averse from both And indeed the introduction of Prelacy was consequentially this very destruction and consumption of the Churches Goods against which Knox inveigh'd Or dare he say that it had satisfi'd him if they had been consum'd in sustaining the Luxury and Grandour of Bishops Abbots and Priors whom the Court was about then to introduce providing only these Church Revenues had been kept from the secular Nobility Moreover 't is evident to whosoever reads Knox's words that the Invasion of the Church-patrimony was far from being the sole Ground of the dislike he shew'd to Episcopacy The Matter in short is when John Douglas was made Tulchan Bishop of St. Andrews Mr. Knox refused to Ordain him denouncing Anathemaes to the Giver and to the Receiver and when John Rutherford Provest of the old Colledge had said that Mr. John Knox ' s repining had proceeded from male-contentment the next Lora's-day John Knox said in Sermon I have refus'd greater Bishoprick than ever 't was and might have had it with the favour of greater Men than he hath this but I did and do repine for discharge of my Conscience that the Church of Scotland be not subject to that Order This last Clause viz.
a number for the whole Kingdom yet at that time they thought it expedient to establish no more and tho' when the Church should be sufficiently provided with Ministers it would be highly reasonable that the Superintendents should have Places appointed them for their continual residence yet in that juncture 't was necessary that they should be constantly travelling throw their districts to Preach and Plant Churches c. To establish his gloss he says the Compilers of the first Book of Discipline viz. Mr. J. Winrame John Spotswood J Willock J. Douglas J. Row and J. Knox were still of prelatical Principles But tho' this were as true as 't is false the quite contrary would rather follow viz. that they had resolv'd to change afterward the Superintendents for Diocesan Bishops To prove they were Prelatists he says three of them were Superintendents begging the Question as if Superintendent and Bishop were one and the same But Douglas died Arch-bishop of St. Andrews But is 't strange that he who in favours of a Tulchan Bishoprick had a stomach able to deject Simoniacal Pactions and durty Bargains made no bones of sacrificing his former Principles to his interest But Spotswood was a constant Enemy to Parity as appears from his Son's account of him But his Son says not so much Moreover which quite spoils our Author's Cause he makes without naming any other John Knox the Author of that Book of Policy yea he averrs that in his Father's Judgement the Old Policy was undoubtedly the better than the New John Row defended the lawfulness of Episcopacy at the Conference appointed by the General Assembly 1575. But J. Row no less then the other Collocutors in their Report to that Assembly tho' for the iniquity of the time not in so many words yet really condemn'd Prelacy and was also a Member of that Assembly which with one voice found and declar'd the Office unlawfull in it self Judge then of his confidence who yet adventures hence to conclude that he was a Prelatist He adds out of Knox that Superintendents and Overseers were nominated that all things in the Church might be carried with Order and well which reason for establishing Superintendents saith our Author will continue to hold so long as the Church continues But let him once prove that Knox speaks of the constant and ordinary Church regimen and guidance and not of the settling and ordering of a Church little more then in fieri and as yet not all sufficiently constitute otherwise we have a meer Paralogism At the Admission of Spotswood continues he John Knox asserted the necessity of Superintendents and Overseers as well as Ministers the necessity I say not the bare expediency in the juncture The words are first was made a Sermon in the which these Heads were handled first the necessity of Ministers and Superintendents or Overseers c. We have indeed here the necessity of Superintendents mention'd but that it arose above an expediency we do not hence learn That Knox asserted the necessity of Superintendents as well as Ministers or an equal necessity of the one and the other can by no means be inferr'd Yea who can with our Author believe that tho' any People had aboundance of sufficient and lawfully ordain'd Ministers yet in Knox's Judgement if Superintendents were wanting such a People could no more be counted a Church than if they had no Minister at all He brings also some Expressions out of the first Book of Discpiline as After the Church shall be established and three years are past no Man shall be called to the Office of a Superintendent who hath not two years given a Proof of his faithfull Labours in the Ministry of some Church Such passages indeed suppose some continuance of Superintendents tho' no perpetuity For our Reformers could never think that within three years or thereabout the Church should be fully established few or no Churches to be planted unto which full settlement the forecited passage of the Book of Policy allows the use of Superintendents This Book of Discipline saith our Author supposeth that Superintendents and Colledges were to be of equal continuance for the Superintendent was still to be at the choosing and installment of Principalls and Rectors c. But this his Argument he himself overthrows The Assembly saith he May 27. 1561. addresseth to the Council that special and certain Provision might be made for the maintainance of the Superintendents Ministers Exhorters and Readers c. Now who sees not that this Address speaks after the same manner concerning all these so that using our Author's way of arguing we should inferr that our Reformers thought the Exhorter which confessedly was a kind of Function purely temporary was no less to be perpetual than the Superintendent yea or the Minister And the Assembly at Edinburgh December 25. 1565. appointed Mr. Knox to pen a comfortable Letter in their Name to encourage Ministers Exhorters and Readers to continue in their Vocation c. From these and the like Acts he may as well conclude the equal duration of Exhorters and Ministers as he inferrs from the Book of Policy the equal duration of Superintendents and Colledges He would next prove from the account of the Election and Admission of Superintendents prefix'd to the old Psalms that according to our Reformers this was an Office distinct from that of other Pastors of Divine Institution and so perpetual The Order and Form saith he for admitting a Superintendent and a Minister was all one and there was nothing in it importing the one Office to be temporary more than the other But therefore there 's nothing elsewhere importing so much is a clear non sequitur In the mean while from what he grants 't is plain that the Superintendent wanted the very specific difference of a Diocesan Bishop wherefore tho' they us'd this Phrase The Office to which God call'd him and this Question to the People Will ye not acknowledge this your Brother for the Minister of Christ Jesus your Overseer and Pastor Will ye not maintain and comfort him against all such as wickedly would rebell against God and his Holy Ordinance And that Petition Send unto this our Brother whom in thy name we have charged with the chief care of thy Church within the bounds of L. c. They can thereby mean no other Office no other Ordinance of God and for kind no other Charge than what 's giv'n to every particular Pastor For we find mention'd the chief of the Apostles in Labour viz and Care who yet were all equal Neither is it strange that they thus set apart him who was for the time found needfull in these dark times and places to plant and erect Churches preach perpetually where there were none and in a word in several things compleatly to imitate the ancient Evangelist Thus Paul and Barnabas were separated with a solemnity of Fasting Prayer and Imposition of Hands And yet the Work or
our Reformers believed it to be an indispensible part of the Christian Religion positively and expresly commanded in the Scriptures Do not therefore his saying establishing however no such thing as Parity c and the rest of his Discourse mutually give the lie and flee in the face of one another And indeed he here at once overthrows whatsoever he said on this Subject and now for ever to silence all reasonable men and stop them from such desperat adventures as this of our Authors take the following Argument Whatsoever our Reformers believed to be without the express and positive Testimony of the Scriptures that they believed to be a damnable Corruption in Religion and as such to be avoided This the major is put beyond scruple by what we have brought from the first Book of Discipline Knox and the Confessions of our Author Now I subjoin But they believed that Episcopacy was altogether without any express or positive Testimony yea or any Warrant or Ground from the Word of God the Books of the Old and New Testament Ergo c. The minor is no less evident from what is already adduc'd and moreover from the latter Helvetian Confession which was all save the allowance of the remembrance of some Holy Days which they expresly disprov'd approv'd and subscribed by our whole General Assembly at Edinburgh December 25. 1566. For in that Confession mark it pray carefully and by no means forget that our Church and Reformers who approv'd and subscrib'd this Confession firmly believ'd that whatsoever is without the express Commandment of God's Word is damnable to Man's Salvation they say There 's giv'n to all Ministers in the Church one and the same Power or Function And indeed in the beginning Bishops and Presbyters ruled the Church in common none preferr'd himself to another or usurped any more honourable Power or Dominion to himself over his fellow Bishops But according to the words of the Lord who will be first among you let him be your Servant they persevered in Humility and helped one another by their mutual Duties in Defending and Governing the Church In the meantime for preserving Order some one of the Ministers did call the Assembly and proposed these things that were to be consulted in the Meeting He did also receive the Opinions of others and finally according to his Power he took care that no confusion should arise so S. Peter is said to have done in the Acts of the Apostles who notwithstanding was never set over the rest nor indu'd with greater power and honour but the beginning took its rise from Vnity that the Church might be declared to be one And having related Hierome's Doctrine of the Idenity of Bishop Presbyier thus they conclude Therefore none may lawfully hinder to return to the ancient Constitution of the Church of God and embrace it before human Custome Thus far the Authors of that most famous Confession who both in the Title page and after the Preface expresly assert that our Church of Scotland together with the Churches of Poland Hungary Geneve Neocome Myllhusium and Wiend approved and subscribed this their Confession From all which it 's easie to gather and perceive with how black a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our first Reformers and whole primitive Church Protestant branded Prelacy or Imparity amongst Pastors Section IX The Forraign reform'd Churches truly Presbyerian BUT let 's hear the Judgement of the rest of the Reformers and Reform'd transmarine Churches Gerard a famous Lutheran divine altho' for Orders sake he admit of some kind of Episcopacy which really he makes as good as nothing above a Moderator-ship yet even for that umbrage allows nothing but humane Institution and will acknowledge no distinction by Divine Right between Bishop and Presbyter The Papists saith he especially place that superiour Power of Jurisdiction which they make to agree to Bishops in this that the Bishops can Ordain Ministers but the Presbyters cannot And all along this Question he strongly proves that during the Apostolick age there was no such thing as a distinction between a Bishop and a preaching Presbyter and enervats all the Arguments that both Romanists and other Prelatists commonly bring to the contrary But we need not insist on the Testimonies of particular Men we have the joint suffrages of the body of Lutheran Divines Luther himself being the mouth to the rest in the Articles of Smalcald It 's clear say they even from the Confession of our Adversaries that this Power to wit of preaching dispensing the Sacraments Excommunication and Absolution is common to all that are set over the Churches whither they be called Pastors Presbyters or Bishops Wherefore Hierome plainly affirms that there is no difference between Bishop and Presbyter but that every Pastor was a Bishop Here Hierome teaches that the distinction of degrees between a Bishop and a Presbyter or Pastor was only appointed by humane Authority And the matter it self continues Luther and his Associats declares no less for on both Bishop and Presbyter is laid the same Duty and the same Injunction And only Ordination in after times made the difference between Bishop and Pastor And by Divine Right there is no difference between Bishop and Pastor § 2. As for Calvin his judgement in this matter was altogether conform to his practice which by the very Adversaries themselves is made the very Patern of Presbytry for he asserts the Idenity of Bishop Presbyter Pastor and Minister and this Idenity of Bishop and Presbyter he founds on Titus 1. and 5. compared with the 7 as Hierome had done long before him and Presbyterians do now And when he descends to after times succeeding these of the Apostles he tells us that then the Bishop had no Dominion over his Collegues sc. the Presbyters but was among them what the Consul was in the Senat and his Office was to propone Matters enquire the Votes preside in Admonition and moderat the Action and put in Execution what was decreed by the whole Consistory All which exceeded little or nothing the Office of a Moderator And that even this saith he was introduced through the necessity of the time by humane consent is acknowledged by the Ancients themselves But I shall not insist in citing Calvine nor Beza who every where is full sufficiently to our purpose both of 'em being aboundantly vindicated and evinc'd to be Presbyterian in a singular tractat by the most judicious Author of Rectius Instruendum from the attempts of one who pretended to be Mathematico-Theologus but was in reality Sophistico-Micrologus And were there any doubt concerning these as indeed there 's none their Practice and that of the Church wherein they liv'd our very Adversaries being Judges sufficiently discuss it and prove them to be truly Presbyterian and to them subscribes the stream of transmarine Writers Systematicks Controvertists and Commentators As for Example the famous and learn'd Musculus asserts and proves from
of other Hierarchicks pleading the Cause of Episcopacy for while they manage it from Scripture-grounds you may perceive them to make so wide and incoherent Deductions so slender and pitifull Defences so wild and unbottom'd Distinctions as loudly proclaim that except they procure Auxuliaries from some other where they must also defert their Cause and leave the Field to their Adversaries But let them descend somewhat lower to Ecclesiastick Antiquities we shall find their confidence stronger for they then bring a multitude of great Names as so many arm'd Champions marshell'd in Rank and Order Among these there be some wherewith as with so many Elephants they threaten to make vast lanes among their Adversaries but there 's no great cause of terror for if they be but boldly confronted we shall then find them either like these Elephants Ctesias and Diodore fable to have been us'd by their fictitious Semiramis deceitfull Images and hobgoblings to strike a vain fear in their Enemies or like the African Elephants in Polybius which in stead of destroying the adverse Party frequently turn'd back dissipated and overthrew these who brought them to the Battel The greatest of these and whom they with most confidence produce is their Epistolick Ignatius who is to them as one of the Hee-goats and Rams before the Flock of whom they boast as if nothing should stand before him It shall not therefore be amiss if as we promis'd we look more narrowly into this their bold Assertion and examine if their Grounds be equal to their Confidence § 2. Ignatius as Eusebius relates was a Bishop or Pastor of Antioch and being brought to Rome in the time of Trajan the Emperour gloriously laid down his Life for the Cause of Christianity He is said to have written in his Journey to Rome several Epistles viz. To the Smyrneans to Polycarp to the Ephesians to the Magnesians to the Philadelphians to the Trallians and Romans all which are either mention'd or cited by Eusebius There are other Epistles also by Writers of a much later date ascribed to Ignatius but in the first seven only do our Adversaries place the weight of their Cause and therefore with them alone we shall be concerned § 3. Of these Epistles in the former Century first in Latine and then in Greek appeared at the first but two or three only afterward they amounted to fifteen all which they Father'd upon Ignatius these were greedily hugg'd by the Romanists and reason they had so to do most of these Epistles being fraughted with stuff that savour'd of the Romish Innovations and proclaim'd them several Centuries posteriour to Ignatius his Age and accordingly these Editions were scarce born while they were condemn'd and stigmatiz'd by the most learn'd of the Reform'd viz. Calvin the Magdeburgick Centuriators and afterwards by Whittaker Perkins Scultet Rivet and others as the issue of a quite other Parent than him of whom they boasted § 4. Notwithstanding hereof the Advocats for Prelacy such as Whitgift Bilson Dounam Heylyn Taylor and the rest of the Party lean'd on these Epistles as firm propes of their Caufe giving severals of 'em the Epithets of Learned and Pious without the least exception Thus for a long time were these Epistles condemn'd by many yet applauded by a few § 5. But at length the most learn'd and famous Dr. Vshher lighted on two Latine Manuscripts much differing from the former Editions and containing many passages cited by the Ancients that were wanting in the former And soon after Isaacus Vossius produc'd a Greek Coppy out of the Duke of Tuscanie's Library in many things agreeing with Vsher's Manuscripts These Coppies bred a wonderfull confidence in the minds of the Episcopal Party after which every one of them gave his loud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therewith pleas'd themselves as if the Controversie concerning Prelacy had been already determin'd by a Divine Oracle But in the mean while and by this very Action of imbracing and extolling this new Edition as the only genuine Coppy of Ignatius They publish'd to the World that they had all along while in conjunction with Romanists and in opposition to Protestants they so passionatly propugn'd the former Editions either been lamentably shallow in their knowledge of Ecclesiastick Antiquity notwithstanding their great boast thereof as if all Men beside were Dwerfs herein or which is little better exceedingly partial in favours of their Cause and Interest However maugre all such Impeachments they alter their Judgements as they see fit reject what they had but the other day warmly hugg'd and applaud their new Ignatius § 6. Yet also they were their alone herein for the most learn'd and these of the reform'd Churches who were most able to give Judgement concerning such Controversies as Blondel Salmasius and others continu'd in their former Sentiment believing that these new Copies did as really ly under just suspicion as the Old After divers Re-encounters amongst learn'd Men concerning these Epistles Dallaeus a learn'd French Minister wrote more largely and directly to evince them spurious but was oppos'd by Dr. Beverige and D. Pearson who wrote his Vindiciae Ignatianae a large and laborious Work to prove that these Epistles were the genuine product of Ignatius in which his Party triumphed not a little apprehending that this Matter was decided so as there was no more Dispute or Opposition to be feared But 't was not long till Daill's Defence was undertaken by Monsieur L'arroque another learn'd Pastor of the French Church and being again oppos'd by Pearson and Beverge wrote a second time concerning the same Subject § 7. But such Arts were us'd as suppress'd and stiffl'd the Work of this learn'd Author of which Book L'arroque's Son in his Life prefix'd to his Adversaria Sacra gives us this account He publish'd his Observations on Pearson's vindiciae Ignatianae and Beverige ' s Annotations which came to the light by this occasion John Daille being departed this Life two great Englishmen who had procur'd to themselves a perpetual Fame of whom the one lately deceas'd had the Name of the Bishop of Chester the other was adorn'd with the Title of Dr. but deserv'd a greater Dignity exploded what Daille had written concerning Ignatius his Epistles But L'arroque in favours of his deceas'd Friend undertook the Patrociny of this Hero and except Fame be altogether false has fortunatly defended his Judgement These Observations were again assaulted by the famous Beverige to whom our Author preparing an Answer which we have by us almost perfected thro' the Importunity of some Friends was suddenly turn'd another way This he did the more willingly both because he had done enough in favours of his dead Friend and also that he might make it appear that seeing while he was yet fresh he sounded a retreat he had unwillingly entred the Lists with the English Protestants Thus he and who these Friends were we are inform'd by another Author a Man of the Episcopal Perswasion and therefore may
to that of Ignatius foisted in a great many Passages wherein nothing but the illimited Power of all Church-men is depredicated and the blind Obedience of the Laity is enjoin'd and commended I 'm confirmed in my sentiment by Ignatius his Epistle to the Romans who certainly had as truly a Bishop as the Smyrneans Magnesians or any other saluted by Ignatius but of the Roman Bishop or of the Honour and Obedience due to him in all this Epistle we find not a syllable Certainly had this servile Obedience to the Clergy been such a fundamental Article of the Christian Religion as all along through these other six Epistles he makes it he had not failed to have inform'd the Romans thereof seeing nothing I believe can be alledg'd to exime the Romans more than other Churches from paying such Honour to their Clergy 'T is vain to repone that he was then on his Journey to Rome and was shortly to see that Church and might on this account forbear seeing they may after this manner of arguing prove the whole Epistle spurious or at least superfluous this Duty of Obedience to Church-men if we believe these six Epistles being so necessary a part of the Christian Religion that 't is never to be forgotten but at all times with the greatest zeal and fervency to be inculcated § 3. Yet in defence of all these most dangerous Injunctions of his Ignatius Dr. Pearson saith That there could be no fitter remedy against Heresies then that the Churches should adhere to the Pastors whom Ignatius knew to be Orthodox But such an adherence as these Epistles every where command is so far from being a Remedy against Heresies and Schisms that as the sad instance of the Romanists witness it has been the greatest Augmentation and the most deadly humour in all the Disease But why did he not acquaint the Romans with this Remedy Did he suspect their Bishop as unsound Or thought he that every Roman Christian was above danger and infallible And indeed the scarce paralellable extolling of Church-men through all the former six Epistles the perpetual silence thereof in that to the Romans loudly proclaim that either they were write by different Authors or else that they have undergone no few Additions and Corruptions which his Epistle to the Romans had escaped seeing I think they will scarce adventure to say that the Epistle to the Romans sometime had in it such Injunctions of Obedience to the Roman Clergy which by some chance or other were afterward obliterate § 4. Again what can we make of that proud boasting in his Epistle to the Trallesians as if he had been the only Muster-Master to the Angels But Pearson tells us That it 's not strange tho' Ignatius a Bishop who had long conversed with the Apostles could write something concerning Heavenly Things which are so often mention'd by the Apostles and he stiffly denies in opposition to Daille That such knowledge is not giv'n to Mortals and perhaps saith Pearson we know not well what Ignatius mean'd when he wrote these things concerning Angels and yet who will say but that he knew them himself And then he acknowledges that Ignatius discourses of his Know not giv'n to any Mortal seeing for the proof hereof it 's enough to repone the words of Elephas to which of the Saints wilt thou turn thee Surely not to Paul seeing it can never be made evident that he either taught others or ascribed to himself the knowledge of these Ignatian or rather Pseudo-Ignatian Mysteries Altho' therefore we know not the meaning of these his words we shall I believe incurr little hazard thereby and if he knew them himself I shall not debate Certainly if we judge of the Author by his Work we shall have little ground to apprehend that his Judgement was of the greatest reach for remove a very few flowers this so much celebrated Garden shall be nothing but a den of weeds neither can better be expected where any intrude into the things they have not seen as the Author of this Passage appears to have done boasting of that wherein neither the Pen-men of the Holy Scriptures nor the primitive Christians profess'd themselves to be skillfull for altho ' the Ancients acknowledged that there were or might be such Dignities Distinctions among Angels yet who before the Impostour that borrowed the name of the Areopagite adventured to profess their acquaintance with the particulars thereof But most of all I admire that he for his purpose alledges Irenaeus as if the Mysteries of God were nothing else but a convertible term with the Politicks or Tacticks of Angels With how much more reason may we understand the Mysteries mention'd by Irenaeus to be these magnifi'd by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3. 16. which without Controversie are equaly great and proffitable Lastly as to Chrysostome he cites no where wherfore I cann't so easily make a judgement concerning him otherwise ' tseems he may be understood of a greater measure of knowledge of the Mysteries frequently spoken off by the Apostle And withall I observe that Dr. Pearson still insinuates and intimates as if Ignatius and other primitive Christians receiv'd from the Apostles other mysterious Doctrines not to be committed to writing different from what is comprehended in the holy Scriptures wherein notwithstanding the whole Counsel of God is delivered which Opinion is much fitter for a Jewish Cabalist or Romish Traditionary than a Protestant Doctor § 4. M. Du Pin imbraces and only contracts Pearson's Answer saying that the knowledge of the Orders Offices and Stations of Angels might be affirmed by an ancient Bishop all Christians knew Heavenly Things And Ignatius says nothing of Angels but what had been said by St. Paul But herein he palpably contradicts himself and affirms what he had before deni'd for to prove the Forgery of these Books that bear the Areopagites name Du Pin gives us this Argument He viz. the Author of these Books distinguishes the several Orders of Angels and observes their difference things that were unknown to the ancient Writers and concerning which they were not sollicitous to be informed as S. Irenaeus assures us in lib. 2. ch 55. He opposes also Dr. Pearson who as we have heard deduced from this same Irenaeus a quite contrary Doctrine § 5. Thus far I had proceeded secure of any other Controversie concerning this Passage when I was surpris'd to find Dr. Wake the Englisher of these Epistles make Ignatius together with his language change his Doctrine and speak quite contrary to what he had delivered either in Greek or Latine for thus he Englishes the now controverted words of Ignatius For even I my self altho' I am in bonds yet am not therefore able to understand Heavenly Things as the description of the Places of the Angels and the several Companies of them under their respective Princes the things visible and invisible but in these things I am yet a Learner But this Version is by no
Hierome leave them as being altogether useless for support of the Pomp and Splendor of their Hierarchy To these add the Jesuite Celâ—otius who after a thousand Meanders and serpentine windings to elude and deprave these clear Testimonies of Hierome at length seeing all would not do rejects them all as the Forgeries of unlucky Aërian hands never written by Hierome For which Cellotius is chastised even by Petavius and others of the Loyolites themselves Into such Discord Confusion and Torment do Men usually throw themselves so soon as they obstinatly resolve to wage War with so clear and irradiant Verities And here it 's observable that in all times and in all Churches the Authority of Hierome has been exceeding great and above most of the primitive Writers which came not to pass without a special Divine Providence that he and in him the whole primitive Church whose Judgement in these Matters he most clearly delivers might remain as an unsuspected and an uncontroverted witness against some of latter Ages pretendedly Catholick but really Sectarian Novelists Among the great Services he did to the Church two Pieces are more especially notticeable viz. his most clear asserting and acurat distinguishing the Canonical Books from the Apocryphal above all who handled or wrote of that great and most necessary Article and which is the Matter in hand his Antiprelatick Doctrine of the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter these not only Hieronymian but also truly Catholick Doctrines are with equall fierceness impugn'd by the Romanists and I appeal to the impartial Reader if their Exceptions against this latter be a whit more solide than these which are advanced against the former viz. Hierome's Judgement of the Canonical Scriptures which are to be found collected and learn'dly refuted by Dr. Cosin And indeed these Sophisters endeavouring to subvert these Catholick Doctrines of Hierome dash only on an Adamantine Rock for as never any Articles were better founded so notwithstanding of whatsoever practical Aberrations therefrom were fall'n into none were more universally imbrac'd receiv'd and handed down for to speak of the Matter of our present concern this Hieronymian Doctrine all following Church Writers ratifie and approve the bulk of subsequent Commentators Writers of Offices and of other Treatises as Salvianus Isidorus Hispalensis Amalarius Rabanus Maurus yea and intire Councils as that 2 of Sevil which ascribes the whole Difference and Sâ—periority only to Church-Canons and late Constitutions and after them Gratian and Lombard who affirm that in the primitive Church there was only Presbyters and Deacons and his Expositors among whom is Aestius who very fairly quites the Scriptures and tells us that this Superiority is not very clear from Scripture which is nothing but a Confession of the Truth of Hierome's Doctrine forced from this great Prelatist and School-man Yet adds Aestius this may be sufficiently proved another way To which words Dr. Stillingfleet occurrs Ingenuously said saith he however but all the difficulty is how a Jus Divinum should be prov'd when Men leave the Scriptures But in the recounting and transcribing of such Confessions or Testimonies I will not inlarge And now having rescued the principal Scriptures our Antagonists detort in favours of their Distinction between Bishop and Presbyters and vindicated some places commonly adduc'd for the Identity thereof as also evinced that the most celebrated of the Ancients did no otherways understand these Scriptures nor derive the Original of Prelacy from Divine Institution I may with confidence conclude that Ignatius had none before him of the Judgement that he if we believe the Hierarchicks so passionately favour'd Section IX The Testimonies of Ignatius's contemporaries disproving what our Adversaries would force him to speak and confirming what we have prov'd to be his mind viz. that he cashiers a Diocesan Prelacy HAving viewed the Apostolick Writings and dived into their most ancient Commentators and primitive Doctors and having found that in the time of the Apostles the immediat Ancestors of Ignatius there was in the Church no such thing as a Diocesan Prelate Let us next look unto what remains of his Contemporaries or these who lived near Ignatius's time and we shall have ground to deduce the same Inference And first it's observable that these Writers such as Clemens Romanus in his Epistle to the Corinthians for the rest that bear his Name are undoubtedly spurious Polycarp to the Philippians Hermas or Pastor Justine Martyr tho' they as occasion offers frequently mention Pastors Doctors Bishops Presbyters indifferently taking all of 'em for on and the same Office yet of a Diocesan Prelat or one set over other Pastors or over these that had Power of Dispensing the Word and Sacraments in all their Writings have not a syllable Which Argument against a Diocesan Prelat tho' negative is not to be slighted if we consider these Authors their closs Vicinity to the Apostles the occasion they had to have mention'd him had he been then existent their more than a Pythagorick silence concerning him Yea the same kind of negative Argumentation Eusebius uses while he disproves and explodes some Writings forg'd in the Name of John Andrew and other Apostles because saith he no ancient Ecclesiastick Writers mention these Books We shall find moreover that they positively disclaim Diocesan Prelacy I begin with Clemens Romanus who writing to the Corinthians commends their former carriage in these words Ye walked in the commands of God and being obedient to these that had the rule over you and giving your Elders due honour ye were wont to admonish the younger with Moderation to seek after things that are honest And again Wherefore the Apostles preaching the Word thro' the severall regions and proving by the Spirit the first fruits thereof ordain'd Bishops and Deacons for these who should believe neither was this a new Ordinance for many ages before it was written concerning Bishops for so in a certain place saith the Scripture I will appoint their Bishops in Righteousness and their Deacons in Faith And Our Apostles by Jesus Christ our Lord knew that there would arise Contention concerning the Name of a Bishop and therefore being endew'd with a perfect Fore-knowledge they ordain'd the fore-said Officers and left unto us describ'd the particular services of both Ministers and Offices to the end that approv'd Men might succeed in the place of the defunct and execute their Office These therefore who are ordain'd by them or by other famous men with the Consent of the whole Church who blamelesly serv'd the Sheepfold of Christ with humility and quietness without baseness and who for a long time had a good Testimony from all These I say cann't be justly thrust out of their Office for we commit no light sin if we cast out these from the Bishops Office who holyly and blamelesly perform'd it Blessed are these Presbyters or Pastors who have perfited their journey and are dead and who have obtain'd
the Fundamental Charter c. the far more considerale part yea the very substance of both which Books I examine and exartuat I discuss moreover the Plea they bring from Ignatius's Epistles as also detect most of the foremention'd Artifices together with many such ungenerous Methods not hitherto so fully discovered Hence I hope I cannot be justly accounted an Aggressor or Provocker nor yet my Papers superfluous I don't notwithstanding impeach as guilty of these Deallings all Episcopall men for of these there have been and doubtless now are both good men and stout Protestants and such I know will never be offended if I lay open open the Weakness and unworthy Deallings of such as anathematize whosoever preferr the Model of the prime ptimitive Church-Government the Apostolick Humility and Simplicity to their Diocesan Hierarchy the secular Grandeur of subsequent and more degenerat Times if I among many other Demonstrations hereof bring a Cloud of most competent and unsuspected Witnesses who depone that during the Apostolick Age and the prime Primitive Church there was a Bishop for each Congregation an Identity of Bishop and preaching Presbyter and finally a compleat Parity of ordinary Pastors if I make appear that the greatest Enemies to this Truth and Adorers of the Hierarchy are maugre all their Cunning compell'd to subscribe and seall it If yet some hesitat and admire how then so many of the Learn'd can give their Hierarchy a divine Sanction or set it so high as the times of the Apostles such wowld remember that to fewer at least and these of no less Learning no less confidently pretend a Divine Origen for many things the Foundation whereof notwithstanding is undenyably in the dust of humane Corruption How many Torrents of Wormwood hide their little heads in sources in that Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the space of about an hundred years after the Canon of the Scriptures was sealled whereof so few genuine Monuments now remain and wherein Christians as they were also for a good many yeares after that time being astonish'd at these more prodigious Heresies and wholly imployed in quelling these Hydra's were kept from watching against more fly and subtile Assaults of the Enemy the Danger of whose Tares was scarce discernable till they were hardly to be eradicated Again 't is to be remembred that there are vast Ods between the Cases of the Contending Parties many things tempt and invite men to patronize the Hierarchy whereto the other side is not obnoxious for whosoever confides in his own Parts and Abilities may probably promise to himself a graduall Ascent even to the satiety of worldly Ease Riches and Honour Did not these and such Motives byass too many men together with the Liberty Prelacy gives to Heterodox Principles and to licentious Practices how few should there be found to agent its Cause On the other hand Preâ—hâ—â—â—erian Discipline they think too rigid against both these Enormites and as to worldly Encouragements there 's nothing in Presbytry but a mediocrity of Stipend with a hard and perpetuall Labour without any Hope of Ease Grandor or more opulent Fortune I should now have doon only I can not but express how desirable 't were that haying aside our own unscripturall Fancies the Grounds of these most lamentable Contentions all of us followed after the things which make for Peace aâ—d things wherewith one may edifie another Who would have thought not many years heâ—ce when all true Protestants were at the very briâ—k of Destruction but that the admirable Deliveraâ—ce God give us should have had this most desirable Consequent How amazing is it that a number call'd Protestants should vent their Spite Malice and Treason against the most happy Instrument of this our Delivery in Peace His Majesty King WILLIAM who is under God the main Stay of Protestants whom yet God protects and I pray may protect maugre all the malicious Machinations of wicked Men. God yet continues to call us to the same Duty of Christian Concord to name no others by terrible Monitors for at one Quarter we are besieg'd by nominal Theists but real Atheists who ridicule God's Sacred Word as the product of Rogues or Sots and explode the Doctrine of the Existence of Angels and Spirits and consequently of the Beeing of God the Father of Spirits as the Dream of some Brainsick Weaklings and below a man of sence and at another Quarter by a direfull Combination of Infernal Fiends and wretch'd Mortals It 's pleasant notwithstanding to observe how the latter of these Satanical Machines split and undoe the former for the well known and confess'd Compacts and Commerce between these wicked Spirits and Miscreants of human Race and Operations of Demons and such Effects undenyably proceeding from preternatural and incorporeal Causes are sure Proofs of such immaterial Beeings and so demonstrat the Falshood of what is broach'd by these abominable Saducees aliquisque malo fuit usus in illo O how clossly ought all of us to joyn in Weeping Sighing and Crying not only for our oun Guilt but also for these such horrible Abominations that be doon in the midst of the Land In the mean while these and a thousand such Mischiefs mostly owe themselves to this Controversy our Divisions Ignorance want of Church-Discipline and other such its odious Effects How many thro' God's Blessing should that Zeal Learning and Industry spent for the support of mens unscripturall Conceits have brought to the Obedience of Christ from both Romanists and open Infidels Heu quantum potuit Terrae pelagique parari Hoc quem Civiles hauserunt sanguine dextrae Bless'd then in this Case should be the Peace-Maker wherefore let all of us Pray for our Jerusalem that Peace may be within her Walls and Prosperity within her Palaces Let us also with Tertullian adore the fullness of the Scriptures which as Augustine teaches contain all things needfull either for Faith or Life The Books saith Constantine the Great of the Evangelists Apostles and ancient Prophets clearly teach us the Mind of God wherefore laying aside hostile Discords let us seek from these the Determination of our Controversies Surely this is a Catholick Principle Good had it been if the Fathers had as cloâ—ly stuck to 't in Practice as they firmly believ'd it You assert saith Optatus to the Donatists We deny between your Assertion and our Denyal the Peoples minds Waver let none believe either you or us we are all contentious Men Judges must be sought if these be sought for among Christians they can be found among neither of the Parties because the Truth is impeded thro' Partiality we must seek for Judges from without if the Judge be a Pagan he cannot know the Mysteries of Christians if a Jew he is an Enemy to Christian Baptism on Earth therefore there cann't be rouâ—d a Determination of this Controversie a Judge must be sought from Heaven but why should we knock at Heavens Gates when hearing the Gospel we
he superintended and let him use it as he pleased yet neither can the Imparity be counted considerable not the harm he could do very hurtfull for within half a year at most for there was a General Assembly twice at least every year they had a prospect of a General Assembly to right their wrong wherein every Pastor was to have no less Power than any Superintendent and no less capable to sit judge and censure the Superintendent than the Superintendent was on the other hand to exerce the like Power over him yea any Minister in the Assembly such sometimes as were none was as fair to be chosen Moderator as any Superintendent By the frequency of these Assemblies it came to pass that few or no matters of importance were determin'd in the inferiour Synods but came thither for their final Decision Wherefore if we narrowly look on these times we shall find that the Superintendents were rather appointed as Observers and Delators of Matters to the Assembly than any proper Judges thereof save when a special command was giv'n him to cognosce on such and such particular Matters He was frequently also charged with execution of the Assemblies Determinations all which was common to him with other Commissioners to whom the Assembly gave the like Charge and sent them not rarely to these very Provinces where there were Superintendents with equal Power and Authority to that of the Superintendent Sometimes they ordain'd Causes to be handled by the Superintendent with the assistance of these Commissioners sometimes by the Commissioner with the assistance of the Superintendents which Commissioners were sometimes Ministers of another Province and sometimes of that Province wherein was the Superintendent with whom they were join'd with equal Power Authority From all which 't is evident how much they are taken with the humor of cavilling who dare to ascribe to the Superintendents any real Superiority or Power over other Pastors or any thing repugnant to a compleat Parity But there is yet more even in his own Synod he could do nothing contrary to the Majority for he was to act nothing without the Synods Consent neither could he impede ought done by the Majority for he had no negative vote Yea he was made subject to the Tryal and Censures of the Synod of the very province where he superintended And here our Author is compell'd to acknowledge that there was a considerable difference between Superintendents and Bishops and indeed 't was considerable with a witness and so considerable that it really sets them on even ground with each Pastor of the word He adds that this was a great wrong and error in the Constitution and on this ocasion has a long invective against our Reformers in speciall Knox counting them Children Idiots Ungovernable and of bad Principles and spares not to flegg at all Scots men or Scotch mettal as he speaks But this is but a kicking against the pricks He knows all this helps him nothing nor is to the present Question which is not de jure but de facto what our Reformers freely and joyntly did Not on what grounds they did so He next retorts that according to the book of Discipline the Elders are allow'd to admonish correct and with the consent of the Church and Superintendent depose their Minister But First tho our Reformers had spoken just alike of the Elders and Ministers as they did of the Synod and Superintendent their words will not bear the like inference the power they give to the Elders could certainly be a spurr to the Ministers and yet they might be sure the few Elders of one parish would never make so bold with their Minister as the whole Synod might with their Superintendent Secondly There is no such allowance giv'n to the Elders concerning their Minister as to the Synod over their Superintendent the former much act only with the consent of the Kirk and Superintendent but nothing of this injoyn'd to the latter Yea our Author himself will have the power of Deposition to be a prerogative of the Superintendent and no doubt he or the Commissioner did in the Churches name execute her sentence To Depose therefore here and that with allowance of the whole context of that 8 head of Discipline which he cites is nothing else than to delate to the Church and Superintendent the crimes of the Minister and in their own sphere assist them in that action He adds he hath no where found that de facto the Superintendent was judged by his own Synod And it may be so for litle do we find of any thing was then done by provincial synods every thing of moment being left to the General Assemblies which were then most frequent Such a Constitution adds he inferrs no such thing as Parity among Church-Offices Those who maintain that the King is inferior to his Subjects in their Collection are not yet so extravagant as to say he is not Superior to every one of them in their Distribution But where Superiors or Equalls can be gotten the Men of this Principle will freely yeeld that none who are Inferiours in the Distribution ought to judge the Actions of their Superiours providing other Judges can be had who in this Case cann't there being but one King only in a Kingdom Hence they believing that none may live lawless think the King's Actions are cognoscible by these who are his Inferiours but altering their capacity in the Collection But is it so in the Case of the Superintendent whereof there were severals not one only as there is one commonly King in a Kingdom Seeing then he was to be judged by the Synod notwithstanding that there were other Superintendents in the Church 't is evident they counted every Brother in the Ministry his equal § 19. But the Superintendents saith our Author had a stock of prerogatives above other Pastors But be it so yet notwithstanding hereof if we suppose which I trust at the narrowest search shall appear the truth of what we have now adduc'd and the self consistency of the actings of our Reformers whom he would fain set at variance with themselves whatsoever Prerogatives he has really brought can never prove that the Superintendent had any Dominion over other Pastors or that they acted not in a true and real Parity so that from what is now said these his pretended Disparities are prevented and remov'd For example he tells us that Superintendents had a larger district were nominated by the Council elected by the Nobility and Gentry 't was not so with the Paroch Ministers But the Commissioners had no less districts and were appointed by the General Assembly which I 'm sure is of no less weight in the case than the Councils Nomination even tho' the Gentlemens Election be added thereto and yet who in his Wit will take him for any other Officer than is every Parish-minister or fall into the rovery of our Author who calls these Commissioners
temporary Bishops Paroch-ministers by the first Book of Discipline head 8 were deposeable by the Superintendent and the Elders of their Parishes The Superintendent was to be Judged by the Ministers and Elders of the whole Province But the fraud is palpable the words of the Book of Discipline are that if a Minister be worthy of Deposition the Elders of his Parish may with consent of the Kirk and Superintendent depose him Where you see the Kirk or Minister and Elders of the Province are no less interested in the Deposition of a Minister than in the judging of a Superintendent He suppress'd therefore all mention of the Kirk which even Spotswood whom he cites expresses to the end he might make his Reader believe no Minister save the Superintendent only had any power in Deposition of Ministers But privat Ministers saith he were to be admitted by their Superintendents but the Superintendents by the Superintendents next adjacent and the Superintendents had the Power of Ordination The first Book of Discipline and several Acts of the Assemblies But had only the Superintendents the Power of Ordination yea not only was there no plurality of Superintendents present at the Action but also John Knox who was no Superintendent ordain'd or admitted Spotswood Superintendent of L. yea every particular Minister when commissionated by the Assembly had no less Power of Ordination or any other thing whatsoever than is either in the Book of Discipline or any where else giv'n to the Superintendent Neither might any one particular Minister while he was a Commissioner more than the Superintendent be translated from one district to another without the Counsel of the whole Church or Assembly neither were there meaner Qualifications requisite in any Commissioner And I think Knox who was never a Superintendent was in these not inferiour to any of ' em But he had a living five times so much as another Minister But then I 'm sure he had five times as much to do with it being perpetually to Travell Preach and Exhort far and wide c but if this Rule had been keep'd our Bishops had got five times less than any other Minister for rarely did they any such Duty either at home or abroad In the mean while The Power of Riches and the baseness of Poverty maketh not a Bishop either higher or lower But Superintendents saith he were constant Members of General Assemblies had Power to Visit and to try the like c. of the Ministers of all the Churches of the Diocess and were to try those who stood Candidates for the Ministry had Power of granting Collations on Presentations But whatsoever he had of these belong'd also to every particular Pastor when commissionated by the General Assembly but tho' the Superintendent or Commissioner is only nam'd in such Cases as in trial of the Candidats granting Collations Deposition of Ministers c. He is to be understood as the Moderator and mouth of the Synod where he Superintended for Example the Assembly in the case of transportation chargeth the Ministers to obey the Voice and Commandment of their Superintendent and yet by the very same Act none can be translated without the Consent of the most part of the Elders and Ministers of Kirks conveen'd in the Synodal Assembly and yet from this very Act he adventnres to conclude the Canonical Obedience of Pastors to their Superintendents But he had Power to nominal Ministers to be Members of the General Assembly For Assembly 1562. 't was ordain'd that no Minister leave his Flock for coming to the Assembly except he have Complaints to make or be complain'd off or at least be warn'd thereto by the Superintendent And the L. Glamis in a Letter to Mr. Beza saith that after the Reformation it fell out by custom that the Bishops and so many of the Ministers Pastors and Elders as the Bishops appointed came to the General Assembly But touching what he alledges as said by the L. Glamis I can find it no where save in the Works of Saravia and Beza's Answer to Glamis his second Question wherein these words are found neither meets with nor presupposes any such Clause But be it that L. Glamis said so what will they hence infer he says indeed that this came to pass after the Reformation but how long 't was after the Reformation before this was practis'd he says not ' T was saith he receiv'd by Custom by no Decree of the Church then or Acts of the Assembly And lastly he speaks of Bishops not of Superintendents And I never find that any about these times gave Superintendents the name of Bishops and so this makes nothing for our Author's purpose Wherefore if ever L. Glamis had any such Expression whereof I much doubt in my mind he mean'd it of the Tulchans who for some space after the Leith-convention made some steps toward such a Superiority otherwise all the accounts we have of these times and in special the Acts of our Assemblies demonstrat that there was no such Power or Priviledge giv'n to any then in Scotland yea so much our Author himself presently proves and overturns this his own Argument by citing another out of the Assembly July 1563 1568 he should have said viz. Anent the Order hereafter to be used in General Assemblies They all voted and concluded as followeth viz. that if the Order already received pleases not by reason of the plurality of Voices it be reformed in this manner First that none have place to Vote except Superintendents Commissioners appointed for visiting the Kirks and Ministers brought with them presented as Persons able to reason and having knowledge to judge with the aforenamed shall be joined Commissioners of Burghs and Shires together with Commissioners of Vniversities Secondly Ministers and Commissioners shall be Chosen at the Synodal-convention of the Diocess by the Consent of the rest of the Ministers and Gentlemen that shall conveen at the said Synodal-convention c. From this Act 't is clear that the former in 1562. has only been mention'd never concluded or at least cass'd and repeal'd by some intervenient Assembly otherways there had been no place or ground for the Act of 1568. which presupposes that ev'n these that were not at all thus Chosen at the Synod were free to come and Vote at the Assembly So far was this liberty from being put in the Superintendent or Commissioner's Power And indeed from this Act 't is most evident and 't is left on Record also by the Vindicatour of Philadelphus that before the time of this Act all Ministers who pleased were free to Vote at the Assemblies yet with our Author Petrie must be a mixer of lies for saying so much But Calderwood saith our Author leaves out intirely these words brought with them i. e. with the Superintendents and Commissioners of Kirks presented as Persons able to reason and having knowledge to judge whereby the Power of Superintendents and Commissioners for visiting of