of God of Ordination by Presbyters without Prelats HAving now finished our Vindication of the present Ministers of the Church of England both such as were made by Bishops and such as are now made without Bishops before we come to our Appendix we shall crave leave to shew in few words unto our respective Congregations not onely the lawfulnesse of the present Ministry But the absolute necessity of adhering to it and the destructive dangers and ineffable mischiefs that will follow upon receiving of it And this will appear upon a fourfold account 1. Because a true Ministery is essential to an Organical Church that is a Church administring Ordinances A true Church saith Cyprian is Plebs Episcopo adunata Ecclesia non est saith Jerom quae non habet sacerdotem Sure we are That there cannot be a true Church Ministerial without true Ministers 2. Because the Scripture way and the onely Ordinary way by which men are set apart to the work of the Ministry is by Ordination as we have abundantly shewed He that comes any other way is a Thief and a Robber not a true Shepherd 3. Because That this Ordination must be performed either by Ministers or by the people And if all Ordination by Ministers be to be accounted Antichristian because these Ministers were made by other Ministers and those by others and those by such as before the reformation were belonging to the Church of Rome Then it will follow That there is no way of Ordination left but by the people 4. Because there is neither precept nor president in all the Book of God for Ordination of Ministers by the people without Ministers We read of Ordination by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery but never by the laying on of the hands of the people We find the Apostles Ordaining and Timothy and Titus Ordaining as we have formerly said and the Presbytery ordaining But no where of the peoples Ordaining We find the people contra-distinguished from Rulers and Governours but no where called Rulers or Governours And if there be a power by Scripture in the people to Ordain Ministers why was Titus sent to Creete to Ordain Elders why did the Apostles visit the Churches they had planted to Ordain Elders in every Church And why is Timothy commanded To lay hands suddenly on no man c. Some thing possibly may be said out of Scripture For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is ne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quidem in totâ Scripturâ Surely this way of Ordination by the people is a devise that hath neither ground for it in the Scripture nor in all Antiquity And for private Christians to assume not onely a power to elect their own Ministers that is to nominate Persons to be made their Ministers which we no wayes dislike or deny so it be done in an orderly way by the guidance of the Presbytery but also to undertake without Ordination to become Publick Preachers themselves and not onely so but to send forth Ministers authoritatively to Preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments This is a sin like unto the sin of Vzziah and of Corah and his company This is to make themselves Political Popes and Antichristian Christians And therefore for the conclusion of all we shall make bold to speak two things to all those that renounce their former Ordination by Ministers and take up a new way of Ordination by the people 1. We would intreat them that before they find fault with our way of Ordination by Ministers they would first of all justifie by the Canon of the Scripture their new way of Ordination by the people 2. We would desire them in the fear of God to consider That whosoever renounceth Ordination by Ministers must of nece ssity not onely renounce our Ministry but all the Ministers and Churches Reformed in the Christian world and as Constantine said to Acesius the Novaâ—ian He must erect a Ladder by himself to go to heaven in a new way He must turn Seeker and forsake all Church-Communion as some do in these our unhappy dayes upon this very ground that we are speaking of For sure we are If Ordination by Ministers be Antichristian Ordination by the people is much more Antichristian But we hope better things of you though we thus speak And our prayer to God is and shall be That the Lord would send down the spirit of Truth into the hearts of his people to guide them in the truth in these erring dayes The Spirit of holinesse to sanctifie them by his truth in these prophane dayes And the Spirit of charity and meeknesse and sobriety to cause them to speak the truth in love Ephes. 4.15 and to love one another in the truth 2 Joh. 1. in these sinful and miserable dayes of uncharitablenesse and division The Appendix HAving sufficiently proved out of the word of God that a Bishop and Presbyter are all one and that Ordination by Presbyters is most agreeable thereunto We shall now subjoyn a brief Discourse about the grand Objection from the Antiquity of Prelacy and about the Judgement and Practise of the Ancient Church concerning the Ordination of Ministers And this we shall do the rather because our Prelatical Divines do herein most triumph and boast For Bishops distinct from Presbyters have been say they in the Church of Christ for 1600. years and upâ—ward And there never was any Ordination without them And when Coluthus was Ordained by a Presbyter without a Bishop his Ordination was pronounced null and void And Aerius by Austin and Epiphanius was accounted an Heretique for holding an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an equality and Identity between a Bishop and a Presbyter Nay Ierom himself saith That a Bishop over Presbyters is an Apostolical Tradition and that it began when some said I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas which was say they in the Apostles dayes And from hence it is peremptorily asserted that Episcopal government is of Apostolical institution For answer to this great and plausible objection and for the further declaration of our judgements concerning the Antiquity of Prelaâ—y we crave leave to lay down these following Propositâ—ons Proposition 1. THat whatsoever may be said for Prelacy out of antiquity yet sure we are as we hope hath been sufficiently proved That it hath no foundation in the Scriptures And as Christ in matter of divorce brought the Iewes to the first institution of marriage so ought we in the point of Prelacy to reduce men back to the first Institution of Episâ—opacy and to say as Christ From the beginning it was not so It is a good saying of Tertullian Id adulterum quod posterius id verum quod primum And it was well observed by Cyprian That Christ said Ego sum via veritas vita not Ego sum consuetudo and that consuetudo sine veritate est vetâ—stas erroris Christ is
Anacletus Clemens and another called Cletus as some affirm are inextricable Some say That Titus was Bishop of Crâ—te some say Archbishop and some Bishop of Dalmatia Some say That Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus and some say That Iohn was Bishop of Ephesus at the same time Some say Polycaâ—ps was first Bishop of Smyrna another saith that he succeeded one Buâ—olus and another That Aristâ— was first Some say That Alexandria had but one Bishop and other Cities two and others that there was but one Bishop of one City at the same time And how can these Catalogues be unquestionable that must be made up out of Testimonies that fight one against another Learned Iunius speaking of that great controversie about the succession of the first Bishops or Presbyters of Rome whether Linus was the first or Clemens or Anacletus hath this remarkable passage That these or some of these were Presbyters or Bishops of Rome at the same time ruling the Church in common But the following Writers fancying to themselves such Bishops as then had obtained in the Church fell into these snares of tradition because they supposed according to the custome of their own timeâ— that theâ—e could be but one Bishop in one Church at the same time which iâ— quite crosse to the Apostolic all times Thirdly This is also to be considered That they that made the Catalogues spake according to the language of the times in which they lived in which there was a distinction between Bishops and Presbyâ—ers and therefore call them who went before them Bishops whereas indeed they were not so in a proper sence Nor can the Bishops of after-times be said to succeed them any otherwise if so much then Caesar is said to succeed the Roman Consuls Fourthly These Catalogues do resolve themselves into an Apostle or an Evangelist as at Rome into 〈◊〉 at Alexandria into Mark at Ephesus into Timothy aâ— â—retâ— into Titus Now it is certain That the Apostles and Evangelists cannot be said to be Bishops in a formal sence For they had an universal Commission and their Offices were extraordinary and they had no successors properly in idem Officium Indeed Bishops or Presbyteâ—s did succeed them in some part of their work but not in their Office Ordinary Offices succeed Extraordinary not in the same line and degree as one Brother succeeds another in his inheritance but as men of another Order and in a different line They are we confesse called Bishops by Ecclesiastical Writers but that was onely by way of allusion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we have formerly shewed We will conclude this Proposition with part of a passage out of the conference of the Reverend Presbyters at the Isle of Wight where they say And left your Majesty might reply That however the Catalogues and Testimonies may varie or be mistaken in the order or times or names of those Persons that succeeded the Apostles yet all agree that there was a Succession of some Persons and so though the credit of the Catalogues be infirmed yet the thing intended is confirmed thereby We grant that a Succession of men to feed and govern these Churches while they continued Churches cannot be denyed and that the Apostles and Evangelists that planted and watered those Churches though extraordinary and temporary Officers were by Ecclesiastical Writers in compliance with the language and usage of thir own times called Bishops and so were eminent men of chief note presiding in Presbyteries of the Cities or Churches called by such Writers as wrote after the division and distinction of the names of Presbyters and Bishops But that those first and ancientest Presbyters were Bishops in proper sence according to your Majesties description invested with power over Presbyters and people to whom as distinct from Presbyters did belong the power of Ordination giving Rules and Censures we humbly conceive can never be proved by authentick or competent Testimonies And granting that your Majesty should prove the Succession of Bishops from the Primitive times seriatim yet if these from whom you draw and through whom you derive it be found either more then Bishops as Apostles and extraordinary persons or lesse then Bishops aâ— meerly first Presbyters having not one of the three essentials to Episcopal Government mentioned by your Majestie in their own hand it will follow that all your Majestie hath proved by this Succession is the Homonymy and equivocal acceptation of the word Episcopus Proposition 8. THat whatsoever may be said of Episcopacy out of Antiquity yet notwithstanding it is an opinion generally received by the Learned in all ages That there are but Two Orders of Ministers in the Church of Christ Bishops and Deacons according to the saying of Paul to the Philippians where he salutes the Bishops and Deaconâ— that is the Presbyters and Deacons Of this opinion iâ— Clement in his Epistle to the Corinthians and Polycarpâ— in his Epistle to the Philâ—delphians as we have shewed Thiâ— also iâ— the opinion of most of the School-men Lombard saith Whereas all the seven Orders are spiritual and sacred yet the Canons think that two onely are called Sacred Orders by an excellency to wit the order of Deaconship and Priesthood because the Primitive Church so far as we can read had onely these two and of these only we have the Apostles precept Bonaventâ—râ— saith That Episcopacy iâ— no order but an eminency and dignity The like saith Aâ—reâ—lus upon the 4. Sent. distinct 24. Navâ—rrus saith That it is the common opinion of the Divines That Episcopacy is not an Order but an Office See more of this in Forbesii Iâ—â—nicuâ— lib. 2. cap. 11. And in the Addition of M. Mason to his defence of the Ministry of the Church of England where there are very many authors cited to prove That Presbytery is the highest Order of Ministry is not a different order but a different degree of the same Order See also D. Bloâ—deâ— Sect. 3.135 where he sheweth out of divers Councells that under the name of Priests and Levites the whole Gospel-Ministry were comprehended In our own Nation that blessed man Mr. Wickloffe did judge that there ought onely to be two Orders of Ministers in the Church to wit Presbyters and Deacons And Iohn Lamberâ— a Martyr in his answer to Articles objected against him saith As touching Priesthood in the Primitive Church when vertue bore as Ancient Doctors do deem and Scripture in mine opinion recordeth the same most room there were no more Officers in the Church of God then Bishops and Deacons that is Ministers as witnesseth besides Scripture Hierome in his Commentariesupon the Epistles of Paul But we shall give one instance instead of many that might be added In the year 1537. there came out a Book called The Institution of a Christian man made by the whole Clergy in their Provincial Synod set forth by the authority of the Kings Majestie and approved by the whole Parliament and commanded to be preached to the
Us can testifie perswades all Scholars unto Opinionum varietas opiâ—antium unitas non sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that We shall be willing to entertain any sincere Motion as We have also formerly Declared in Our Printed Vindication that shall further a happy Accommodation between Us. 6. The last sort are the Moderate Godly Episcopal men that hold Ordination by Presbyters to be lawfull and valid That a Bishop and a Presbyter are one and the same Order of Ministry that are Orthodox in Doctrinal Truths and yet hold That the Government of the Church by a perpetual Moderatour is most agreeable to Scripture-patern Though herein We differ from them yet We are farre from thinking that this difference should hinder a happy Union between them and Us. Nay We crave leave to profess to the world That it will never as We humbly conceive be well with England till there be an Union endeavoured and effected between all those that are Orthodox in Doctrine though differing among themselves in some Circumstances about Church-government And the Lord hath strangely made way for this long-desired Union by the bitter wofull and unutterable fruits of Our Divisions which have almost destroyed not only the Ministry but even the very heart and life of Religion and Godlinesse Memorable is the Story of Bishop Ridley and Bishop Hooper two famous Martyrs who when they were out of Prison disagreed about certain Ceremonial Garments but when they were put into Prison they quickly and easily agreed together Adversity united them whom Prosperity divided The time is now come wherein the ruine of all the Godly Orthodox and Ordained Ministry is by some men designed and endeavoured And therefore though hitherto We have continued sinfully divided yet now the Consideration of our Common Danger and the Preservation of the Ministry and therein the Preservation of the Glorious Ordinances Churches and precious Truths of Jesus Christ should marvellously constrain Us to study to finde out and being found out cordially to imbrace all lawfull waies to Unity and Agreement Thus much We thought fit to signifie that so Our Endeavours in the ensuing Discourse may not be misâ—interpreted and mis-represented There are two other things also which We are necessitated to communicate unto the Christian Reader First That this Book should have come out two Years ago but was hindred by multitude of necessary and indispensable Businesses intervening And that since our first undertaking of it there have been many Treatises written of most of these Subjects of which We speak to very good purpose which had prevailed with Us to have spared Our Pains had We not been encouraged by a saying of Austines That it is good and profitable to the Church of Christ that the same things be written of by divers Men in divers Books because those Books which come to the view of some will not come to the sight of others and by this means the Truths of Christ will be the sooner and easier spread and propagated We confesse that We have been necessitated in the Point of Episcopacy to borrow some things out of Smectymnuus and Our Reverend Presbyterian Divines in their Conference at the Isle of Wight and in Our Discourse about Election out of Mr Hudson and some others Which We have done because being to handle the same Subjects We thought it needless to adde any thing to what they have said and also That by this means We might revive the Memory of those Books which We believe are quite forgotten by most and are assured were never sufficiently answered by any Secondly The other thing which We would make known is That in this Our large Treatise We have purposedly declined all affectation of Language We have not laboured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to feast the ear with curious phrases Our endeavour is to speak non diserta sed fortia We have alwaies disliked those Books which have in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sea of words and but a drop of sound Reason Our Care hath been more after Matter then Words And We hope the unbiassed and judicious Reader will finde that though the Garment with which We clothe Our Matter be rough and hairy like Esau yet the Voice is alwaies the Voice of Iacob For We have studiously avoided all Bitternesse of Speech even against those that make it a great part oftheirReligion to rail and reproach Us and who account Us the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things We have learned of Our blessed Saviour To blesse those that curse Us to do good to them that hate Us and to pray for them which despitefully use Us and persecute Us. And of the blessed Apostle To instruct them in meeknesse that oppose Us if God peradventure will give thâ—m Repentance to the acknowledgement of the Truth It is a great Comfort to Us that the Government of the Church is upon Christs shoulders and he that could bear the wrath of God no doubt will uphold his own Government maugre all opposition And it is no lesse Joy unto Us that the Ministers of Christ are Stars in his right hand and therefore safe and secure from the hurt of unreasonable men We reade in the Revelation of a Woman cloathed with the Sunne and the Moon under her feet and a Crown of twelve Stars upon her head This Woman represents the true Church Every true Christian is cloathed with Christs Righteousnesse as with the Sunne and hath the world as the Moon under his feet and wears the Ministers and their Gospel-Doctrine as a Crown upon his head He that treads this Crown under his feet hath little of true Christianity in him But howsoever though We be trodden under feet and reproachfully used for what We have written yet it is no little Satisfaction to Us that We have discharged Our Consciences both to God and men And if some people will not wear Us as Crowns upon their heads We shall wear their Reproaches as Our Crown and shall pray unto the Lord who only teacheth to profit that he would give a good Successe to this Undertaking of Ours for the Glory of his Name the Benefit of his Church and more especially for the Establishing of our respective Congregations That he would direct protect providefor support sanctifie and comfort the Godly Ministry against all the sad Discouragements they meet with That he would keep out Popery root out Error Herâ—sie Atheism and all Prophanenesse and make Peace and Truth Holinesse and Righteousnesse to kisse one another in these three Nations The PREFACE THe Necessity and Excellency of the Gospel Ministery is so transcendently great as that it cannot but be accounted a very glorious Service in all those that shall undertake to represent it in its Beauty to the Sonnes of men and to vindicate it from all that seek to asperse undermine and destroy it Our Saviour Christ when he Ascended up into Heaven left the Ministry as his choisest Legacy next to the Gift of his
hath appointed the Ministry as perpetually necessary and hath enjoyned his Saints to repair unto the Law and to the testimonies and if any walking in a spirit of errour under specious pretences of new light speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them If the ends for which Christ first appointed the Ministry be perpetually necessary then the Office of the Ministry appointed by Christ for those ends is perpetually necessary in the Church of God by divine Institution but those ends for which Christ appointed the Ministry are perpetually necessary as will appear by a serious consideration of these particulars 1. One end for which the Ministry was ordained of God was that the Elect might be called and gathered and there shall be some still in every age to be added to the Church of them that shall be saved and when the number of the Elect is fully compleat then shall Christ come in his glory and all his Angels with him to be glorified in his Saints in the mean time there are many Sheep which are not yet of the Fold many who belong to the election who are not yet effectually called them also will Christ bring in both Iew and Genâ—ile that there may be one fold as there is onâ— Shepherd Now God hath revealed no other ordinary way to convert and bring these into his fold but the Ministry of his Word for How can they beleeve without a Preachâ—r therefore if there be some Elect continually to be brought into fellowship with Christ and this end be not fully attained till the end of the world then the Ministry assigned to thiâ— end must be perpetually necessary And therefore the Apostle Paul acquaints us that Christ gave the Ministers for this among other ends Ephes. 4.11 12 13 14. In which place because iâ— is the great Charter of the Gospel-Ministry we shall crave leave a little to exspatiate we have 1. The fruits or effects of Christs Ascension He gave some Apostles and some Prophets c. vers 11. 2. The ends for which these gifts were given vers 12. For the perfecting of the Saints c. and vers 14. That we be not children tossed to and fro c. 3 The duration or continuance of these gifts which is expresly asserted to be vers 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith c. Now from this place we argue 1. Either Apostles or Prophets or Evangelists or Pastors and Teachers are to continue till we all come into the unity of the faith But Apostles Evangelists and Prophets were not to continue which we prove thus That which is here given to continue and promised that it shall continue that certainly did and doth continue otherwise Christ should break his promise But de facto Prophets Apostles and Evangelists did not continue as is confessed Therefore Pastors and Teachers are to continue 2. Ordinary Officers in the Church are as truly the institutions of Christ and the fruits of his Ascension as extraordinary and therefore where God gives ordinary Officers they are to be received as sent by God as well as extraordinary both are said to weave one web to carry on one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one work of the Ministry 3. Whatever God gives to the Church man neither can nor must take it away except God reverse it But Christ gave this gift to the Church and gave it as appears with intention never to recall it And therefore woe be to that man that offers to take away this gift let him take heed lest God take away his part out of the book of life 4. Though Paul was an extraordinary Minister yet he doth both here and elswherâ— maintain the honour and assert the necessity of ordinary Pastors quite contrary to the men of our times who pretend to extraordinary inspirations and thence take occasion to pour contempt upon the ordinary Ministry 5. It was the intention of Jesus Christ when he gave this Ministry that it should continue till we all come into the unity of the faith And if the Ministry should not continue it must be either because he is not carefull to make good his intention or not able or not willing to do it But all these are absurd Indeed if this were a conditional promise depending upon some thing in us the non-performance of the condition on our parts might excuse the not accomplishment of the promise on Gods part but it is most evident that the promise here is absolute and independent upon us and therefore certainly it hath not been shall not be broken If it be said If this Argument hold it will prove that the Apostles shall continue till we all come to the Unity of the Faith c. for they also are mentioned in this Chapter We Answer The words are to be understood not conjunctim but divisim not conjoynedly that all those should continue but severally that some one of these at least should continue till that time otherwise this great absurdity would follow that Christ should fail in the fullfilling of his Word 6 When Christ promiseth a Ministry until we come to the Unity he is thereby obliged not only to keep his Ministry from a finall abolition but also from a totall interruption As when God saith to Christ Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool Mat. 22.44 it is therein implied that Christ shall not cease sitting at the right hand of the Father till all his enemies be subdued So here when Christ saith the Ministers shall continue till we all come c. it follows undeniably that they must not cease till that date be expired And least of all should the Word of Christ stand if God had only set Ministers in his Church for a hundred or two or three hundred years and suffered his Church to lose the Ministry in the Apostacy of Antichrist and to be without it for so many hundred years together as the Seekers are not ashamed to affirm 2. When the Saints are converted Gods end in the Word and Sacraments is to confirm them in a state of grace to edifie them and to nourish them up in the words of faith for the best of Saints are not here perfect but must go from strength to strength pressing forward towards perfection therefore during this life they shall ever need the Ministry ordained of Christ for the perfecting of the Saints and they are bound as new born babes to desire the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby And it is the character of true Converts that they love the gates of Sion for there the Lord commands his blessing even life for ever more 3. The Saints are to be united and what tears are sufficient to lament our present Divisions God hath promised there shall be an happy Union as of the Members to the Head so of the Members mutually one to another that there shall
Call is alwaies joyned either with the gift of Miracles or the gift of Tongues or some other extraordinary thing by which men are enabled undoubtedly to demonstrate to others their immediate Call Thus the Prophets were all of them endued with the gift of fore-telling things to come and Iohn Baptist was enabled to make proof of his immediate Call by shewing the Prophecies both of Isaiah and Malachy that were concerning him which prophecies were applied to him by the Angel Luke 1.15 16 17. before he was born appropriated by himself Ioh. 1.23 and confirmed by Christs testimony of him Mat. 11.9 10 11. And therefore let all those that boast of their Revelations and say they are called by God to preach as the Apostles were shew the signs and tokens of their Apostleship as the Apostles did let them shew the gift of miracles or of Tongues or of foretelling things to come or some supernaturall prediction that such as they should be sent into the world or at least some rare and extraordinary work of God that so the world may beleeve that they are in truth sent by God and are not Impostors and Seducers as the false Prophets were Ier. 14.14 Secondly They that are immediatly called by God will preach no other doctrine but what is agreeable to the Word of God This is the distinguishing character brought by the Prophet Ieremy Jer. 23.16 Hearken not unto the words of the Prophets c. For they prophesie a lye unto you for I have not sent them saith the Lord yet they prophesiâ— a lie in my Name Thus Ier. 29.8 9. Let not your Prophets and your Diviners deceive you neither hearken to your Dreams c. for they prophesie falsly unto you in my Name He that boasteth of dreams visionâ— â—nd Revelations and holds forth any doctrine contrary to the written Word he is an Impostor and a Seducer And this is the chief Note of difference without which the former iâ— insufficient Prima ac praecipua probationis regula saith Gerhard est harmonia congruentia doctrinae cum doctrinâ a Deo revelarâ The first and chief rule of triall is the harmony and agreement of the doctriâ—e they preach with the doctrine of thâ— Scriptâ—res For our Saviour Christ telâ— us That false Christâ— should arise and false Prophets and should shew great signs and wonders insomuch if it were possible they should deâ—eive the very Elect. And the Apostle tels us that the coming of Antichrist shall be after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders These wonders are called lying wonders either because they should be false and counterfeit or if â—rue yet they may be called lying wonders miranda not miracula because wrought by Satan to confirm erroneous doctrines and lies Such are Popish miracles falsly so called which are as our Annotations upon the place say either lyiâ—g prodigies or prodigious lies This caution was given to the Children of Israel by Moses Deut. 13.1 If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer if dreams and giveth thee a sign or a wonder and the sign or the wonder come to passe whereof he spake unto thee saying Let us go after other Gods c. Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that Prophet or that dreamer of dreams for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul c. From all which we gather That whosoever groundeth his authority of preaching upon an immediate call and braggeth of heavenly visions and divine revelations if he preach strange doctrine contrary to the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles although he should confirm it by signs and wonders and although he should undertake to foretell things to come and these predictions should come to passe yet notwithstanding we are not to hearken unto him but to reject him as a Seducer and his wonders as lying wonders and to say with the Apostle Paul Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Excellently to this purpose doth Austin answer to the Donatists boasting of their Revelations but departing from the sincerity of Evangelical doctrine Let them not therefore say it is a truth because Donatus or Pontius or any other did such and such miracles or because this Brother or that Sister saw such a vision or dreamed such a dream Let these fictions of deceitful men or wonders of lying spirits be laid aside c. And having laid them aside Let them demonstrate their Church not by such lying prodigies because against giving heed to such we are warned in the Word of God but by the prescript of the Law the predictions of the Prophets by the Book of Psalms by the voice of the great Shepherd by the Preachings and Writings of the Evangelists that is by â—…the Authority of Canonicall Books of Scripture So much for the first Question Quest. 2 Whether are we to expect any immediate and extraordinary Call to the Ministry in these daies Answ. Though we cannot nor ought not to set bounds to the infinite power of free-will of God nor will we dispute what God may do out of his free-grace in times of generall Apostacy yet we shall make bold to give in this answer to this great Question That we do not reade that we are commanded in Scripture to wait for and expect such a Call neither do we know of any promise that God hath made to encourage us to wait nor do we conceive that there is any absolute necessity of such an expectation For God as Chemnitius observes hath by his Apostles delivered and prescribed to his Church a certain form by which he would have men enter into the Ministry and that is a mediate Call neither is there now any need of an immediate For it is Gods will that the Ministry even to the end of the world should be tied to that doctrine which is delivered to the Church by the Apostles Adde to this That the Apostles though they themselves were called immediatly by God yet notwithstanding they did not wait till others that should succeed them in the work of the Ministry were chosen also immediatly by God But they themselveâ— ordained Ministers and gave order to Timothy and Titus about the way and method of electing and ordaining Elders which we are assured they would never have done if the immediate Call had not ceased together with their persons When Christ went up to heaven he gave two sorts of Officers to his Church some extraordinary as Apostles Evangelists Prophets and these were temporary some ordinary as Pastors and Teachers and these are perpetual Now as we are not to expect in our daies such extraordinary Officers as Apostles Evangelists and Prophets no more are we to expect such an extraordinary way of calling as they had but as our Officers are
ordinary so the calling we are to expect is ordinary Adde That God hath promised to preserve an ordinary Ministry in the world till the coming of Christ 1 Cor. 11.26 Eph. 4.12 13. Mat. 28.20 Isa. 59.21 And therefore there is no need of waiting for and expecting an extraordinary and immediate Call As it is necessary saith Learned Zanchy that there shall be alwaies a Church upon earth because Christ hath promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it So also it is every way as necessary that a lawfull Ministry be preserved Vnum enim ab altero separari non potest nec Ecclesia a Ministerio nec Ministerium ab Ecclesiâ For the one cannot be separated from the other neither the Church from the Ministry nor the Ministry from the Church And from hence it appears saith the same Authour That even in the Church of Rome though the worship of God be most corrupt in it yet God hath preserved in it so much of the substance of Religion as was necessary to salvation so that as the Church is not wholly extinct therein so neither was the Ministry We deny not but that there are some Learned Divines that pleade much for an immediate and extraordinary call in times of publique and generall defection from the Truth For our parts we will not espouse this quarrell We cannot we ought not to set bounds to the infinite power and free-will of God We dispute not what God may do at such times only we say with Gerhard Destituimur promissione quòd debeamus hoc tempore post confirmatum Novi Testamenti canonem immediatam vocationem expectare We have no promise that we ought after the confirmation of the Canon of the New Testament to expect an immediate call And afterwards he saith Nulla apparet immediatae vocationis necessitas There appears no necessity of this immediate Call And besides even those that are for an immediate Call do lay down divers limitations which are very worthy to be considered by the people of our age lest they should suck poison from such a doctrine One that pleads much for it gives these Rules 1. That this extraordinary and immediate Call then only takes place when a mediate and ordinary cannot be had and that such a Call ought not to be pretended unto in contempt of the ordinary way 2. That whosoever shall pretend to this immediate Call ought first to be tried before he be admitted That his doctrine ought to be examined by the Word That his life and conversation ought to be diligently lookt into lest he prove one of those concerning whom the Apostle speaketh That serve not our Lord Iesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple After this he puts this Question Anne cessante ordinaria vocatione c. Whether when the ordinary Call ceaseth it be then lawful for every private Christian verst in the Scriptures to go up into the Pulpit and preach against false Doctrines and assert the Truth and answers God forbid for this would open a door euivis ubivis qui se sapientem existimaret c. to every one every where who thinks himself wise under a pretence whether true or false of confuting false doctrine to have clandestine meetings as the Anabaptists and Libertines of our daies are wont to do following the evil example of those that first at Antioch afterwards in Galatia and elsewhere creeping in privately brought great tumults and confusions into the Church Of whom the Apostle speaks Forasmuch as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your souls saying Ye must be circumcised and keep the Law to whom we gave no such commandment Thus farre Bucanus and much more to this purpose in the same Chapter By this it appears That even they that justifie an immediate Call in some cases do notwithstanding flatly condemn the disorderly practices of our times So much in answer to the second Question The third Question is Whether the Call of Luther and the rest of the best Reformers of Religion from the errors of Popery was an immediate and extraordinary Call or no Answ. He that would be satisfied about the Call of Luther to the Ministry let him reade Gerhard de Ministerio where he shall finde proved That Luther though he did alwaies pleade his doctrine to be of God yet he did never so much as pretend to an immediate and extraordinary Call but that he was called after a mediate and ordinary way That he was ordained Presbyter in the Year of our Lord 1507. at 24 years of Age That when he was ordained Presbyter he did receive power to preach the Word of God That the next Year after he was called by Iohn Staupitius with the consent of Elector Frederick to be Divinity Professor of the Church and University of Wittenberg By the Statutes of which University he was bound to this sc. Vestrum est legem divinam interpretari librum vitae docere It is your Office to interpret the Divine Law and to teach the Book of Life Object If it be objected That Luther received his Ordination from the Church of Rome and therefore it is null and void Answ. To this Gerhard answereth That although the rite of Ordination in the Church of Rome was corrupted with many Superstitious and Vnprofitable Ceremonies yet Ordination it self was not nullified We must distinguish between the impurity of the Bishop Ordaining and the Ordination which is done in the Name of the whole Church And in the Ordination we must distinguish that which is divine from that which is humane that which is essential from that which is accidentall that which is godly and Christian from that which was Antichristian As in the Israelitish Church they were to use the Ministry Sacrifices and Ordination of the Scribes and Pharisees who sate in Moses chair yet the people were warned to take heed of the leaven of the Pharisees Mat. 16.12 So also is the Church of Rome We use the Ministry Sacraments and Ordination of those that were in ordinary succession but we reject the leaven of their Superstition But to this Objection we shall speak more fully in our fifth Proposition The like to that is said of Luther may be said of Zuinglius Oecolampadius Bucer Peter Martyr c Zanchy saith That Luther was a lawful Teacher and a Minister created in the Church of Rome with Imposition of hands and with authority to create others The like he saith of Zuinglius Bucer c. and of himself Qui in Papatu fuimus creati Doctores cum authoritate alios creandi We were made Teachers under the Papacy with authority to make others We confesse that Zanchy Bucanus and divers others speak much if not too much of an extraordinary Call that these blessed Reformers had But yet we desire it may be considered
to the mind of God a Bishop and a Presbyter are all one The Scripture owns no Bishop over Presbyters but onely a Presbyter-Bishop That the Lawes of the Realme acknowledge nothing by divine right in a Bishop but his being a Presbyter Sir Edward Cook makes it one part of the Kings jurisdiction to grant to Bishops that Ecclesiastical power they now exercise over us speaking of his times and also to take it from them at pleasure c. In Henry the 8 thâ— dayes there was a Book Printed for all his subjects to receive seen and allowed by both Houses of Parliament wherein is said Of these two Orders onely that is to say Priests and Deacons the Scripture maketh expresse mention and how they were conferred by the Apostles by prayer and imposition of hands By which it is evident That the Lawes of the Realme do not acknowledge the divine right of Prelacy That most of our Bishops in King Edwards and Queen Elizabeths dayes did freely confess That Episcopacy as it differed from Presbytery was onely of humane right and not from divine institution This Bishop Iewel confesseth in his answer to Harding and brings divers of the Ancient Fathers of the same judgement whose sayings we shall hereafter mention The same is affirmed by Archbishop Whitgift against Carewright and by Bishop Downam in the Preface to his defence of his Sermon Preached at the consecration of the Bishop of Bath and Wells That the best learned even amongst the Papists themselves do confesse That a Bishop is not a superiour order of Ministry above a Presbyter but onely a superiour dignity That Sacerdotium that is as they call it The Priesthood is the highest order in the Church That a Bishop is onely 〈◊〉 Presbyter The first Presbyter or as Bellarmine calls him major 〈◊〉 Episcopacy is not another Order distinct from the Priesthood saith Caeprâ—â—lus No Prelate hath more concerning Sacramental power or of Order then simple Priests So Armachanus As concerning Sacerdotal order and things that pertain to Order they are equal Thus Bellarmine himself Although a Bishop and Presbyter are distinguished yet as concerning Sacrifice they exercise the same Ministry and therefore they make one Order and not two Cusanus goeth further All Bishops and haply also Presbyters are of equal power in respect of jurisdiction although not of execution which executive power is shut up and restrained by certain positive Lawes The Master of the Sentences saith That the Canons acknowledge onely two sorts of holy orders Diaconatum sc. Presbyteratum quia hos solos primitiva Ecclesia legitur habuisse de his solis praeceptum Apostoli â—abamus That is The Deacon and the Presbyter Because the Primitive Church had no other and the Apostolique precept speaks of no other Estins tells us That Aquinas Waldensis Bonaventure and most of the other Schoolmen are of this opinion And Doctor Field in his 5th Book of the Church hath this remarkeable passage Touching the preeminence of Bishops above Presbyters there is some difference among the School Divines For the best Learned amongst them are of opinion that Bishops are not greater then Presbyters in the power of consecration or order but only in the exercise of it and in the power of jurisdiction seeing Presbyters may Preach and Minister the greatest of all Sacraments by vertue of their Consecration and order as well as Bishops Touching the power of consecration or order saith Durandus it is much doubted of amongst Divines whether any be greater then an ordinary Presbyter For Hierome seemeth to have been of opinion that the highest power of consecration or order iâ— the power of a Priest or Elder so that every Priest in respect of his Priestly power may Minister all Sacraments confirm the Baptized give all orders all blessings and consecrations but that for the avoiding of the peril of Schisme it was Ordained that one should be chosen who should be named a Bishop whom the rest should obey and to whom it was reserved to give orders and to do some other things which none but Bishops do And afterwards he saith That Hierome is clearly of this opinion and much more to this purpose Now hence it followeth necessarily That the power of Ordination of Ministers exercised for these many hundred years by Bishops did belong to them as Presbyters and not as Bishops and that the act and exercise of it was restrained to them potius ad honorem Sacerdotii in remedium schismatis quam ad Legis â—â—cessitatem rather for the honour of the Priesthood and as was then their opinion for the remedy of Schisme then for any necessity of Law For the Scripture warrants no such practise as we shall shew hereafter Now this floweth from the former conclusion For if Episcopacy be the same Order of Ministers with Presbytery and the Ecclesiastical power equal in both and a Bishop be nothing else in the opinion of Antiquity but a chief Presbyter or the President of the Presbytery and of the same rank with them then all the acts he doth he must do by vertue of his Presbyterial consecration This is demonstrable even our adversaries being Judges from this Argument Because a Bishop made per saltum that never had the Ordination of a Presbyter can neither consecrate and administer the Sacrament of the Lords Supper nor Ordain a Presbyter himself being none nor do any act peculiarly appertaining to Presbyters Ordination therefore saith Mr. Ball is reserved to the Bishop not in respect of superiority in degree of Ministry above his brethren for if he be no Presbyter he cannot make Presbyters but for order sake and to prevent Schisme and division being for substance of the same Order and consecration with them Dr. Field manageth the same argument these or words A Presbyter saith he ordained per saltum that never was consecrated or ordained a Deacon may notwithstanding do all those Actâ— that pertaine to the Deacons Order because the higher Order doth alwayes imply in it the lower and inferiour in an eminent and excellent sort But â— Bishop Ordained per saltum that never had the Ordination of a Presbyter can neither Consecrate and Administer the Sacrament of the Lords body nor Ordaine a Presbyter himself being nonâ— nor do any act peculiarly pertaining to Presbyters Whereby it is most Evident saith Dr. Field That that wherein a Bishop excelleth a Presbyter is not a distinct Power of Order but an Eminency and Dignitie onely specially yeelded to one above all the rest of the same Rank for Order sake and to preserve the unity and peace of the Church What peace and Order was preserved hereby in the Church we shall shew afterwards For the present it is most clear even from the testimony of Episcopal men themselves That a Bishop is of the same Order and Rank with a Presbyter and that his acts of Ordination were exercised by him as a Presbyter
nourished in the wildernesse for a time times and half a time from the face of the Serpent verse 14. Note here 1. That by the 1260 daies and a time times and half a time is meant the whole time of Antichrists raign 2. That the Church during the whole raign of Antichrist should be in a sad lamentable and Wildernesse condition 3. That maugre all the fury of the ten-headed or two-headed beast yet notwithstanding the Church of Christ should be preserved and kept safe For there were two wings of a great Eagle given unto her to enable her to fly into the Wildernesse where she is fed and nourished 42. Moneths And all this is to be understood not onely of a Church entitative or a Church without Officers but of a Church instituted or Ministerial a Church administring Ordinances For this woman is not onely kept alive in the Wildernesse all the time of Antichrists raign but she is fed and nourished by Gospel-Administraâ—ions â—he is fed by the Two witnesses for the prophesying of the witnesses is contemporary with the womans flight into the Wildernesse Even aâ— Elias was nourished in the Wildernesse and kept safe from the fury and rage of Iezebel And as God reserved 7000. that had not bowed their knees to Baal c. and by good Obadiah preserved an hundred Prophets of the Lord alive all the time of Ahabs bitter opposition against them Even so was the Woman that is The Church of Christ reserved and nourished by the Ordinances Scriptures and Ministry of Christ though in a Wildernesse-condition all the time of Antichrist's prevalency The like to this we read of in the 11. of the Revelation where we have two things very observable for our purpose The one concerning the Temple measured and the outward Court unmeasured The other concerning the two Witnesses 1. Concerning the Temple measured and the outward Court unmeasured The outward Court was to be left out or cast out to wit as prophane and that which God will make no account of It was not to be measured but to be given unto the Gentiles that is the Antichristian party to be trod under foot forty and two Moneths that is all the time of Antichrists raign The meaning is as Mr. Mâ—de well observeth That the Antichristian Apostasie which he calls redivivus Ethnicismus shall prevail over the Christian Churâ—h and shall bring in a new kind of Idolatry into the places where the true Religion was professed But now the Temple and the Altar and they that worship therein are to be measured with a divine reed This measuring is an allusion to Ezek. 40.1 c. where the Temple with all in it was to be measured by Gods appointment to shew that that building was of God So must the true Church of Christ under Antichrist be measured that is kept pure from Antichrist's Idolatry walking exactly according to the Rule of the Word and also kept safe from Antichrist's rage and fury 1. Note here That though the outward Court was given to the Gentiles to be troden down yet the Temple with the worshippers therein was not given 2. That during the prevalency ofAntichrist the Temple and Altar and worshippers therein that is a true Church and a true Ministry and true Gospel-Ordinances are preserved and kept safe While the outward Court is worshipping the Beast the true Church is serving God according to his Word as in the inner Court of the Temple Our English Annotations say That by the measuring of the Temple and altar and the worshippers therein is signified 1. The fewnesse â—f the true Christians under Antichrist in comparison of the Idâ—latrous ones as the Priests and Levites that worshipped in the inner Court were few in comparison of the people that worshipped in the outward 2. That Gods people while Antichrist raged should have a place in the Wildernesse where they might serve God according to his will as the Jewes offered sacrifices on the altâ—r in the Temple and which should be for safety as a Sanctuary unto them Isai. 8.14 Ezek 11.16 Therefore Temple and altar and worshippers and all are measured So Jerusalem is measured after the captivity that it may be inhabited again Zech. 2.1 2 3 4. c. 2. The Second thing observable is concerning the two Witnesses who are said to Prophesie in sackcloth 1260. dayes that is all the time of the raign of Antichrist By the Two Witnesses in general are meant Omnes Veritatis divinae interpretes assertores saith Mr. Mede All the Interpreters and assertors of divine truth qui soedam illam lachrymabilem Ecclesi ae Christi contaminationem assiduis querelis deflereâ—t c. who should by their daily complaints bewaile the foul and lamentable pollution of Christ's Church These Witnesses are said to be two for the fewnesse of them and because two witnesses were sufficient to confirm any truth and also in alâ—usion to Mosâ—s and Aâ—ron in the Wildernesse To Elijah and Elisha when the Israelites worshipped the Calves and Baal To Zerubbabel and Iâ—hoshua in Babylon and after the return of the Israelites from captivity For our parts we conceive that by the Two witnesses in a more especial manner are meant the True Ministers of Jesus Christ who are called Witnesses of Christ Act. 1.8 and whose proper Office it is to bear witnesse to truth and holinesse against all the Heresies Blasphemies Idolatries and ungodlinesse of Antichrist Now these two witnesses are said to Prophesie though cloathed in Sackcloth all antichrists reign which is a clear and demonstrative argument to us That there hath been a true Ministry preserved by God from the beginning of the Christian Church even to this very day notwithstanding the great and universal Apostacy that hath been in it And our learned Protestants in divers Books have given us a Catalogue of the faithful Ministers of God and other godly men whom the Lord raised up in all ages of the Church to bear witnesse against the growing and spreading abominations of Antichristianisme in the Christian World 3. The third thing we offer to consideration is To beseech our people accurately to distinguish between the Church of Rome and the Antichristianisme of the Church of Rome as between a man and the Plague-sore that is upon him and between a Field that is full of tares and yet hath some Wheat in it It is certain that the Church of Rome was a true Church in the Apostles dayes when the faith of it was spread throughout the World and it is as certain that afterwards by little and litle it apostatized till at last Antichrist set up his throne in that Church And yet still we must distinguish between the Church and the Apostasie of it between the Corn and the Tares that are in it Thus the Apostle seems to do 2 Thess. 2.4 where he puts a difference between the Temple of God in which the man of sin shall sit as God and between the man of sin sitting
are others that say That till the last Councel of Trent the Church of Rome remained a true Church for the essentials and substantials of it and then it ceased to be a true Church The Scripture saith That Antichrist sits in the Temple of God though he be no part of it as we have formerly said no more then Satan who had his seat in Pergamus was part of the Church of Pergamus But for our parts we conceive we are not at all forced by any thing that we have said to entermeddle with this Controversie For it doth not follow That because Ordination which is an Ordinance of Christ for the substance of it was preserved in the Church of Rome that therefore the Church of Rome is a true Church no more then it followeth That a Theefe having the goods of an honest man in his house which he hath stolen should thereupon be accounted a True man Surely The Theefe is still a theefe And so is Rome still the Mother of Harlots notwithstanding her possessing the Essentials of Ordination and Baptisme Even as Babylon of old A type of Rome was Babylon still and far from being the Church of God although it had the Vessels of the Temple with her So is the Church of Rome still an Antichristian Church The Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth although it hath had the Essentials of a true Ministry by Gods overruling providence continued in her 7. The Seventh and last consideration doth more immediately concern the Ministry of England and it consisteth of three branches 1. That the first conversion of the English Nation from Heathenisme unto Christiaâ—ity did not proceed from Româ— but from Hierusalem Mr. Fox and Dr. Iohn White have learnedly demonstrated out of Gildas and sundry other Authors who affirm that Britaine received the Gospel in the time of Tiberius the Emperour under whom Christ was crucified from some of the Apostles or some Apostolical men It is mostly received that Ioseph of Arimathea was sent by Philip from France to Britaine about the year 63. and laid the first foundation of the Christian faith amongst us To this Tertullian attesteth in his Book against the Iewes And therefore it is a falsity for Rome to challenge the conversion of the English Nation and no lesse absurdity for us to derive our succession from them 2. That the Churches of England in their first Plantation were rightly gathered and constituted as being planted by the Apostles or men Apostolical And that true Christianity after it's first settlement in Britaine was never wholy exâ—â—nguished but hath continued from the very first Plantation of it to this very day This Dr. VVhite proveth â—gainst the Papists in his way to the Church § 49. Where he sheweth That the Faith continued here from King Lucius to the coming of Austin the Monk whom Gregory sent hither 600. years after Christ who when he came found divers Britaine Bishops and learned men with a Monastery at Bangor who did oppose Arrianisme and Pâ—lagianisme and the pride of Austin the Popes Ambassador 3. That during the raign of Antichrist here in England God reserved unto himself many Thousands that never bowed their knees to Baal as appears in the Book of Martyrs And amongst otherâ— he raised up Mr. VVickliffe and made him a great and famous instrument of Church-reformation Our London Divines in their Appendix to the jus divinum of Church government prove out of good Authors that in this Church of England the corruptions which the Church of Rome would have introduced about Ordinations of Ministers and other Ecclesiastical affairs were withstood and opposed by the Kings of England c. So that if the whole be well considered it will puzzle our Antiministerial adversaries to prove that the Church of England was beholding to the Church of Rome for either the first plantation after reformation or continuation of the Gospel Church and Ministry therein from the begining to this day We will conclude this consideration with the remarkable speeches of two New-England Ministers The first is Mr. Philips of Watertown who having proved That England was not beholden to Rome for its first conversion nor after reformation at last hath these words When it pleased God more fully to clear up the light of his Gospell in this Nation so as many thousands were redeemed from amongst men Antichristian and were made the first fruits unto God and the Lambe The Church-state was not essentially altered all this time nor were these first fruits unto God New constituted Churches but members of some Churches clearing themselves from corruption and by reformation recovering themselves out of a desperate diseased condition into a more healthful and sound estate In which course the Lord went on mightily in many places especially after Luthers time yea even in England something by Henry the 8 th more by Edward the 6 th and Queen Elizabeth who did not constitute new Churches but reformed the Churches deeply degenerated from the first constitution and the pure state thereof as they did the like in the state of Iudah often sometimes better and more fully and sometimes not so fully in the dayes of the Judges David Asa Iehoshaphat Hezekiah Iosiah Ezra and Nehemiah The other is Mr. Cotton in his way of the Churches of Christ in New-England Chap. 7. Pag. III. where he saith Four things we observe in the State of the Churches in England which make way for Reformation amongst them First the Efficient instruments of their first plantation which were either Apostles or Apostolicall men whether Philip or Ioseph of Arimathea or Simon Zelotes as any of our Countrymen may read in Mr. Foxe's Book of Acts and Monuments in the beginning of it next after the story of the ten persecutions out of Gildas Tertullian Origen Beda Nicephorus which being so we cannot but conceive the Churches in England were rightly gathered and planted according to the Rule of the Gospel and all the corruptions found in them since have sprung from Popish Apostacy in succeeding ages and from want of through and perfect purging out of that leaven in the late times of reformation in the dayes of our Fâ—therâ— So that all the work now iâ— not to make them Churcheâ— which were nonâ— before but to reduce and restore them to thâ—ir primitive institution c. And thus we have â—t lâ—st finished our several considerâ—tions in answer to thiâ— great Objection and shâ—ll here put an â—nd to our first Proposition to wit That the Call to the O ffice of the Ministry which some of our Ministerâ— did receive during the prevalency of Episcopacy was lâ—wfull and valid for the substance of it though mingled with many circumstantiall dâ—fects We have proved it by arguments drawn from the principles of our adversaries and also from our owne principlâ—â— We have indeavoured to give full satisfaction to all the Objectionâ— that are brought against it We had thought to have given our people a summary recapitulation
the defence of his Apoology part 2. cap 9. diviâ— 1. proveth against Harding that Aerius could not be counted an heretick for holding that Bishops and Presbyters are all one Iure divino and citing for it Hierom Austin Cyhrsostome closeth up for answer with these words All these and many more holy Fathers together with the Apostle St. Paul for thus saying must by Hardings advice be held for heretiques 9. Bishop Morton in his Cathol Apology part 1. cap. 33. affirmeth that divers other Divines besides Hierom were of the same opinion with Aerius That there was no difference by divine right between a Bishop a Presbyter For which he also citeth Medina Anselme Sedulius Erasmus and Alphonsus a Castro who saith that Hierome was of this opinion that a Bishop and a Presbyter are ejusdem ordinis et authoritatis of the same Order and the same Authority 10. Bishop Bilson whatsoever he saith to the contrary in his book called the perpetual government of Christs Church in his book against Seminaries lib. 1. pag. 318. affirmeth out of Hierome that the Church at first was governed by the common Councel of Prâ—byters and therefore Bishops must understand that they be greater then Ministers rather by custome then the Lords appointment and the Bishops came in after the Apostles times 11. Dr. Whitakers respon ad Campiani rationes ratio affirmeth That Iure divino a Presbyter and a Bishop are all one And whereas Durans affirmeth with many words that Bishops and Presbyters were Iure Divino divers he telleth him that if he will retain the estimation of a modest Divine he must not so confidently affirm that which all men see to be so evidently false For what is so well known saith he as this which you acknowledge not Hierom plainly writeth that Elders and Bishops are the same and confirmeth it by many places of Scripture 12. Dr. Holland the Kings Professor in Oxford at an Act Iuly 9. 1608. Concluded against Mr Lanes question An Episcopatus sit ordo distinctus a Presbyteratu â—oque superior jure divino and said That the Affirmative was most false against the Scriptures Fathers the Doctrine of the Church of England yea the very School-men themselves Lombard Thomas Bonaventure c. We might cite divers others as Arch-Bishop Whitguife against Carâ—hright and Dr. Fulk upon Titus the 1. ver 5. and Deane Nowell c. But we forbeare and the rather because we shall have occasion hereafter to touch upon the same Argument Now by all this it appears That by Scripture the judgment of the antient Church and our own Church of England a Bishop and a Presbyter are all one and that therefore they that are made Ministers by Presbyters are made Ministers by Bishops and are lawfully ordained because ordained in a way most agreeable to Scripture pattern CHAP. V. Answering Objections taken from the pretended Episcopacy of Timothy and Titus BEfore we leave our Scripture-proofs it will be expected that we should answer to what is brought out of Scripture for for the Ius Divinum of Prelacy and also to what is brought in answer unto our Arguments out of Scripture against it For the first there are two chiefe and principall arguments the one from Timothy and Titus the other from the 7. Asian Angels As for Timothy and Titus It is said that they were constituted Bishops of Ephesus and Creeâ— by the Apostle Paul and did exercise Episcopall power in these places both in Ordination and Jurisdiction and this power was derived by them unto their successors as being necessary to continue in the Church as well as the power of preaching and administring the Sacraments To this we Answer That Timothy and Titus were not Bishops in a Prelatical sense We deny not but that they did exercise Episcopal power both in Ordination and Jurisdiction and that this power is necessary to be continued in the Church But we say that they did this not as Bishops in a formall sense but as extraordinary Officers or Evangelists which were Officers in the Church distinct from Pastors and Teachers To make this out we will briefly do two things 1. We will prove that Timothy and Titus were not Prelaticall Bishops 2. That they were Evangelists 1. That they were not Prelaticall Bishops This we make out 1. Because the Scripture no where cals them Bishopâ— But in the Postscripts they are called Bishops These Postscripts are no part of Canonicall Scripture The Papists themselves Baronius Serarius and the Rhemists confesse that there is much falsity in them Smectimnuâ—s hath everlastingly blasted the Authority of them The first Epistle is said to be writ from Laodicea whereas Bâ—za in his Annotations proves apparently that it was written from Macedonia to which opinion Baronius and Serarius and Athanasius and Theodoret in his Epistle before his Commentary upon Timothy subscribe It is also called the first Epistle But how was Paul sure that he should live to write a second And it is also said to be written from Laodicea which is the chiefest City of Phrygia Paâ—atiana But as Bâ—za well observes there is no mention of Phrygia Pacatiana in the writers of those ages sed apud recentiores illos qui Romani â—mperii jam inclinantis provincias descripserunt The second Epistle iâ— thus subscribed The second Epistle unto Timothy ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians was written from Rome when Paul was brought c. Now these words Ordained the first Bishop are wanting saith Bâ—za in quibusdam vâ—tâ—stis codicibus in veteri vulgatâ editione apud Syrum interpretem The Syriack Interpreter reads it Here ends the Second Epistle to Timothy written from Rome If St. Paul had written this Postscript he would not have said to Timothy the first Bishop c. whereas it was not yet certain whether ever there should be a second Neither would it be said when Paul was brought c. But when I was the second time brought before Nero. The Epistle to Titus is said to be written from Nicopolis whereas it is cleare that Paul was not at Nicopolis when he wrote it Titus 3.12 Be diligent to come to me to Nicopolis for I have determined there to winter he doth not say here to winter but there where note for the present he was not there and besides it is said that Titus was ordained the first Bishop c. And who was the second or was there ever a second But we forbear transcribing any more c. This is abundantly sufficient to invalidate the authority of the Postscript written ab hominibus vâ—l indoctis vel certe non sâ—tis attentis as Beza saith But some of the Fathers call them Bishops They that call them Bishops borrow their testimonies from Eusebius of whom Scaliger saith and Dr. Râ—ynâ—lds approves of it That he read ancient Histories paruâ— attente which they prove by many instances And all that Eusebius saith is only Sic scribitur It is so
and shame to a Bishop to be degraded from a Bishop to a Presbyter much more reproach and shame it must needs be for an Evangelist to be brought down unto the Office of a Bishop But Timothy and Titus were once made Evangelists by the Apostles when they were chosen to travell up and downe with them as their companions and before they were setled as our Brethren suppose the one at Ephesus the other at Creet This is confessed by Bishop Hall Bishop Downham and all Episcopall men that we have read of this subject And the great debate between them and us is not whether they were once Evangelists and Vice-Apostles or no but how long they continued so and whether ever they were made Bishops in our Brethrens sense And therefore we may undoubtedly conclude That because they were once Evangelists therefore they were never Bishops neither before they were sent to Ephesus and Creâ—â— nor afterwards Before we leave our discourse concerning Timothy and Titus we must of necessity answer one Objection It is said that the work imposed upon Timothy and Titus in Ephesus and Creet both of Ordination and Jurisdiction is as necessary to be continued in the Church as the work of preaching and adminstring the Sacrament and that after their deaths those that did succeed them did the same work and were called Bishops by the ancient Fathers And that therefore Timothy himselfe was a Bishop because his Successors in the same place were called so Timothy and Titus were Evangelists and therefore temporary and extraordinary Officers and therefore could not have any Successors in Office Indeed the power they did exercise in Ephesus and Creet was necessary for the Church of Christ and there were some that succeeded them in that work but none in the Office the Apostles and Evangelists had some that came after them and did the same work that they did in governing ordaining and preaching but they had no Successors in Office for then they had not been extraordinary And as one wel saith when the Apostles and Evangelists dyed their Offices ceased what parts of their Office were of perpetuall use as praying preaching administring Sacraments and the use of the Keyes were left to those Ordinary Officers called Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 The distinction made afterward between a Pastor-Bishop and a Pastor-Presbyter was but an humane invention for order and to avoid accidental inconveniencies of which we shall speake more hereafter In a word the successors of Timothy and Titus were Presbyters who by common consent govern the Church and ordain Elders and did the same work as ordinary standing Officers which Timothy and Titus did as extraordinary and temporary Officers c. So it was at first till afterwards for avoiding ofSchisme as Hierom saith one was chosen from amongst the Presbyters and called a Bishop But whether this invention were of God and whether it were hurtfull or profitable for the Church we shall God willing shew at large when we come to speak of the practise of Antiquity in point of Episcopacy So much for Timothy and Titus CHAP. VI. Answering Objections from the pretended Episcopacy of the seven Asian Angels THe second Scripture ground brought to prove the Divine right of Prelacy is from the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia These Angels say they were seven single persons And as one hath lately written not onely Bishops but Metropolitans and Arch-Bishops This is said with so much confidence that all men are condemned as blinde or wilfull that indeavour to oppose it And it is reckoned as one of the great prodigies of this unhappy age that men should still continue blinde and not see light enough in this Scripture to build the great Fabrick of Episcopacy by Divine right upon It is further added That some of the ancient Fathers mention the very men that were the Angels of those Churches Some say Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus when Iohn writ his Epistle to it Others say Onesimus Others say that Polycarp was Bishop of Smyrna And from hence they conclude with a great deale of plausibilitie that the Angels of the Churches were seven individuall Bishops For answer to those things we must of necessity referre the Reader to what is said in the bookes quoted in the margent wherein they are fully clearly and as we conceive satisfactorily handled we shall crave leave to borrow a few things out of them adding something of our own In answer therefore to this Scripture we do desire those things may be considered 1. That St. Iohn the Pen-man of the Revelation doth neither in it nor in any of his other writings so much as upon the name Bishop he names the name Presbyter frequently especially in the Revelation yea when he would set out the Office of those that are nearest to the throne of Christ in his Church Revel 4. He cals himselfe a Presbyter Epist. 2. And whereas in St. Iohn's dayes some new expressions were used in the Christian Church which were not in Scripture As the Christian Sabbath began to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Christ himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now both these are found in the writings of St. Iohn And it is strange to us that the Apostle should mention a new phrase and not mention a new Office erected by this time as our Brethren say in the Church especially if we consider that Polycarp as iâ— related was made Bishop by him and no doubt if he had been made Bishop in a Prelaticall sense we should have found the name Bishop in some of his writings who lived so long as to see Episcopacy setled in the Church as our Adversaries would make us believe Add to thiâ— 1. That there is not the least intimation in all St. Iohns writngs of the superiority of one Presbyter over another save onely where he names and chides Diotrephes as one ambitiously affecting such a Primacy Consider thirdly That the same Authors that say that St. Iohn made Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna and that St. Peter made Ignatius Bishop of Antioch do also say that St. Iohn himself sate many yeares Bishop of Ephesus and was the Metropolitan of all Asia which is an evident demonstration to us that these Authors did not use the word Bishop in a Prelaticall sense For it is certain that the Apostles cannot properly be called Bishops For though they did eminently contain the Episcopall office yet they were not formally Bishops For this were to degrade the Apostles and to make their Office ordinary and perpetuall this were to exalt the Bishop above his degree and make him an Apostle and to make the Apostle a Bishop It doth not much differ from madness to say that Peter or any one of the Apostles were properly Bishops as learned Whitaker saith whom we shal have occasion to cite this purpose hereafter 4. Consider fourthly That the word Angel which is the title given to those supposed Bishops doth not import
any peculiar jurisdiction or preheminence but is a common name to all Ministers and is so used in Scripture For all Ministers are Gods Messengers and Ambassadours sent for the good of the Elect and therfore the name being common to all Ministers why should we think that there should be any thing spoken to one Minister that doth not belong to all The same may be said of the word Starre which is also a title given to those supposed Metropolitans It is evident that all faithfull Ministers are called Stars in Scripture whose duty is to shine as lights unto the Churches in all purity of doctrine and holiness of conversation There is nothing in these Titles that argue these Ministers to be Bishops in our Brethrens sense insomuch as had they not been called Bishops by some Authors that succeeded them who spake of former times according to the language of their own times this way of arguing would have been counted ridiculous 5. Add lastly That these Titles of Stars and Angels are mysterious and metaphoricall It is said Rev. 1.20 The mysterie of the seven Stars c. And certainly it cannot be safe or solid to build the structure of Episcopacy by Divine right upon mysterious and metaphorical denominations Theologia Symbolica non est argumentativa Especially if we consider that there are abundance of cleare Texts that make Presbyters and Bishops to be one and the same and it cannot be praise-worthy for any men though never so learned in the esteem of the world to oppose certain allegoricall and mysterious titles to so many express testimonies of Scripture Against all this it will be said That our Saviour Christ in his Epistles to these seven Churcheâ— singles out one Angel in every Church from all the other ministers that were there and dedicates his Epistle unto these Angels thereby giving us to understand that these Angels were superiour to all the other Ministers Angels of an higher Orbe Superintendents not only Bishops overPresbyters Arch-Bishops over other Bishops as a high Prelatist is pleased to tell us To this objection there are solid and every way sufficient answers given in the books forementioned we shall reduce all to these two headâ— 1. That the word Angel is not to be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Individually but collectively for all the Pastors and Ministers of the respective Ministers this answer we confesse is called a poore shift vain conceit and a manifest wresting of the plain words of our Saviour by our Episcopal men But we conceive there are such reasons brought for the Justification of it that cannot be answered As for example It is certain that our Saviour Christ speakes to this Angel often in the plural number Rev. 2.24 But unto you I say and the rest of Thyatira Rev. 2.10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Bâ—hold the Divel shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes be thou faithful unto death c. This see Rev. 2.13 By which is evident that by the word Angel is not meant one singular person but the collective body of Rulers But some copies leave out the Conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that shall view the Antecedent and consequent and consider that verse 23. it is said I will give to every one of you c. And then followes But I say unto you and in the conclusion of the verse I will put upon you no other burden will confesse that the old copies are better then that which is said to be Tecla's Manuscript 2. It is certain that the Church of Ephesus was a collective body and that there were many Presbyters to whom St. Paul at his final departure from them committed the charge of that Church And these Presbyters are called Bishops and were all of them stars of the same magnitude and Angeâ—s of the same Order without a difference distinction 3. It is usuall with the Holy Ghost not onely in other books of the Scripture but in this very book of the Revelation in Mysterious and prophetick writings and visional representations such as this of the stars and golden Candlestick is to expresse a number of things or persons in singulars And this in visions is the usual way of representation of things a thousand persons making up one Church is represented by one Candlestick many Ministers making up one Presbytery by one Angel Thus Revel 8.2 It is said That Iohn say seven Angels which stood before God By these seven Candlesticks Dr. Reynolds doth not understand seven Individual Angels but all the Angels For there are no seven Individual Angels that stand before God but all do Dan 7. There are many more instances brought in the bookâ— forementioned 4. Add lastly That though but one Angel be mentioned in the foreâ—front yet it is evident that the Epistles themselves though we are far from thinking in that formall Denomination the Angels and Candlesticks are the the same are dedicated to all the Angels and Ministers in every Church and to the Churches themselves as appears Rev. 1.11 Rev. 2.7.11.17 And therefore when it is said in the singular number I know thy workes This thou hast Repent and do thy first workes c. All these and the like places are not to be understood as meant of one Individuall person but of the whole company of Ministers and also of the whole Church because the punishment threatned is to the whole Church Rev. 2.5.16.2 Now we have no warrant in the word to think that Christ would remove his Gospel from a Church for the sin of one Bishop when all the other Ministers and Churches are far from those sins These are some of those reasons that are brought to prove that this our interpretation is no wresting or offering of violence to the text but such a one that floweth naturally from it We might for the confirmation of it cite Mr. Brightman Mr. Perkins Mr. Fox who citeth Primasius Haymo Beda Richardus Thomas c. of the same judgment Dr. Fulk Mr. Mede Gregory and St. Austin all of them interpreting this text as we do But we forbear because they are quoted by Smectimnuus But it will be said that as some Autohors say That Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus when our Saviour wrote this Epistle to it Others that Onesimus was Bishop c Others that Polycarp was Bishop of Smyrna at that very time And therefore these Angels must needs be taken Individually for for so many single persons They that say that Timothy was then Bishop offer no little injury to him for they thereby charge him to be guilty of Apostacy and of losing his first love and so out of a blind zeal to Episcopacy they make that Glorious Saint to stand charged as an Apostate The like injurie is offered by Objections to Onesimus 2. We have