pure heart and good Conscience which commands Peace and forbids all Disorder and Disobedience which are destructive of it in the Church of God BUT to make this apparent so as that no Evasion may be found let us consider that Vnity of Faith is not sufficient to maintain Charity in a National Church unless there be also Vnity in point of Government for where men Live together imbodied in one political Society and are therefore daily conversant together it is impossible but they will discourse about the Modes as well as the Essence of Religion and supposing that all People had free Liberty to chuse after what manner they would serve and Worship God no doubt is to be made but every man would prefer his own choice both of Opinion and Practice before that of others and Esteem it most agreable to the Will of God and most conducive to the great Design of all Religion the Eternal Salvation of Mens Souls This undue preference of their own Way as it would naturally incline them to make as many Proselytes as possibly they could a Duty they would judge themselves necessarily and indispensably obliged to perform so would it necessarily put them not only upon defending and maintaining their own Way but of lessening and it may be debasing and vilifying all others in comparison of it Nor would others be less eager in searching out and Exposing their Errors and Defects thereby to Establish themselves and their Way of Worship in the good Opinion of their Followers to which Revenge for affront and indignity offer'd to what they Esteem most Sacred would contribute not a little so that all Religion would come to consist in frivolous and endless Disputes and Differences what kind of Breath what Tones Words Habits Gestures or Postures God Almighty is best pleased with and instead of that Charity which covers a multiude of Faults that would be the best which had the least and was best able to discover the Infirmities of all others and would seem to consist not so much in its own Excellencies or Perfections as by discovering the defects of those who did oppose it Nor would these foolish differences terminate in meer Words and Wrangles but proceed by degrees to the highest Animosities and Extremities of Hatred and such a hatred as inspires Men with the devilish Principles of indeavouring to Extirpate Root and Branch with Fire and Sword all those who differ from them it may be but in the Punctillo's of outward Ceremonies and they who shall appear most Zealous in Executing this blind and furious Rage shall be accounted most godly and Religious Murder shall be called Justice Wrong Violence and Oppression Punishments justly inflicted upon the Wicked Sacriledge shall pass for Piety and the most horrid and slagitious Enormities shall be dedicated to the Glory of God and be reputed acceptable service to him being done or however pretended with the design of propagating the Gospel rooting out Superstition False Doctrine and Heresie O meek and blessed Jesus thou innocent Lamb of God who takest away the Sins of the World is this the Religion which with thy precious blood was planted in the World and watred with the blood of so many of thy holy Saints and Martyrs Assuredly God is not in such terrible Hurricanes Whirlwinds and Earthquakes Tempests or Fires as rend the Mountains 1 Kings 19.11 12. and break the Rocks in pieces as shake and put all the Foundations of the World out of Course and consume all before them No no it is in the small still voice the calm and soft voice of Peace and Meekness that God and true Religion are to be found Alas it is not in this mans pompous breath nor that mans Eloquent Harangue that God is delighted it is not the rude and undecent Religion of him who despises all Ceremonies in the Worship of God who will not bend his knee or uncover his head for fear of he knows not what Idolatry Nor is it the over superstitious and courtly service of him who makes all his Religion groan under the Load of splendid Ceremonies that God is pleased with he has no more satisfaction in these Exterior demeanors than as the Psalmist says Psal 147.10 11. in the strength of an horse or in the legs of a man but the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his Mercy And all these outward Demonstrations of our Worship are only valuable according to their inward intention of promoting the main Design for which he intended them which is Peace Unity and Concord among the Sons of Men. NOW this blessed Peace this happy Vnity and this Christian Concord are not to be hoped for in any National Church but by submitting to such common Expedients in the Celebration of the Publique Worship of Almighty God as by putting an End to these Differences may lay asleep all these occasions of Divisions Disputes and vain janglings and may therefore cut off the root and occasion of Quarrels about the How God shall be served And this Power must either be granted to be in the Governors of the Church and Nation or otherways all falls to Confusion For if it be not in the Church then have not any Dissenters that Power over their Churches and therefore they go about an unlawful Action and are bold Usurpers over the Christian Liberty of their Brethren whilest they go about to Establish any Government in their Congregations if it be in the Church then either that Authority is in the Church of England or She is not a true Church Let them prove that and we will fairly and quietly yield them the Cause But if the Church of England be a true Church and a true Church have such a Power then ought all who are in that Community and Nation to be obedient to her Determinations because they are within the Verge of her Jurisdiction and they who are disobedient are guilty of the breach of Vnity and Charity and Enemies to Peace and if the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews be of any Credit they who do not follow Peace with all Men as well as Holyness and much more then with that Church which brought them forth and has nurst them in her tender Arms shall never see God And into what a desperate condition then have they reduced themselves who for want of this Charity Peace and Unity run themselves and their Disciples into the danger of being Excluded notwithstanding all their Holyness from the Glorious presence of God which in plain English is Eternal Damnation AH poor Church of England how justly mayest thou take up the Mournful complaint of God Almighty by his Prophet Isaiah Hear ô Heavens Esay 1.2 and give ear ô Earth I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me O miserable and deceived People How vainly do you Establish your hopes of Eternal Happiness upon principles of Dissention Who are made believe no way so secure to
for Practice but to the Governors of the Church which all shall be bound to observe for the obtaining Peace and Vnity I have already proved who are those Governors who by the Appointment of the Holy Ghost are to Rule to feed the Flock of Christ to Watch over mens Souls as they that must give an Account to Rebuke Exhort with all long suffering but not with suffering always for if Seducers will persist in subverting houses and vain talking then by proceeding to stopping their Mouths that so they may study to approve themselves unto God Workmen that need not be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth And the Temporal Power of the Civil Magistrate may assist the Spiritual to bring men to Peace Unity and Obedience to these their Guides and Governors by being a Terror to Evil doers and Encouragement to those who do well which is both the Will and the Word of God I know it will be Objected That these Intepreters of Scripture and Judges of Controversies may Err and be deceived Bishops may Err Counsels have Erred and therefore this leaves us still in an Uncertainty since it is possible that we may be misled by them and how shall we be certain they do not Err or we in following them and wherein is it Lawful to refuse to Obey them To this I answer That the Qualificatîon of such a Guide and Interpreter of Scripture as we are to expect is not such a one as cannot Err but such a one as does not Err for had God left us such a Guide besides his own Word and Will there would have been a state of Perfection attainable in this Life and by consequence an Immortality and no necessity of his Divine assistance to keep us by his mighty Power from falling through Faith unto Eternal Salvation such a Guide must have been a God Omniscient Omnipotent and Omnipresent which is as unreasonable to believe as to expect from any or all Mortal Men. And besides it is a vain and frivolous Objection for those who are under any Lawful Government to run into the most dangerous Errors and manifest breach of Gods Command by Schism and Disobedience to the Laws of Men for fear of imaginary danger of future Errors which if they shall really happen we have a plain and easy remedy against them if we know them to be such and that is in our own persons to protest against them and to refuse to Joyn with those that hold them and if we know them not to be so though we be in Error as who lives that does not Err they will do us no injury for it is obstinacy in Error and not bare Error of ignorant frailty that is damnable but we can have no Plea or Excuse to make to God Almighty for our Error of Separation breach of Vnity Peace Order Communion Division from a Church not yet convicted of any manifest Error either in Doctrine or Practice which is the Case between Dissenters and the Church of England And besides every Error in Circumstantials which does not destroy Faith or a good Life is not a sufficient and warrantable Cause for any private Man to throw off all Subjection to his Superiors for if it were there could be no such thing as a Catholique Church or Communion of Saints there being no particular Men or any Society of Men without Sins and by consequence not without Errors both in Doctrine and Practice BUT Secondly The Governours of the Church neither do nor can Err in point of Faith and Doctrine or Discipline and Government so long as they follow the Rule of the Scriptures in Cases plain and clear as before I shewed the Matters of Faith essentially necessary to Salvation are Nor so long as they Judge of such as are dubious according to their Catholiqueness in the Esteem of all Ages of the Church for no Error was ever Universal And though they may be mistaken yet do they not Err if in Interpretation of the more difficult and obscure places of Scripture they indeavour to Expound the meaning of them by others which are more clear and perspicuous following the received sense of them acknowledged so by the Vniversal Church so long as in those Interpretations there can be nothing repugnant to the Common Faith of Christians or prejudicial to Peace Charity and Practical Piety Neither can they Err as to the point of Discipline and the External Polity of the Church if in indifferent things in their own Natures and not Essentially necessary to Salvation they do not impose them as such if they follow the Direction of the General Rules of the Holy Canon that every thing be done with respect to Decency Order Edification for the avoiding Confusion and obtaining Peace Unity and Christian Love according to the Examples of the best Christians in former Ages in the Church and the Canons of such General Counsels as are not found manifestly Guilty of Partiality and Corruption in the long Train of Errors which the Indeavouring to Erect the Primacy into a Supremacy and the Supremacy into a Monarchy has brought into the Roman Church THIRDLY If the Governors of the Church Impose any thing contrary to Scripture Faith or Holy Life then do they forsake the Rule and it is Lawful and Necessary for every good Christian to forsake them for so is St. Paul's Rule 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me as I am of God And praises them for observing the Commandments delivered to them by God But if they fall from the Faith as did the Gnosticks the Manichees the Arrians and many others we are not then to be Followers of them but Followers of God as Dear Children But if any Private man or many shall think because in some things which are contrary to their apprehension that therefore the Determinations are against Scripture and therefore their Obedience not due it is a mistake for they must be certain otherwise they are bound to be subject for if they be not certain and from the best Grounds and clear Evidences it is but their Opinion which cannot weigh enough in the Scale of Truth to warrant their Disobedience against the Publique Opinion of their Superiors but that such a Disobedience will be a certain Sin for if any or many mens Private Opininion which is private Interpretation may authorize them to renounce their Obedience to their Superiors there can never be any such thing as subjection in the World nor any Government and by good consequence No Vnion no Catholique Church and then no Faith and in short at last no such thing as Religion OTHERS will Object That hereby I seem to introduce Romish Infallibility and make our Bishops Lords of our Faith and that we had better submit to one Pope who is as free from Error as other Bishops To this I Answer That there is nothing more contrary to Sense or Truth than such an Objection For I do not make nor believe them Infallible but the Rule by
dore of Separatists and Schismaticks who by frustrating this Power render it contemptible and set open the dore to all Impiety and Atheism p. 122. CHAP. IX Of the Necessity of Vnity in point of Government as well as Faith in a National Church upon the account of Civil Policy Such Vnity the Design of all Religion in Reference to Humane Society No Happiness without it Government appointed by God with an Intention to promote this Design and therefore Disobedience a damnable sin p. 149 CHAP. X. A further discovery of the Impolitickness of Disunion in point of Church Government No Domestique Peace to be hoped for without it but perpetual Quarrels under pretence of Religion and Conscience The Rise and Spring of Fears and Jealousies from the several Interests of Dissenters p. 165 CHAP. XI The mischief of Disunion in respect of Foreign Affairs It Weakens any Nation and Exposes them to the Arms of their Enemies Robs them of their Alliances and Confederations Interest and Mutual Support the Foundation of all Leagues Different Churches in the same Nation incline People to Democracy p. 190 CHAP. XII Of Tolleration Some Animadversions upon a Book intituled The Advocate of Conscience Liberty in reference to all Dissenters p. 203 CHAP. XIII A further Examination of the same Author in his particular Plea for the Papists A short View of and Answer to their Boasting to be our Apostles Of their Antiquity Succession Visions Miracles c. Of the Oath of Supremacy Of the Powder Treason or Fifth of November p. 229 CHAP. XIV Of the Difficulty of Vnderstanding the Modes of things sensible much more those of the Intellectual World The Vnreasonableness of Obtruding things not certain as De Fide Of Faith It must be such a Condition of Salvation as All may perform because All have a Title to the Common Salvation The Scriptures the only Rule of this Faith which is the necessary Condition of being saved Of the difference between a Rule and a Guide p. 248 CHAP. XV. Of Episcopacy Proved to be of Divine Institution and the Government appointed over the Church by the Holy Ghost The Testimony of Scripture Of Ignatius the Disciple of the beloved Apostle St. John From the constant Vse and Consent of the Church in all Ages Of Aerius the Reason of his Heresie All Hereticks against Government The Doctrine of Calvin of the necessity of some to determine Differences p. 276 CHAP. XVI Of the Judge of Controversies No Humane Authority the Judge of Faith God only Infallible That part of the Catholique Church which is Militant may Err. The difference between not Erring and the Impossibility of Erring The Rulers of the Church the Interpreters of Scripture In all things not absolutely of the Essence of Faith which nothing can be that is not Evident in Scripture either in plain Words or necessary Consequence All private men Excluded from Interpretation of Scripture p. 302 CHAP. XVII The CONCLVSION p. 317 The Project of PEACE CHAP. I. The INTRODUCTION THEY must certainly have little good Nature and far less Christian Charity who are not most sensibly afflicted for the miserable Distractions the deplorable Differences and unnatural Divisions which are among those who profess the glorious Religion of Christ Jesus That Heart must be more flinty than a Stoick's which does not bleed it self and supply the Eyes with Tears whilst Christians who by the Command of their Great but Meek and Tender Lord ought to be harmless as Doves and innocent as Lambs are transformed by preposterous Zeal and pious Pretences into Wolves and Tygres and with a fierce and savage fury mutually Worry and Devour one another nay even exceed the madness of those Brutes and devest themselves of all Humanity to put on this new Nature as they term it of Religion For Saevis inter se convenit Vrsis The Greenland Bears are kind one to another But to the shame of those who call themselves Christians but are of the Synagogue of Satan that Aboriginal Murderer men are not so modest as to be confined within the limits of making true the Horrid Adage Homo homini Lupus that one man is a Wolf to devour another but they proceed to the utmost extremity of Malice and Madness and become Homo homini Daemon Devils to damn one another not Anthropophagi or Canibals but Psychophagi feeding upon humane souls turning that innocent Wisdom of the Serpent which our Lord commands to preserve our selves into the restless Malice of the Old Serpent to destroy others Souls Bodies and Estates and to infuse the Mortal Poison of Adders which is under their Lips into the Souls of Credulous Men through their Ears and Eyes with the pretext of Piety and true Religion The Glorious Company of Saints and Martyrs now triumphant in Heaven went thither through a Red Sea of Blood but it was their own which was shed by the cruel hands of Heathenish Persecutors who did it ignorantly in Unbelief and with joy it was that they set their seal to the Testimony of Jesus and his Truth in their dearest blood Emptying their Veins that their Souls might be filled with a glorious Immortality But now Christians who all profess one Common Name and Faith think they do not set to their seal to that Truth unless they shed the blood of one another and that most commonly for differences in Opinion for Words Names Fancies and Conjectures at least if we may believe there is no more in the bottom which they conceal than there is in what they pretend openly for the ground of the Quarrel Oh Barbarous Christianity Oh Heathenish Impiety In the importunate Croud of such mournful thoughts and considerations of former Experience of our late Shipwrack and fear of future Events which the Noisy Tempest that seemed to threaten our Crazy and bruised Vessel suggested to my mind my Soul was overwhelmed with Grief and fear and ready to sink into Dispair both at the remembrance of the past and the terrible Consequences of that Inevitable Ruin which Truth it self has pronounced against a house and a Kingdom divided within and therefore against themselves and distracted by Intestin Discords THE prophetique Caution of the Apostle came presently into my mind Gal. 5.15 But if ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another I saw me thought with Horror the too plain truth of it in those once Golden Candlesticks Vid. Mr. Smiths Travels to the Seven Churches of Asia the Seven Churches of Asia who by their Discords were laid in ashes and are the habitations of Owls and Dragons or far worse Inhabitants the sordid Worshippers of that Great Imposter Mahomet I could not stand upon the Brink of such an amasing Precipice without extreme Horror nor see the Cause so Evident without a dreadful apprehension of the Tragical Issue Which made me break out into the Passionate Wish of the afflicted Jeremy Oh that my Head were Waters Jer. 9.1 2. and mine
did not believe the Theological Point of Transubstantiation and when nothing else would do then the killing Question What say you to the Sacrament of the Altar was sure to turn them over to the Secular Power for Hereticks and it was not long before the Writ de Hereticis Comburendis brought them to their Funeral Pile But if any thing which men pretend to be matter of Faith be found by Experience dangerous to Society destructive of the Fundamentals of our Government may not we Lawfully indeavour to oblige those who own that Faith to give security that they do not believe it so as to be prejudicial to the Government such are the Doctrines of the Popes Supremacy and Power not only to Excommunicate but to Depose Princes and dispose of their Crowns that Equivocation even upon a solemn Oath is lawful a Position that Ruines all Religion and Fidelity and the very Reputation of Humane Nature And yet a Treatise I have seen written to this Purpose in the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's Reign and approved by Blackwell the Archpriest in these words Tractatus iste valdé doctus veré pius Catkolicus est c. Certissimé SS Scripturarum Patrum Doctorum Scholasticorum Canonistarum optimarum Rationum presidijs plenissimé firmat aequitatem aequivocationis Ideoque dignissimus est qui Typis propagatur ad consolationem afflictorum Catholicorum omnium piorum Instructionem This Treatise saith he is very Learned and truly Pious and Catholique Certainly therein the Equity of Equivocation is fully proved by the strongest Reasons out of Scriptures Fathers Doctors Schoolmen and Canonists and therefore is most Worthy to be Printed for the Comfort of afflicted Catholiques and the Instruction of all good People Must now the indeavouring to suppress the Authors of such Doctrine be Persecution for Conscience sake have these Opinions no Influence upon Humane Society As to the Second Note a Liberty of believing or disbelieving this or that Doctrine only in order to a private way of Worship c. Who ever denyed this Liberty Is there any Judg of thoughts of the heart besides God Is any man denyed to enjoy his private Opinion or can he be so long as it continues so But if People will Transgress these Limits and impose matters of private Opinion as matters of Faith in order to practice and such Opinions as ruine Charity disturb Peace unsettle Government must these too be Tollerated And such are the Opinions of Rome and Geneva And it is not a private but a publique Liberty which is denyed them a Liberty to Poyson Mens Loyalty and first Murder their Allegiance that they may with more ease Murder the Government A Liberty to banish Charity Peace and Vnity out of the Church to Establish true Religion without them So that if he would stick to his Demands he could no sooner ask than have such a Tolleration as is not in the Power of any Mortal Authority to abridge any man of and it is impossible for any person to suffer Persecution for his private Opinion for no man can be punished but for what is known to be his Opinion by his own Confession and when it comes to be so either by his words or Actions it ceases to be Private For suppose a man were a Mahometan but no person knew it besides himself who could tax him with it or punish him for it but if he will make his house a Mosque and endeavour to Convert others to the Alchoran to make a Party and to Erect the Crescents to pull down the Cross and the Crown would that be private or deserve Tolleration BUT to trace him he tells us p. 1. That no man has power over Conscience therefor Imposition and Violence are unlawful A very Logical Consequence No Prince has power to Punish therefore not to Tollerate neither God hath Exempted the Soul out of his Commission but not the Body Why does he then demand that which is not in their Power to Grant As for his Examples which he gives for Tolleration from Turks and Pagans they are but ill Presidents for Christians And for the Instance of Theodosius and Gratian if Socrates be to be credited it is a great Slander upon those two good Emperors Gratian indeed Secr. Ecc. Hist li. 5. c. 2. 10. at his first coming to the Crown gave Liberty that every Sect and Opinion should freely without Molestation frequent their wonted Assemblies except the Eunomians Photinians and Manichees But no sooner was he setled in the Empire God 1. Tit. 5. lege Omnes and had joyned Theodosius to him but they command that all Heresies should for ever keep Silence The same Prohibition Arcadus and Honorius continue and Augment Ibid. lege Cuncti Let all Hereticks say they understand that all places must be taken from them as well Churches as other places of Meeting as private Houses in which let them be debar'd from Service both by Night and by Day Ibid. leg Ariani and the Lord Deputy of the Province was to look to the Execution of this Law and if he permitted their Meetings either openly or secretly he was to fine for it 100 l. Theodosius the Younger whom Socrates compares to Moses for his Meekness and Excellent Nature yet with Valentinian his Cousin summing up in a Catalogue the Hereticks of that Time Commands that no where within the Roman Empire their Assemblies or Prayers should be permitted but that all Laws made to Prohibit their Meetings should be revived and made perpetual And this they did because they thought the Civil Power was obliged to Protect the Ecclesiastical and to maintain Peace in the Church of God and as our Advocate quotes the Wise Sir Francis Bacon for another purpose pag. 7. Because the Sword of Dissention ought not be put into the Peoples hands to nourish Seditions Treasons Conspiracies c. which were to dash the first Table against the second and to consider Men as Christians so as to forget they are Men which with the Gentlemans favour is not much to his advantage since these are all the Effects and necessary Consequences of Tolleration IT was the great Misfortune of the Poet Claudian that his Excellent Wit fell upon dry and barren Subjects the same ill Luck has this Writer in falling upon this Subject of Liberty of Conscience so contrary to his own and the Judgment of his Church that I shall use no other Arguments than his own Words and by turning his own Cannon upon his Castle in the Air I do not Question but to make him quit his Fortifications The Truth is I like his Title of Advocate for he proves himself one and acts the Advocate exactly making the best he can of a bad Cause but so great is Truth that it needs no other Advocate nor any better Arguments than even in speaking against her he is compelled to use for her Pag. 41. The ancient Original Fundamental Laws says he by which other Laws
may pag. 187. Vse such Expressions as to Avouch we verily think and are fully perswaded that the Pope hath no power c. unless he equivocates may he not solemnly Swear it too that he thinks and is so perswaded for no man is or can be desired to Swear more but if the truth were known they neither think nor are perswaded of this but the direct contrary HAD the Pope contented himself with the Jurisdiction of the Keys and not invaded the Temporal Sword for any thing I know there had never been occasion for this Oath or for Princes to draw out the Temporal Sword to do themselves and their Subjects Right according to the Advocates Original and Fundamental Law of Protection and Defence from the Unjust Usurpations of the Roman Mitre And what he pleads against this Oath pag. 191. will serve all the Seditious Rebels of the World For saith he Publique authority and safety riseth from the satisfaction of Mens Judgments to the Justice of proceedings Then it seems unless men be be satisfied with the proceedings of Authority it must fall if that be the Rise of it A fine Popular Principle to ruine all Authority But he proceeds Winning Respect and Love by that Equity in Government and Moderation which according to Gods ancient Laws is settled and known not by Arbitrariness of Will and meer Force which as to the Principle is Tyrannical be it never so temperate in the Exercise If all this be true then ought all Publique Justice and Coercive Power to be disbanded and banisht as Tyrannical Princes and Magistrates must learn to be excellent Logicians and Orators to perswade and win or else they will prove but slender States-Men Thieves Murderers Traitors and Rebels may be perswaded if they will to be Obedient but must not be Compelled for fear of Tyranny Well let him go The Advocate is but an indifferent Lawyer and a worse Subject if this be his Judgment as it is his Pleading I believe he will never be of the Kings Councel or Solicitor General though he be so for a Tolleration To his 3d. Objection That Papists suffer for Religion not Disobedience it is both False and Frivolous for never any Priest suffered quâ Priest but quâ Rebellious in maintaining a Doctrine contrary to the Scripture and the Peace of the Government And the Proviso of the 25 and 27 of Elïzabeth respects their Principles and their Practice and not their Priesthood And had the Apostles Preached any Doctrine tending to the disturbance of the Civil State of the World contrary to the Laws of Emperors for that End they would have suffered as St. Peter says As evil Doers 1 Pet. 4.15 busie Bodies in other mens matters and not as Martyrs To his 4th Objection Why Papists come not to our Churches They did come even after the Council of Trent till the Excommunication of Pius Quintus and therefore became Recusants not for Religion or Conscience but Supremacy And for King James his calling the Pope Patriarch of the West I cannot tell what he will advantage the Cause by that for he may be so and yet no more our Patriarch than of the Indies before they were discovered for neither the one nor the other are in Constantines Donation Nor indeed is that any where but in Vtopia And yet it may be he had never been denyed his Primacy if he could have been contented with it as the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury is with a Primacy over us in purely Spirituals without advancing it to a Supremacy over All. HE makes very light pag. 218. of the Gunpowder Treason and would be contented to have that buried in Oblivion which should have buried a whole Nation in Blood Horror and Confusion But by his Favour it will not pass so for even that Right Honorable and Noble Lord Henry Earl of Northampton whom pag. 222. he calls an Eminent Papist was it seems then Converted by the Certainty of the belief that he had that this was the Practice and not in Confession as he insinuates pag. 220. of Hall Garnet Greenwell and Gerrard and not of Salisbury of whom he says King James was used to call the 5th of November Cecil's Holiday For even this very Eminent Papist the Earl of Northampton who was no Friend to the Statesmen yet was so great a Friend of Truth that being one of the Commissioners for the Tryal of Garnet and his Complices in the Treason made there a most Excellent Speech wherein he Demonstrates fully clearly and most Eloquently the Haynousness and Certainty of the Crime and that Garnet Gerrard and Greenwell sent Sir Edward Baynham to carry the Message to the Pope not as Pope but as a Temporal Prince and that Garnet writ Letters to the Pope upon the Subject He further shews the Danger of such Doctrines Destructive to all Government and Religion and that the severest Punishments were justly due to such Litterally Incendiaries Which Speech Printed 1606 I have now by me and wonder why the Advocate should plead him a Papist Since he makes a Distinction there telling Garnet That some of his Society suffered in the late Queens time for presuming to Exercise a Jurisdiction in this Realm that neither Policy of State can admit nor Allegiance justify He calls Chicheley Chancellor to Henry the 5th a Prelate of their own and stiffly defends by Examples of our Ancestors who were neither Lutherans nor Hugonots as our Countrey men are called says he the Kings Right against the Roman Usurpation of Supremacy And if Princes adds he that were absolutely Catholiques were so suspicious of their Prerogative and cast such a watchful Eye upon the Popes Encroachments how much more Jealous ought true Subjects and Sworn Servants to be in our days careful of the Princes State who being susteined by another Root directed by the voice of other Pastors is as careful to Reform as his Ancestors to Conform while they sayled by another Compass and upon another Coast Sure this was not spoke like an Eminent Papist an Anti-Cecilian but an Eminent Protetestant tender of his Loyalty jealous of his Countries Peace Invaded by the dangerous Principles and Practices of Romanists as he calls them in another passage IN short Garnet at his Execution declared that whatsoever he had acknowledged in his Examination was true and there he did Confess that he was Privy to the Conspiracy by way of Advice upon Catesbyes Quere Whether for the good of the Church some Innocents might not perish with the Nocents and upon his Affirmative they proceeded I am as willing to be Charitable as the Advocate and think with King James that the generality of Catholiques did abhor such a Detestable Conspiracy no less than himself But what of all that It was not from any want of Industry in the Jesuits to corrupt their Loyalty and Allegiance or prevented by any Principles infused by the Roman Religion From any Writings of that Age which were full of nothing but Treason and Rebellion the
daily in his own person he therefore takes Care that there should be some left behind him who might and Ephesus being one of the most Populous Cities of Asia in regard of the vast Concourse of People from all Parts to the Famous Temple of Diana and there being many Congregations of Christians there he having by the space of two years continued there so that all they who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus both Jews and Greeks he therefore sends for the Presbyters who resided in that City by virtue of his Apostolical Authority and there declares unto them that for the time to come they were to take that care of the Churches which he had done and that they might not do this of their own heads or fear to do it for want of a Lawful Calling and Ordination he declares the Will of God to them and that the Holy Ghost had appointed them to be Bishops So that they came indeed Presbyters to him but they went away Bishops from him and Bishops not of his own but the Holy Ghosts appointment IT is a Rule among Divines That where the Literal sense of Scripture is plain we are to follow that And that this is the plain Historical and Literal meaning of the Words without the least wresting or violence offer'd to them is most obvious and that by this Power of Episcopacy which the Holy Ghost added to their former of Presbytery they were to take the Care of the Government of the Church as well in Ruling as Instructing there are these Reasons FIRST When he sends for them he calls them Presbyters and not Bishops which if there had been no difference he might as well have done and supposing that the Holy Ghost must foresee that this Controversie would arise in the Church we cannot believe he would contribute to it by such an ambiguity but the contrary that they were only Presbyters as the Holy Ghost calls them first and then advanced to be Bishops by his appointment SECONDLY He puts the Government into their hands by resigning his own in regard he was to see them no more THIRDLY He directs them in their Office which he divides into three Particulars First Vers 28. To feed the Church of God which he had purchased with his own Blood to instruct them in the Faith and Doctrine of Christian Religion Secondly To watch against Errors and Heresies Vers 29 30 31. For I know this saith he that after my departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the Flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them therefore Watch. Now what signifies Vigilancy without Power and what Power have the Watchmen but to Admonish and Rebuke and at last to Excommunicate the Obstinate And let them shew me this Power ever Exercised in the Church by any besides a Bishop and let them take the Cause Thirdly To Exercise Hospitality to support the Poor and to remember the words of our Lord Jesus how he said It is more blessed to give than to receive According to another Precept of his in which he comprises them all For a Bishop must be blameless 1 Tim. 3.2 the husband of one wife vigilant sober of good behaviour given to hospitality apt to teach Lastly Here is no imperfect footstep of their Solemn Consecration for when he had ended his Message and Direction Vers 36. When he had thus spoken he kneeled down and prayed with them all AND to manifest that though every Bishop be a Presbyter yet every Presbyter is not a Bishop and that the Difference consists in Power and Rule which the Bishops have over the Presbyters as well as the rest of the People I doubt not to make most plain from Scripture and Antiquity For FIRST St. Paul says Expresly That it is one qualification of a Bishop 1 Tim. 4 5. He must be one that ruleth well his own house having his Children in subjection with all gravity for if a man know not how to rule his own house how shall he take care of the Church of God how shall he rule the house of God and find me but one Example in Scripture or ancient Church History where any one who was not a Bishop as well as a Presbyter ever Exercised this Jurisdiction of Ruling the Presbyters had indeed a Rule but with subordination to the Bishops 1 Tim. 5.17 18. Let the Presbyters that Rule well be counted worthy of double Honor especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine for anciently in the Church every Priest was not a Preacher as is plain not only from this place but from the Church History but that the Presbyters might not be Exalted beyond their Bounds to think this Rule equal to that of the Bishops over the Church he allays the Tumor in the very next words and shews the the difference the subordination and subjection which they owed to the Judicature of the Bishop as Timothy was there Against a Presbyter receive not an Accusation but before two or three Witnesses which is not spoken of Private Adomnition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless there be two or three Witnesses and them that sin Rebuke openly that others may fear To receive an Accusation plainly infers a superior Jurisdiction a power to hear Witnesses and according to their Depositions to rebuke openly is certainly an Effect of Authority And he follows the blow close giving him another Direction about Ordination Vers 21 22. that he should Lay hands suddainly on no man preferring one before another by Partiality So that here is a distinct Power of a Bishop from a Priest To lay on hands or Ordain to receive Accusations against Presbyters to Examine Witnesses and according to their Testimony to proceed to Judgment to give Sentence openly to Rebuke those that Sin even the Presbyters as well as others for if they may be accused and convened and found guilty of sin they also ought and may be rebuked and punished As to that place of the 5th Chap. Rebuke not an Elder it is apparently meant of those who are such by Years and not by Office Presbyters or Priests and to teach us that there is a respect due to the Reverend head Age as is plain from the words Rebuke not an Elder but intreat him as a Father and the younger Men as Brethren the Elder Women as Mothers and the younger as Sisters with all Purity This he further Explains in his Epistle to Titus Tit. 1.5 6 7. For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in Order the things that are wanting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appoint Constitute Presbyters in every City making them Bishops as I have appointed thee That Saint Paul left Presbyters there both in Age and Office no doubt can be made but yet something was wanting still and because he would not himself lay hands suddenly upon them and the Affairs of the Church