Ordination of the h Chap. 6. Deacons they carry themselves as Presbyters not as Apostles in the action permitting the election to the Disciples concurring with the Presbyters in the Ordination of them Adde hereunto one instance more out of the book of God The command of the holy Ghost concerning Barnabas and Saul i Chap. 13. â— Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the worke whereunto I have appointed them Paul had his call to the Apostleship immediately from the Lord some yeares before this and Barnabas his call to the Ministery for both of them had joyned together in the work of k Chap. 11.26 Antioch but being now by the Lords appointment to goe to the Gentiles and preach the Gospel unto them for that seemeth to be the great worke here spoken of by the Lord as l De rep hu l. 2. c. â— n. 13. Spalatensis hath rightly observed they are now commanded to be in a solemne manner set apart for this worke As the Lord himselfe by a voyce from Heaven gives them their immediate call and Authoritative Designation for this Office so their Externall Designation to it they have by his appointment also not from any one particular person either Bishop or Presbyter but from all those in the Church of Antioch which ministred to the Lord for so St Luke sets it down m Cha. 13 â— 3. As they ministred to the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away From all which by the practice of the Apostles and by this voyce of God from heaven it is cleare as farre as I can apprehend that the Power of Ordination or Deputation to the Ministery and worke of the Lord therein should not doth not reside in the hand of any one particular person of what degree soever either Bishop or Presbyter but of the collective body of Pastours and Presbyters which minister unto the Lord. 2. If the Bishop will not beleeve his Opposites such as Parker that proud Schismaticke or Cartwright and Ames with their ignorant and malecontented followers some giddy corner-creeping upstarts Pag. 60 61. 148. these are not mine but Bishop Halls titles of honour wherewith he doth bespatter them if the judgement of Divines of greatest note in the Reformed Churches will strike any stroke we have them concurring in this that The Power of Ordination is in the hands of the Presbyters not of any one alone that though these charges are given to Timothy and Titus in particular yet doth it not follow that they alone could doe it I will onely mention one of many that might be alledged When Pamelius from those places undertakes to prove the Superioritie of Bishops above Presbyters Gonlartius answereth him thus n Annot. in Cyp. ep 65. The argument hath not strength enough in it Presbyters are ordained by Bishops therefore Bishops are above them The ancient Bishops were ordained by the Clergie and the people if any shall thence inferre therefore the Clergie and people are above the Bishops Pamelius and his Schollars will deny the Consequence Ordination doth not establish a degree or Preeminence but only sheweth and commendeth the Discipline of the Church 3. Besides Protestants we have Papists assenting to this truth and confessing 1. that Presbyters may ordain p Gloss in dist 66 cap. Porrò Johannes Semeca in his Glosse on the Canon Law proves it by this the Apostles were but Presbyters not Bishops yet they did ordaine and in their dayes there was no difference between a Presbyter and a Bishop And q Antis San ap Apol. Episc p. 165. Altissiodorensis hath delivered it that if there were but three Presbyters in the World they might ordaine one the other a bishop and an Archbishop and gives this reason for it Presbyters as well as Bishops doe receive the Keyes of the Kingdome in their Ordination for they are the successours of the Apostles 2. That Titus was left at Crete to ordaine Presbyters no otherwise then as a Moderator in the action and as a Consul or Dictator are said to create Consuls because they are they hold the Comitia or Assembly and meeting in which they are created Thus r In Tit. 1. dâ—sp 1. Salmeron as I shall afterward shew more at large out of him By this time I hope it doth appeare that this is not so palpable an elusion as the Bishop is pleased to stile it but rather so manifest a truth which the Bishop himself nor all the mitred Fathers of that order are able to disprove Thus much for Ordination from those charges I proceed to the next That precept of the Apostle x 1 Tim. 5 1â— Against an Elder or Presbyter receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses is mainly insisted on by Dr Hall and others to prove that Timothy was invested with Episcopall Jurisdiction and so to conclude the Jurisdictionall Preeminence of a Bishop over the Presbyters yet the weaknesse of this argument hath bin already sufficiently discovered and the place answered to the full by our Polemicall Divines which have disputed against Papists from whom our Hierarchists have borrowed most of their weapons which they make use of in this quarrell It shall be therefore sufficient for me to mention the answer which is given by our Protestant Divines to their Romish Opposites in this cause First our Countreyman Dr Whitakers answereth Bellarmine that this place proves not Timothies power over Presbyters and from this place observeth that the power of Jurisdiction was not in the hand of one but of many that were endued with equall authoritie y Quod Timotheus jubetur non temere ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admittere hoc non probat Timotheum in Presbyteros potestatem aut dominatum habuisse Nam ex Apostoli mente 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est crimen ad Ecclesiam deserre reum in judicium addacere palam reprehendere quod non modo superioreâ— possunt sed aequales etiam atque inferiores In Romana Repub. Equites non de populo tantum sed etiam de Senatoribus Patrioiis judicabant Et certè non videtur Timotheus tale consistorium aut forum babuisse quale post Episcopis in Ecclesia constitutum suit nam hi Presbyteri non alii quam Episcopi fuerunt ut ex Apostolo constat Qualis haec authoritas sucrit ex eo quod sequitur intelligi potest Eos qui peccant coram omnibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod aequales quoque possunt Sic elim Epâ—scopesiquis Presbyâ—es aut Episcopus male auauet ad Senatum Ecclesiasâ—icum aut Synoaum reserebant â—umque si dâ—gnus videretur â—ublico judâ—cio damnabant i. e. cut suspendebant aut excommunicabant aut removebant Whitak co t. â—â—â— 1 c. 2. sc 16. According to the meaning of the Apostle to receive an
evasion that a Ibid. n. 42. He cals those which wore true Bishops by the name of Presbyters which how weake it is let any man of understanding judge Wherefore untill I be convinced by clearer evidence to which I shall be ready to yeeld if any be produced I shall say with Chamier b Paustr tom 2. l. 10. de Ocâ— Pont. c. 6. in fine Ausim asserere I dare be bold to maintain it that Presbyters and Bishops are no where distinguished in Irenaeus Thus much for answer to that objection I proceed to another instance How little strength to Episcopall Soveraignty over Presbyters the Epistle of Clemens to the Corinthians doth afford in the commendation of which Author and Epistle c Bishop Hall pag. 129 130 133. one that hath lately stept forth as another Atlas to beare up Episcopacie by head and shoulders is pleased to spend two whole pages at least you may easily perceive if either you peruse the Epistle it self or parallell that passage cited by the forementioned stickler for Prelacie with divers others in d Dissert de Presb. epis p. 202. ad p. 219. Salmasius out of the same Epistle For there you shall finde 1. that Bishops and Presbyters are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both denominations setting forth one and the same order one and the same office 2. That the Church of Corinth at that time and other Churches also were governed not by one but by many Bishops that is to say Presbyters The passages are quoted by that learned Critick at large I will in briefe but point unto them First what the Apostles practise was Clemens there sets downe thus Preaching in cities among the Nations they did constitute the first fruits of them to be Bishops and Deacons over them that should afterward beleeve These Bishops are afterward in many places called Presbyters Blessed are those Presbyters that went before It is a shamefull thing to heare that the ancient and firme Church of Corinth should out of respect unto one or two persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 move sedition against the Presbyters Afterwards he perswades those which had been the authors of the contention to repent and yeeld subjection to the Presbyters From these and sundry other passages planissimè constat saith d Pag. 219. Salmasius it is most evident and cleare that that Church was then governed by Presbyters alone who were also called Bishops all constituted in equall authoritie honour and power in the government thereof Amongst many other that are remarkable I will only touch upon one which seeing the Author is so highly magnified and the Epistle commended with a great deale of silken language bestowed on it might me thinks make some impression on the Commender and others of his Order as it is very pathetically delivered by Clemens Whâ—soever he be amongst you that is of a generous spirit that is of a compassionate disposition whoso is full of love let him say If for my sake there be sedition strife and schismes I depart I am content to be gone whithersoever you will and will doe those things which are commanded me by the people Only let the flock of Christ live in peace with the Presbyters that are set over it Whosoever shall doe this shall purchase to himselfe exceeding great glory in the Lord and every place will readily receive him Thus that holy that Apostolicall man Clemens whose counsell if it might have found entertainment in the hearts of our Prelates and their adherents neither Scotland of late yeeres nor England at this day had met with such commotions and distractions Or if examples and the Presidents of those Fathers in whom because they were Bishops our late e Bishop Hall p. 62. It is our glory comfort we have had such Predecessours Hierarchists do glory as being their Predecessours are likely to be more effectuall with those which would be accounted their posteritie I could put them in minde of Gregorie Nazianzen who was content to lay down his Episcopall honour and to descend from that throne which he knew not well whether he might more properly call an hierarchicall or tyrannicall throne nor did he feare to commit any sacriledge against that holy order or contract on himself the guilt of that crime but d Orat. 28 Carm. de div vitae gen ad pseudoepis finding the Church wasted by contentions States and Kingdomes exceedingly shaken and like to be overturned by warres about that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great and new name as he cals the Episcopall dignitie he willingly did it induced thereunto by a most prevailing argument e Quum certus fit à Deo non excludi quibus thronus eripiatur Cent. Mag. Cent 4. c. 10 col 525. edit Bas 2624. He was assured of this God would not dis-throne him in Heaven though he lost his throne on earth If the example of one induced thereunto by the hope of heaven be not sufficient I could propose to our Prelates for a President the practise of f Lib. de gest cum Emer Don. epis tom 7. col 6 7 638. edit Basan 1542. Austin and almost three hundred African Bishops whose hearts were so enflamed with a desire of union and peace in the Church that they were ready for the procuring of it to lay downe their Bishopricks which in so doing they did not account to be lost but more safely recommended unto God And whereas amongst them all there were but two found to whom this motion was displeasing the brotherly exhortation and reproofe generally of all the rest did make them change their mindes and confent to doe what the rest of their brethren did The exhortation is very ponderous and full of moving arguments Give leave O ye Fathers of the Church unto a poore Presbyter to represent before you what once your Predecessours spake unto them who were loath to part with their dignities for the Churches benefit They propose in the first place that of our Saviour Who so humbleth himselfe shall be exalted and from thence inferre Why should we doubt to offer to our Redeemer the sacrifice of this humilitie Hath he descended from Heaven into humane members that we might become his members and are we afraid to descend from our seats that his very members be not torne in pieces by cruell division There is nothing more sufficient for us then that we be faithfull and obedient Christians This we are still But we are made Bishops for the Christian people therefore let us doe that with our Episcopall honour which may conduce to the Christian peace of Christian people If we be profitable servants why doe we envie the eternall gain of our master for our temporall preferment Our Episcopall dignity will be more fruitfull unto us if being laid down it may rather collect then being retained scatter the flock of Christ Austin the Bishop said My brethren if we have the Lord in our thoughts this higher place
is the watch-tower of the vine-dresser not the top of honour for him that is proud If whilest I retain my Bishoprick I scatter the flock of Christ how is the dammage of the flock the honour of the Shepheard With what face shall we in the world to come hope for the honour promised by Christ if our honour in this world doth hinder Christian unity Thus farre the African Bishops Sed Cynthius aurem I returne unto and proceede in the proving of our Proposition laid downe before 3. In Christian Churches which were of Apostolicall foundation and others after them we finde two Bishops in a Church or Citie both in and after the Apostles dayes not one advanced before the other Which being duly considered we may invert that argument which is used by our Hierarchists for the maintainance of their Episcopall Monarchie You know who hath laid down this amongst his Postulata g Episc by div right part 1. §. 12. p. 50. We may not entertain so irreverent an opinion of the Saints and Fathers of the Primitive Church that they who were the immediate successours of the Apostles would or durst set up a forme of government different from that which was fore-designed unto them Let this be granted the position may easily be retorted on their own heads thus If the Apostles had instituted one Bishop onely in a Church and placed him in superiority of power and order above the Presbyters can we think that the Saints and Fathers of the primitive Churches or the Churches themselves would have so soon swerved from the rule and practise of their first founders and have set up or admitted two Bishops where the Apostles had ordained but one The truth of this assertion touching the plurality of Bishops in a Church may be easily proved by varietie of examples h Dissert de gub Eccles p. 302 303. Gersom Bucerus hath proved it by no lesse then ten examples out of Scriptures and others out of Ecclesiasticall history I will onely mention some few Narcissus and Alexander both Bishops of Hierusalem not by succession one after the other but both at the same time as is proved out of i Eccl. hist li. 6. ca. 9. 10. Eusebius Ignatius and Evodias both Bishops of Antioch at the same time the one ordained by Peter the other by Paul as the fore-mentioned * Gers Buc. p. 439. forraine Divine hath proved by the confession of Clemens Constit l. 7. c. 46. and Baronius tom 1. ad an 45. At Rome Linus and Cletus or Anacletus were Coepiscopi Fellow-Bishops in Peters dayes and afterwards as Platina l In vita Sancti Petri. hath acknowledged and before him Ruffinus in praefar ad lib. Recognit as m Pan. tom 2. l. 13. c. 4. Chamier hath observed out of him and the n Cent 1 part 2. c. 10. in Lino Centurists of Magdenburge after them both Liberius after his returne from exile was conjoyned with Felix in the Episcopall See at Rome by the decree of the Synod of Syrmium as I have learned from o Cat. test ver l. 4. col 255. Illyricus and Gonlartius out of p Lib. 4. c. 14. Sozomen which Synod was held no lesse then fiftie six yeeres after the Councell of Nice which first made a Canonicall constitution to the contrary prohibiting that there should be two Bishops in one citie as q Lib. 1. c. 6. Ruffinus hath set down that Canon yea later then this Austin was made Bishop of Hippo in the dayes of Valerius and joyned with him as his Colleague in the Episcopall honour and Function albeit Austin was very unwilling yet the x Dum id fieri solere ab omnibus suaderetur atque id ignare transmatinis Africanis Ecclesiae exemplis probaretur compulsus atqueâ—â—â—ctas succubuit Epi scapatus curam majoris loci ordinationem suscepit Posslid in vita Aug. c. 8. Quod quidem quia tanta ejus obaritate tantoque populi studio dominum id velle credidt nonnullis jam exemplis praecedentibus quibus mibi omnis excusatioiâ—laudehatur vehemeâ—ter timuiexcusare Aug. ep 34 â—d Pausin Primate of Numidia Megatius Calamensis and Valerius together with all the rest Bishops that were present perswaded him thereunto and by varietie of examples in the African and transmarine Churches proved it to be a thing so usuall that Austin was left without all excuse and yeelded to undertake coepiscopatus sarcinam as he cals it the burthen of Coepiscopacie with Valerius for the prohibition by the Nicene canon was not yet come to the knowledge of Valerius nor to the cares of Austin as he doth Å¿ Ep. 110. Quod cone liio Nieeno prohibitum saisse nesciebam nec ipse sciebat else where professe This is a truth so clear and which hath such varietie of instances for the confirmation of it that the * Neq fuit tanta valigie priscu illis Episcopis lâ—cum sibi interdum ascicere aliquem ex suarum Ecclesiarum Presbyteris qui ipse tum furisdictione ordine u uque pleno Episcopalis propriae porestatis tum etiam nomine in eadem Ecclesia simul esset diceretur Episcopus de rep Eccl l 2. c 9. n. 14. Archbishop of Spalato doth confesse The ancient holy Bishops made no scruple of making one of their Presbyters their companiâ—n who both in Jurisdiction and Order and full use of power properly Episcopall should be their Colleague and fellow-Fellow-bishop in the same Church Yea t Idem est juris in parte quod in toto in parvis quod in magnis sed in eodem episcopatu possunt simut esse duo episcopi Caus 7. q. 1. c. Non est autem C Peristi C. Quia vero Ergo consimiliter propter necessitatem vel utilitatem possent esse snnut plures summi Pontifices dial part 3. tract 1. lib. 2. c. 25. sol 202. Occham proving out of the Canon Law it selfe that there may be two Bishops in a Bishoprick or Diocesse doth thence inferre that by the same reason there may be also two Popes u Fideles propter necessitatem vel utilitatem sufficienter moventem constituendo plures Pontifices non facerent conditionem Ecclesiae deterivem sed meliorarent cam cap. 26. sol 203. ad septimum as the government of one and the same Church by more Bishops then one conduceth to the benefit thereof so the regiment of the Church Catholike by many Popes a Loc. cit cap. 15. paulo ante finem This he maintaines might be done in both without any rent or division in the Church without the breach of that unity which the Apostle doth require for among all those things which he reckons up as grounds of union and motives to the conservation of it b Ephes 4. One faith one Baptisme c. Vnum Apostolicum minimè ponit saith he the Apostle makes no mention of one Apostolicall either Pope or
THE ANGEL OF THE Church of Ephesus NO BISHOP OF EPHESVS Distinguished in Order from and superior in Power to a PRESBYTER As it was lately delivered in a Collation before the Reverend Assembly of Divines By Constant Jessop Minister of the Word at Fifeild in Essex Imprimatur CHARLES HERLE LONDON Printed by G. M. for Christopher Meredith at the Signe of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1644. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL WILLIAM TWISSE Dr in Divinitie the Reverend Learned Prolocutor and to the rest of the Religious and Grave Divines of this present Assembly summoned by the authoritie of the Lords and Commons in Parliament Right Reverend and honoured Fathers and Brethren I Never thought or intended to appeare in print in this learned and criticall age being conscious to my self of mine own insufficiencies I speak it not in an humble arrogancie as the Orator observed some did write treatises against vain-glory and then in a vain-glorious ostentation put their names thereto Muchlesse should I have presumed to handle this controversie which hath been so fully agitated by others both at home and abroad Not only by those amongst us who have distasted the Hierarchicall frame of government whose arguments have been by the Prelates answered for the most part no other way then by suspensions silencings deprivations and proceedings against them as disturbers of the Churches peace and contemners of the commands of Authoritie but also by almost all the Divines of note in the Reformed Churches in their Polemicall dissertations against Papists out of whose Magazine our Hierarchists have borrowed those weapons whereby they defend their own authority and oppose their enemies as is evident to any that shall compare the writings of the one and of the other and to say nothing of this as objected by the good old Non-conformitans to the Patrons of Prelacie is acknowledged by the Papists themselves witnesse that short marginall Annotation of the Rhemists In Iohn 20.17 The Protestants otherwise denying this preeminence of Peter yet to uphold their Archbishops do avouch it against Puritans The course of my studies when once I became a Smatterer in Divinitie was bent another way then to the handling of Controversies My principall and chiefest aime being this that I might through Gods blessing on mine endevours be fitted for a Pastorall employment whensoever the Lord in his due time should call me thereunto Wherein I desire in humility and thankfulnesse to say with St PAUL 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am what I am As for this controversie in particular though I had some reason to have pried into it in regard of my fathers sufferings more then once under the Prelates in whose deprivation I and the rest of his posteritie have had our share of sufferings also yet knowing mine own inabilities to wade through it wanting time in regard of other studies more necessarie for the fitting of me for that calling wherin I was and observing my fathers own tēperature carriage who forbare discoursing of it in private or mentioning much lesse handling of it in publike meerly on this ground that he might fulfill his ministery in that remote barren in respect of the Word rude and ignorant corner of Wales to which the Lord by his providence removed him I did also forbeare the studying of it The practises of the Prelates which caused such commotions in Scotland at first and in the issue the abjuration of the Prelacie the proceedings against Dr Bastwick here in England for his Flagellum Latiatium episcoporum and those high challenges which were made in the Star-chamber Speeches about that time did first cause me to enquire into that tenure of Divine right by which our Bishops laid claim to their Preeminence The Oath in the Canons which came forth afterward did provoke me to set to the work a little closer which yet I entred on only for my own private information and satisfaction and after the considering of some places of Scripture I addressed my self to Bishop Halls Treatise on that subject conceiving that in him being the latest that did write and withall a man of note in the Church I should find the substance strength and sinewes of all those arguments which could be produced in that cause Whom when I did peruse the more I looked into his treatise the further off I was from receiving satisfaction by him in that Tenure of Divine right and from subscribing to his assertions Hereupon for my own private use I set down some short marginall animadversions and to speak the truth as farre as I am able to judge there is roome enough in the margent to answer the whole booke divers of which are now at the desire of some godly and learned members of your Assembly presented to publike view Sundry other Collections I had once but Sr Arthur Astons upholders of the Protestant Religion finding my papers when they rifled my house at Reading of what they could soon made an end of them by fire and with them of some Treat ses of my Fathers in this and other arguments which in regard of that employment in the Ministery which lay on me whilst I was in those parts I had not read over Being thus driven from my habitation and by losse of my Papers and Manuscripts disabled from dealing in that controversie I had quite laid aside the thoughts of it untill that comming before a Committee of your Assembly according to an order of the house of Commons I was by the Chairman of that Committee appointed to handle before you this Text and controversie out of it Which I perswade my selfe was done rather by way of Probation then out of any desire of Information from me who am far more fit to be informed and to receive then to give information or satisfaction Being thus east on a necessity of reviving my former notions and reviewing my marginall animadversions with some other observations which I had left I undertook the taske and presented before you those collections and arguments which you were pleased immediately to call for Let that I beseech you Fathers and Brethren now find a second which found a former acceptance at your hands and unto acceptation vouchsafe to adde a Patronage Something I have indeed now added which was not in my former papers delivered which I have done partly by the intimation of him by whose appointment I first did enter on the discussing of this question partly because I saw the great confidence of the Bishop with whom I principally deale in this vexatious dispute whose grounds I held it in some respect necessary to consider and examine If in these papers there be any thing which may be subservient to the glory of God and his great work which he hath in hand I have my desire and shall therein rejoyce desiring to returne all to him from whom every good gift proceeds Give me leave to close my Dedication with the same petitions which closed my Sermon in
their place they are Angels For the denomination is so used here that it points out rather the function then the person as our industrious and learned Countrey man Mr q Medit. in Apoc p. 9. edit Lond an 1587. Foxe hath observed To passe from this Instance to another When the Apostle speaking concerning the usefulnesse of the Scripture that r 2 Tim. 3.16 17. it is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse addes this as a principall end of all that the man of God might be perfect is this thinke you spoken concerning the perfecting of one man of God alone or of all that are such by their place and calling When the same Apostle gives this charge to Timothy Å¿ 1 Tim. 6.11 Thou O man of God flee these things doth he not in the person of Timothy lay this charge upon all the Ministers of the Gospel who share in that honourable title and function What shall we say then to those which would make us to beleeve that what is here spoken to the Angel a name of Office common to all the Ministers of Jesus Christ is to be understood as spoken unto one a Bishop and him that sitteth in the throne With the same strength of argument and as much colour of reason might a Romanist inferre because the Lord saith in the singular number of the Priest Å¿ Mal. 2.7 The Priests lips shall preserve knowledge and they shall seeke the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of hosts And t Deut. 17 1â— The man that will do presumptuously and will not hearken to the judgement of the Priest that standeth to minister before the Lord that man shall dye Though all Priests are Angels or Messengers of the Lord in respect of their Ministerie yet there is one Priest that is the Messenger or Angel by a fixed superioritie and at his mouth you must enquire to wit the Pope you are not I know ignorant that thus some have argued and what our Divines have answered them their writings doe declare both Dr Reynolds in his u Chap. 6. div â—â— p. 252. Conference with Hart and the learned Frenchman * Sum. cont part 1. q. 8. p. 127 128. Rivetus in confutation of Bailie the Jesuite 3. Let us consider sundry passages in the Epistles themselves into the bowels of which if we diligently looke we shall finde that albeit the inscription be in the singular number To the Angel yet the Angel was more then one distinct and individuall person and that the denomination is not to be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Singularly or Personally but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 collectively including an united multitude In the Epistle to Thyatira the Inscription is as in the rest in the singular number yet afterwards the holy Ghost saith thus * Revel 2. â—4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c But unto you I say and to the rest in Thyatira In which words the Church of Thyatira is distinguished as x Habes hic duas ecclesie Thyatirensis partes quarum una est Pastorum Praesidemâ—uâ— Ecclesiae collegium altera reliqui corpor is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gers But drssert de guh. Eccl. p. 203. Gersom Bucerus hath observed into two parts The one includeth the Colledge of Pastors and Presidents of the Church the other the rest of the members both are set forth in the Plurall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto you answering to To the Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the rest answering unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the Church in Thyatira The speech directed to the Angel of the Church of Sardis is in the singular number y Chap. 3.1 Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead compare this with that which followeth and you shall finde that what is spoken of one is meant of many and hereby is expressed the generall state of the whole Church of Sardis both Ministers and people for it followeth z Ib. v. 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments The greatest part of both Ministers and people had but the name of an outward profession by which they seemed to live but in hearts they denied the power of godlinesse and so were dead amongst them all there were but a few that were living members sincere and holy When the Lord Iesus saith in the Epistle to Philadelphia a Chap. 3.11 Hold fast that which thou hast that no man take away thy crown If this be an exhortation to the Bishop alone to constancie in the truth and a promise made to none but him belike none shall weare a crown in heaven but he that hath worne a Mitre on earth and rather parted with his Mitre here then with the truth of Christ The Epiphonematicall sentence which is added at the end of each Epistle He that hath an eare to heare let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches doth clearely evince it that by the Angel is to be understood the whole Church in all its members I will adde but one instance more When the Angel of the Church of Ephesus is blamed b Chap. 2.4 5. I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love and this reprehension is backed with a Commination I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Can any man in sober reason imagine that this is the reproose of and threatning against one man alone and that God would for the Apostasie or remissenesse of love to the truth in one Prelate cast off a whole Church We finde no such thing upon record in the whole Booke of God or any other history That of c Hom â— in Apoc. Movebâ— candelabrum tuum i. e dispergam populum pro peccatis Austin is most consonant to the truth who doth thus paraphrase the Comminatory sentence I will remove thy Candlestick i. e. I will scatter the people for their sinnes In which regard the same Father doth afterwards tell us d Angelos ecclesiam dicit in quibus duas partes i. e. bonorum malorum ostendit ut laus ad bonos Increpatio ad malos dtrigatur Sicut dominus in Evangelto Omne praepesitorum corpus uâ—um servum dixit beatum nequam quam venient dominus ipse dividet Id. ibid. Hee calleth the Church the Angels in which Church hee sheweth there were two parts good and bad that the praise may be directed to the good the reproofe to the bad Thus hee with more to the same purpose The same truth is delivered by Arethas and Andreas Bishops of Caesarea Cappadocia the most ancient Interpreters of this Revelation e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He calleth the Angel of Ephesus the Church that was in Ephesus And both confirm this Interpretation from sundry passages in these Epistles From whence f Sit
ergò boc fixum hoc argumentum ab Angetis qui Episcopos denotant nibit facere ad prâ—bandum Episcopos tum suisse in urbibus singulos Wal. Mess dissert 1. de presb epise c. 4. p 184. Salmasius in whom the Reader if he please may see this last quotation at large drawes this conclusion Let this therefore be an undoubted truth that this argument from the Angels makes nothing to prove that there was but one Bishop in a Church or citie Thus much of the third argument I proceed to another 4. By the Angel in this place is not to be understood a Bishop in Order Office and power of Jurisdiction distinguished from and superiour to a Presbyter for there was no such distinction or superiority settled in the Church of Christ before nor in St Johns time nor immediately after the Apostles dayes The truth of this negative assertion I shall endeavour to confirme by these ensuing arguments First in the Word of God we finde no such difference or imparity in Order and Power between a Bishop and a Presbyter as is pretended by our Prelates In prosecuting of which undertaken taske I will as briefly as I may consider what is delivered by a late Patron of Episcopacy who tels us that g Episc by div right p. 91. This imparity of Government and Episcopall Jurisdiction was founded by Christ erected by his Apostles both by their practise and recommendation In the proofe of which position when he had spent sundry pages he concludes with a great deale of assurance that he hath carried all down before him saying h Pag. 127. I am for my part so confident of the Divine Institution of the Majoritie of Bishops above Presbyters that I dare boldly say there are weighty points of faith which have not so strong evidence in holy Scriptures We heare him speaking with so much confidence as if he had not only taken the Oath in the late Canons but sworne unto or at leastwise in heart and by his pen subscribed to the i Si quis dixerit in Ecclesia catholica inon esse Hierar biam divina ordinatione institutam quae constat ex Episcopis Ministris Anathema sit Seis 7. Can. 6. Anathematisme of the Tridentine Conventicle in which this Hierarchie of Bishops and Presbyters is said to be of Divine institution and an Anathema denounced against those that shall question or deny it Yet notwithstanding the confidence of those Bishops and Fryars at Trent and of our English Hierarchists how farre this was from being embraced as an article of faith Friar Peter will informe us k Historie of the Counc of Trent lib. 8. pag. 743. The sixt Anathematisme saith he was much noted in Germany in which an article of faith was made of Hierarchie which word and signification thereof is alien not to say contrary to the Scriptures and though it was somewhat anciently invented yet the Authour is not known and in case he were yet is he an hyperbolicall writer not imitated in the use of that word nor of others of his invention by any of the ancients and following the stile of Christ our Lord and of the holy Apostles and Primitive Church it ought to be named not Hierarchie but Hierodiaconia or Hierodantia I will therfore because the Bishop whom I intend to chase runs this way follow him and 1. Consider whether our Saviour Christ laid any foundation for this Episcopall Jurisdiction 2. Look to the practice of the Apostles in which they say this fabricke and frame of Church government was erected 3. View their writings whether in them there is any such distinction of Order and Power between a Bishop and a Presbyter 1. As for that foundation which our Prelatists say was laid by Christ placing his Apostles above his other Disciples the Twelve above the Seventie it hath beene sufficiently discovered by sundry Divines in which regard I shall have cause to say the lesse to be sandy and weak altogether unable to bear the weight of that fabricke which is by them hereupon erected yea some of their owne friends and sticklers in the cause have confessed it or at leastwise yeelded that which doth overthrow it For 1. m Agnoscit Saravia Septuaginta discipulos Evang listarum dignitate eminuisse ac proinde Ordinariis Episcopis vocationis gradu aâ—tecelluisse Gers Bucer p. 515. ex Sar. de Min. Ev. grad cap. 4. Saravia a professed patron of Episcopacy and Antagonist to Beza whom our Prelates looke on as their back-friend doth acknowledge that the Seventie Disciples were Evangelists and in that respect by the degree of their calling superior to Ordinary Bishops How then is there I pray you any foundation for the imparitie between a Bishop and a Presbyter laid by Christ in this fact of his choosing Twelve Apostles and Seventie Disciples when these Seventie whom the Presbyters are said to succeed were superior to Bishops themselves 2. n Peracto hoc primo munere post quam reversi sunt gaudentes non legimus eos amplius a Christo missos in Ministerium verbimeq novam ill is suisse replicaraÌ„ coÌ„missionem c. de rep Eccl. lib. â— c. 3. n. 4. Quam confirmationem quedqÌ„ mandatum generalem missionem quia à Christo factam 72. discipulis non invenio neâ—â—possum affirmare in ipsis suisse directe proximè immediate institutum ordinem presbyteralem c Id. â—b num 4. Spalatensis hath observed that these Seventie Disciples were not instituted by our Saviour for the perpetuall government of the Church but onely that they had a temporarie Commission p Luke 10. to goe before him into every City and place whither he himselfe would come which was not renewed to them after their returne with joy because the devils were made subject unto them as the Commission given to the Apostles at first with a limitation q Match 10. Go not into the way of the Gentiles neither enter into the Cities of the Samaritanes but goe rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel was after his resurrection repeated and enlarged r Match 28. Go teach all nations In which regard saith he I cannot affirme that in them the 70. Disciples was the Order of Presbyters instituted directly and immediately Christs election of the Seventie Disciples affords you see by the confession of the Archbishop of Spalato himself no sure footing for the subjection of Presbyters to Bishops though he would fain claime an institution of Bishops in the Commission given to the Apostles But thirdly the Å¿ Enchir. Christ relig in Conc. Col. p. 169. de sacr ord edit Parisâ—an 1558. Non est tamen putanâ—um Episcopos alium in Ecclesia ordinem à Presbyteris constituisse Nâ—m in primitiva Ecclesia iidem erant Presbyteri Episcopi quod Apostolorum Petri Pauli epistolae divâ—â— quoque Hierony nus ac caeteri serè omnes veteres ecclesiassici scriptores aâ—estantur
right trade of your apologie to pretend the Church and meane the Pope And so you make the Church but a cloak-bag to carry the Popes titles after him Our Cathedralists pretend the Church but meane the Bishops and themselves and so the Church is made but a cloak-bag to carry the Diocesans titles of honour after him But why I pray you may not a particular private congregation be stiled the pillar and ground of truth There is no Orthodoxe Divine can be ignorant that the Church is said to be the pillar of truth Non ratione architect onica sed sorensi not as the notion of a pillar is taken by Architects in building for that which doth uphold and beare up the roofe or loft that lyeth on it as if the Church did give supportance and stabilitie to the truth but as a pillar in the market-place to which the Kings Proclamation is fastned that all his subjects may take notice of it Hath Christ fastned his truth to a Cathedrall only that there it is to be found and no where else The sad experience of that ignorance superstition and profaneness which reigne in places neerest unto them hath verified the Proverbe The neerer the Church the further from God Lyra though a popish Fryar and one that lived in times of much blindnesse yet saw so much light that he could say h Lyra in Matt. c. 16. The Church consists not in men of dignity and power either Ecclesiasticall or Secular for many Princes and Popes with other inferiour persons have revolted from the faith wherefore the Church consists in those persons in whom is the true knowledge and confession of the faith I would we had not too much cause to confesse the same of many of our Church-men Prelates and their adherents the Cathedrall Diocesan crew with others but albeit there hath been an apostasie in them yet blessed be the Lord for it we may truly say of the Church of England at this day what once a i Dr Potter in his answer to Charitie mistaken Cathedralist spake in favour of the Church of Rome The errours have been the errours of the domineering faction in the Court of England not the errours of the Church of England I hope they will give us leave to speake as favourably of our mother the Church of England as they of theirs the Church of Rome which is with them a true Church I will shut up all that I shall say concerning Timothy and Titus and the pretended Episcopall power committed unto them the same as our Hierarchists say with what they exercise with the observation of a Friar yet an k Historie of the Counc of Trent lib. 4. pag. 332. Historian of good esteeme It is denyed in words that Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction is dominion as is the secular yet one knoweth not how to put a difference between them But St Paul did when he wrote to Timothy and repeated it to Titus that a Bishop should not be greedy of gaine nor a striker Now on the contrary they make men pay for processes and imprison the parties as is done in the secular Courts In the next place according to promise I come to view the writings of the Apostles and to enquire whether in them there be any such Superiority and Distinction in Order and in Office between a Bishop and a Presbyter as is pretended by our Prelatists If in this Scripture may be judge it is as cleare as the Sunne in my apprehension that a Bishop and a Presbyter are one and the same in Order and in Office For when the Apostle doth set downe the sacred orders we find no other but these Bishops and Deacons that which is by the Hierarchists made a middle order between both to wit of Presbyters is not at all expressed in distinction from the former which doth evidently prove that the distinction between a Bishop and a Presbyter is but an institution of man not of God nor hath it foundation in the Word of God Consider the Inscription of St Pauls Epistle to the Philippians it is directed to l Phil. 1. â— All the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons When Paul directeth Timothy how he should carry himself in the Church of God that is saith a late m Bishop Hall pag. 108.109 Patron of Episcopacie how he must carry himselfe as a Diocesan in such a Church where there would be need of all varietie of Church-Officers we have no other Orders set downe then the fore-mentioned n 1 Tim. 3. Bishops and Deacons together with the qualifications of the one and the other I demand then of our Diocesans now how comes it to passe that the order of Presbyters is left out If Presbyters were a distinct order from Bishops and inferiour to them in place and power would the Apostle have omitted them as unnecessary and superfluous in such a Church as the Diocesse of Ephesus yea of Asia rather for of that extent is the Church there mentioned by the Apostle said to be by our fore-mentioned Bishop Come we from Timothy to Titus and view the Epistle directed unto him o Tit. 1.5 He is left by the same Apostle at Creete that he should set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every city Of what ranke and order these Presbyters or Elders were the verses immediately following will informe us The qualifications of those which should be admitted to this order and be made Presbyters follow If any be blamelesse Vers 6. the husband of one wife having faithfull children not accused of riot or unruly Why must a Presbyter be such an one Vers 7. the next verse gives the reason For a Bishop must be blamelesse as the steward of God not selfe-willed c. Therefore must a Presbyter be blamelesse because he is Gods steward a Bishop an Overseer as the Greeke word properly imports and so it is rendred by our late Translators Act. 20. set over the House of God In a word if the Apostles had in their dayes instituted any such distinct order of Bishops above Presbyters then surely either in their last and valedictory speeches to those Presbyters whom they ordained and Churches which they planted or in their Epistles sent unto them we should have some expressions tending to this purpose some charge or other given either to the Bishop how he should carry himselfe towards the Presbyters under his power and Jurisdiction or to the Presbyters how they should behave themselves toward the Bishop set over them But we finde not the least intimation of any such thing nor of one Bishop set over many flocks and congregations but rather of more Bishops then one which had the oversight of a flock The command given to the Hebrewes is this p Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your soules as they that must give an account
Presidentship over them and so after a sort a Majoritie of administration a Majoritas administrationis quae quidem administratio à jurisdictione pender ex consensu suljectionalt partim constuâ—â—tur sâ—â—ut dicunus â—lectum in cligences ex eo quod habet administrationem ordinariam habere jurisdictionem Conc. Carth. l. 2. c. 13. p. 7.7 ed. Bas cum priv Cas Majest ex off Henrici-Petrina ex consensu subjectionali as Cardinall Cusanus hath it from the free and voluntary act of those who consented to the prelation of the Bishop and subjecting themselves unto him Ordination is one of those acts the power whereof the Bishops doe challenge as one of those Prerogatives which belong to their Order yet if you look into the b Quamvis Chorcpiscopis presbyteris ministerterum communis sit dispensatio quaedam tamen ecclesiasticit regulis sibt prohibita noverint sicut est presbyterorum diacomnorum â—ut virginum consecratio sicut conss iâ—utio altaris ac benedictio velurâ—ctio Syn. Hispal 2. sub Stsekulo can 7. ap Cent Maga cent 7. c. 9. col 142. Canons of the second Councell of Hispalis which was held at least 600. yeares after Christ you shall finde this reckoned up among other particulars which the Presbyters are there commanded to know are prohibited them by Imperiall and Ecolesiasticall constitutions And mark I pray you the reason why they might not meddle with this and other acts x Quoniam quamquam consecrationem habeant Pontificatue tamen apicem non habent quem satis deberi episcopis â—â—thoritate canonum praecipitur â—â— per hoc discâ—â—â—io graduum dignitatis sastâ—gium summi pontificit demâ—nsâ—â—etur Ibid. the name and title of Bishop is by the Canons of the Church limited unto one and by the same power are these Offices limited also that so the difference of degrees which the Church had put betweene a Bishop and a Presbyter and the honour of the Bishop might be manifested So the Fathers in that Councell The same is acknowledged in the y Solum propter authoritatem summe sacerdeti Clericorum ordinatio consecratio reservata est ne a multis discipline ecclesiae vindicata coÌ„cordiam soiveret scandala generaret Concit Aquisgran ap Eocbel decret Eccl. Gald 5. tit 8. ca. 88. pag 784. Councell of Aquisgran an 816. in the dayes of Ludovicus the first Ordination is reserved to the Bishops only for authority or as an ensigne of his honour and for the prevention of scandals and divisions in the Church but as for a difference out of the word of God between a Bishop and a Presbyter they prove at large from the Apostles words to Titus Timothy and Act. 20. that there is none but Bishops and Presbyters are one and the same yet did not this reservation by an Ecclesiasticall canon put the power of Ordination into the hands of the Bishop alone so as that he might doe it without the concurrence of his Presbyters But as the Presbyters were by the Canon of the Church prohibited to ordaine so was the Bishop by the same Canonicall constitutions prohibited to doe it without their consent z Episcopus sine concilio clericorum suorum clericos non ordinet Conc. Carth. 4. can 22. Let not a Bishop ordaine Clergie-men without the counsell of his Clergie saith the Canon of the Councell of Carthage registred by a Dist 24. ca. 6. Episcopus Gratian in the Canon Law which who so will be pleased to consult shall find that his Glossator b Glossa in locum Vide etianâ— dist 67. cap. 1. Glos in ver Sacerdotes Semeca doth answer an objection made to the contrary and proves that the word solus where it is said the Bishop alone may give honour and alone may take it away doth exclude other Bishops but not his own Clergie So that a Bishop with his own Clergie might ordaine without the consent of other Bishops but not doe it alone by his owne peerelesse power without the rest of his Clergie consenting to and concurring with him in the action In this regard it was decreed in the eleventh Councell of Toledo in Spain c Dist 23. cap. Presbyter When a Bishop doth lay his hands on the head of him who was to be ordained let all the Presbyters who are present lay on their hands also by the hand of the Bishop Presbyters have you see a share with the Bishop in the imposition of hands at Ordination which they doe Iren. Forb lib. 2. cap. 11. pag. 163. not only as consenting to the ordination saith Forbesius for the consent of the people was also required yet never were they sharers in this Act of Imposition of hands and Ordination whereby an Ecclesiasticall power is conferred as both he and e De rep Eccl. lib. 2. c. 2. n. 51. p. 187. Spalatensis have observed but by suffrage did they manifest their approbation of the person elected or their election of him that was to be ordained f Tanquam ordinantes seu ordinem conferentes ex porestate ordinandi diviritus accepta gratiam ordinate boc adhibito ritu apprecantes Forb ubi supra but as those which were Co-ordainers with the Bishop and by the power of Ordination received from the Lord praying for grace to be conferred on the person ordained by them and the Bishop This Canonicall restriction of Ordination to the Bishop did no more invalidate the power of Presbyters to ordaine by vertue of their Presbyteriall order then if a Canon should have been made to inhibite a Presbyter to baptize to preach to administer the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in the presence or without the consent of the Bishop it would be of force thence to conclude that a Presbyter as a Presbyter by vertue of his order might not performe these Presbyteriall acts and offices It is not unknowne that long agone even in the dayes of g Dandi quidem Baptism habet jus summus Sacerdos qiuest Episcopus debinc Presbyteri Diaconi non tamen sine Episcopi authoritate propter Ecclesiae honorem Quo salvo salva pax est Tertull de â—ap c. 17. Tertullian there began to be a reservation of Baptisme to the Bishop that Presbyters and Deacons might not doe it without the leave of the Bishop all which was done on the same ground that Ordination was as hath been shewed before for the honour of the Bishop to whom the Church had conferred honour and for the Churches peace yet none did ever inferre from thence that this did properly belong to the Bishop and that a Presbyter might not doe it except he had a Bishops licence But if the h Veteres à Baptismo aâ—i ordinationem argumentatos suisse patet ex Magistro l. 4. dist 25. Sadcel resp ad â—urr Sopb â— â—40 Master of the Sentences may be beleeved albeit Ordination was limited to the Bishop yet did the ancients argue from the
power of administring Baptisme to the power of Ordination Presbyters might baptize therefore they might ordaine Thus did they reason for the power even then when the execution of the power was by canonicall-constitution restrained and shut up sub certis terminis positivis propter meliùs as i Conc. Cath. l. 2. c. 13. Cusanus speaks in the like case within certain positive limits and bounds and that for the good and benefit of the Church as it seemed unto them which first made and afterwards continued those limitations restrictions Thus much for Ordination Jurisdiction is the next thing wherein the Bishops doe claime a peerelesse power this respecteth either Presbyters subjected to censure and power of Jurisdiction in case of delinquency or the people in the sentence of Excommunication The field is very large I will not expatiate but only tender some few gleanings which I had gathered in the course of my studies in this argument I will not insist on that k Episcopus nullius causam audiat absque praesentia clericorum alioquin irrita erit sententia episcopi nifi clericorum praesentia confirmetur Conc. Carth. 4. can 23. Canon of the Councell of Carthage which prohibiteth the Bishop to meddle with the hearing of any cause but in the presence of his Clergie and pronounceth the sentence of the Bishop voide if it were not by them confirmed Concerning which Canon Dr Downham himself thus speakes l Defence of his Sermon ti 1. p. 179. Seeing good lawes arise from bad manners It is to be imagined that the Presence of the Clergie and Assistance of the Presbyters who were the Bishops Coassessors and from the beginning were appointed Judges of causes as himself doth m Ibid. p. 177. acknowledge was neglected and this neglect gave occasion to the making of this Canon What is by the Fathers in this Synod decreed concerning the Cognizance of causes in generall is afterward for that Councell was held about the year 401. by n Si quid de quocunque clerico ad aures tuas pervenerit quod is justè possit effendere non facilè credas nec ad vindictam te ret accendat incognita sed praesentitus senioribus ecclesiae tuae diligenter est veritas perscrutanda tunc si qualttas rei poposcerit canonica districtio culpam scriat delinquentis Greg. regist epist li. 11. indict 6. epist 49. prout citatur apud Grat. sed in edit eper Greg. an 1615. est epist 51. ad Iâ—han Episc Panermit Gregory the Great mentioned and commanded in particular to be observed in the cause of a Presbyter against whom accusations are brought or fame is raised for he commands the Bishop to whom he writes that in such cases he should in the presence of the Seniors of the Church make diligent inquirie into the matter and then proceed to a Canonicall censure as the qualitie of the crime should require Yea o In epist ad Cler. Eccles Tornac apud Cat. test verit l. 9. col 1000. Hincmarus the Archbishop of Rhemes prescribeth the same course to be followed citing the very words of Gregorie for it I will onely touch on some Canonicall Constitutions which have regulated the power of the Bishops in point of Jurisdiction over the Presbyters Who so will take the pains to consult p Caus 15. q. 7. Cap. 1. Gratian the Compiler of the Canon Law shall finde sundry Canons of more then one Councell of Carthage to wit Carthag 1. can 11. Concil Carthag 2. c. 10. Concil Carthag 3. can 8. ordaining that in case any crime were objected against a Presbyter the cause should be heard by sixe Bishops the cause of a Deaon accused should be heard by three besides his own Bishop This order in one of those Councels is thus ratified q Carth. 2. can 10. Ab universis episcopis dictum est veterum statut◠â nobis debere servari It was said by all the Bishops that we ought to observe the statutes of the ancient Fathers Whereunto may be added this that when in the Councell of Hispalis complaints were made that this rule was broken it was by the Fathers in that Synod ordered that r Statutum est juxta priscorum Paâ—rum decretum synodati sententia quod nollus fine concilii exam ne dejiciendum quemtibet presbyterum vel Diaconum au leat Naâ— multi suni qui indiscussos potestate tyrannica non auâ—boritate canonica damaant Syn. Hisp. a. act 6. Cent. Magd. cent 7. cap. 2. col 142. no Bishop should presume to put down a Presbyter or Deacon without examination before a Councell The contrary practice of some was adjudged to be the exercise of a tyrannicall power not of Canonicall authority I will not tire your patience with repetition of the same decree revived and confirmed in another Å¿ Concil Tribu an 895. caÌ„ â— ap Cent. Magd. cen 9. c. 9. coâ— 262. Councell almost 900. yeares after Christ Only this I will adde that This ancient order of the Councell and consent of six Bishops in the case of a Presbyters deposition from his place was not neglected by any regular allowance untill the Apostasie of Antichrist so far prevailed that the Gospel in the sincere and Orthodoxe Profession thereof was persecuted under the name of heresie In this case Gregory the ninth whose Decretals were published an 1230. gave a * Quaniam Episcoporum unmerus ad degra dationem Clericorum a Canonibus constitutus non pâ—â—est de socili convenire Concedtmus ut sacerdotem vel alium clericum in sacris ordinibus constitutum cum pro heresi suerit curiae seaulari relinquendus aut perpetuò immurandâ—â— â—onvocatis Abbatibus altisque praelatis ac Religiosis personis ac literatis sâ—â—â— Diocesis de quibus expedire videbatur suus solus possit Epis â—opiu degradase Sext. decret lib 5. tit 2. ca. 1. dispensation that the Diocesan Bishop alone in the presence of his Abbots with some Priests and other religious or learned persons of the Diocesse might proceede to the sentence In all cases heresie excepted the forementioned Ordinances of a Synodall audience for the Deposition of a Presbyter stood in force in succeeding ages as that learned Canonist t Instit Iur. Can. lib. 1. tit 20. Paulus Lancelotus hath observed By this which hath been spoken let the indifferent and impartiall Reader judge of the practices of our Prelates how strangely exorbitant that I say not tyrannicall in a very high degree they have been in their proceedings and execution of that Jurisdiction which they have usurped Excommunication is another branch of Jurisdiction which is claimed also by the Bishops as properly belonging unto them u Davenant abi supra Mucro episcopalis fulmen episâ—opale They tell us this Ecclesiasticall censure was alwaies accounted the Bishops sword and the Bishops thunderbolt and indeed since they have taken the power thereof into their hands and as they have managed it
it hath been an Episcopall thunderbolt that is to say brutum fulmen a thunderbolt which doth neither fright nor hurt any the denuntiation of this sentence being much corrupted that I say not quite altered from the practice of the Apostles and the Church in former dayes when no punishment was imposed without great lamentation of the multitude and greater of the better sort saith the a Lib. 4. p. 330. Author of the History of the Councell of Trent which he doth prove from those expressions of the Apostle b 1 Cor. 5. Ye have not lamented to separate such an one from among you And x 2 Cor. 12. I feare that at my coming I shall lament many of those who have sinned before But as for those amongst us which have challenged this power and taken it into their hands they have rather carried themselves like Salomons foole or mad-man which casteth arrowes firebrands and death and yet saith Am I not in sport Concerning this you are not ignorant what Hierome said of old y Presbytero licet si peccavero tradere me Satanae in Ep. ad Heliod A Presbyter may deliver me to Satan if I offend However this power hath been by the Prelates wrested out of the hands of Presbyters yet there have not been wanting those who when Prelates were in the height of all their pride and darted out their thunderbolts as it pleased them have maintained that the power of denouncing and executing that sentence did belong to the Presbyters I will only produce a witnesse or two in this and proceed z Defensor pacis part 2. cap. 15. pag. 256. Marsilius Patavinus disputing concerning the order of Priesthood or of a Presbyter for they are all one and the power of the Keyes to binde and loose observeth out of the forementioned Father the Church hath these Keyes in the Presbyters and Bishops and gives this reason why Hierome speaking of this power of the Keyes doth mention Presbyters before the Bishops a Preponens in boc pretbyteros quoniam authoritas baec dâ—betur presbytero in quantum presbyter primò secundum quod ipsum because this authoritie belongs to a Presbyter as a Presbyter primarily and properly From the same Authour I first tooke notice of this b Cap 6 pag. 165 in init albeit Timothy a Bishop as our Hierarchists say was then at Corinth when the Apostle gives charge to excommunicate the incestuous person yet we heare not a word of command to the Bishop to doe it but a mandate unto others When ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one unto Satan The charge is given to the Presbyters of Corinth it was not the act of one but of c 2 Cor 2.6 many who did denounce and execute the sentence on him Had it been proper to a Bishop St Paul would not have so much forgotten himself as to lay the blame and burthen upon others and omit the mention of him I finde also that d Glos in caus 2 q. 1. ca. 11. verbo Excommunicet Ecclesiarum praelati de jure communi possunt excommunicare licet episcopi jam praescripserint contra multos praelatos Bartholomaeus Brixniensis and Johannes Semeca both Glossators of the Canon Law doe maintaine and prove even out of it that by right Presbyters may excommunicate though the Bishops by custome and Prescription have taken the power out of their hands The same Interpreters of the Canon Law agree in this also e Non debet Episcopus revocare sententias excommunicationis justè lat as ab eorum praelatis sine corum consensit Gloss in dist 50. cap 64. verb. injungere A Bishop ought not to revoke the sentence of excommunication which a Priest hath on just ground pronounced without the Priests consent which did pronounce it By this which hath been spoken it is evident I hope that though there were a Primacy granted yet at first the Bishop had no Superioritie of power much lesse was the power of Ordination or Jurisdiction put into his hands alone you are not ignorant that Calvin Bucer Bullinger and Zanchie have maintained that the Bishop was at first no other then a President of the Presbytery his Act and Office in their meeting as of the Consul in the Senate to propound matters to gather votes and declare the resolutions of the Presbyterie With what scorn this is rejected by our Episcopall Monarches you all know as if they were the meere fancies of Calvins braine and the testimonie of the rest which confirme their assertions by pregnant passages out of antiquitie slighted because they are Disciplinarians of the Geneva cut If Protestant Divines be not regarded let us see whether the judgement of a Fryer and consent of a Jesuite will be of more weight with our Prelates there is good reason to expect it considering that Papists and Prelates were so linked together in their votes whilest they had any Jesuites and Bishops are at this day as all the world seeth so neerly conjoyned in their designes The Fryer is Petrus Suavis that Historian of note who discoursing at large touching the Originall of Episcopall power and Church censures as they were anciently administred tels us f Hist of the Councell of Trent lib. 4. p. â—3â— The judgement of the Church as is necessary in every multitude was to be conducted by one who should preside and guide the action propose the matters and collect the points to be consulted on This care due to the more principall and worthy person was alwayes committed to the Bishop Judge now I pray you Fathers and Brethren whether this be any more then to be a President of the Presbyterie or Senate Ecclesiasticall How the Bishops power came afterwards to be ampliated you shall there finde set forth to the full the passages are all of them too large for me to repeat or transcribe they are worth his reading that shall take paines to peruse them I shall only mention one g Ibid. pa. 331. The goodnesse and charity of the Bishops mark this I pray you he doth not say the Superioritie and power but the goodnesse and charity of the Bishops made their opinion for the most part to be followed and by little and little was the cause that the Church charity waxing cold and not regarding the charge laid upon them by Christ did leave the care to the Bishop and ambition a witty passion which doth insinuate it selfe in the shew of vertue did cause it to be readily embraced This and much more that Fryer in the same place The Jesuite is Salmeron who expounding the words of the Apostle to Titus I left thee in Creete to ordain Elders in every City positively affirmeth h Nec hoc loco permisit Paulus Tito ut praefiâ—iat omnibus ecclesiis ministros baec enim regia esset potestas juâ— eligendi tolleretur ecclesiis
Andreas Siculus Barbatias desiring to curry favour with Bessarion did who undertook to prove the Divine Institution of Cardinals from that place of Scripture x 1 Sam. 2. Domini sunt cardines terrae And albeit the Lawyer thought he gave a witty reason for his conceit because as the doore in its motion is guided by the hinges whereunto it is fastned and whereupon it hangeth so the Church of Rome is governed by the counsell of Cardinals yet y De Invent. rer lib. 4. c. o. p. 290 edit Basiâ— an 1555 vide nonsecus isti Iurisconsulti aliquoties detorquent sacras literas quo volunt ac sutoâ—es solent sordidas dentibus extendeâ—e pelles Polydore Virgil gave him this censure which by the bare change of the name of the persons censured I shall apply to our present purpose These Lawyers said he these Prelatists say I stretch Scripture as they please just as the Shoe-maker doth his leather with his teeth to fit it to his Laste 2. It is granted by Bishop Hall as an undoubted truth that z Loc. cit p. 122. in each of these Churches there were many Presbyters as for instance that of Ephesus yet but one Angel saith he that is to say but one Bishop But soft and faire my Lord. The same place of Scripture which makes it unquestionable that there were many Presbyters in the Church of Ephesus doth as apparently declare the pluralitie of Bishops and so the identitie of Bishops both in name and office Thus much is yeelded by the same a p. 119. Patron of Episcopacie that the Elders which Paul sent for from Ephesus to Miletum and to whom his speech is directed were indeed Bishops which he doth grant from those words of the Apostle Whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops But forsooth they were not all Bishops of Ephesus but of different Territories of farre dispersed charges and how is all this proved we heare St Paul say Ye all amongst whom I have gone preaching the Kingdome of God very magisterially tanquamè cathedra Episcopali Episcopall dictates out of an Episcopall chaire to which all must yeeld an implicite faith and blinde beliefe Belike St Paul held now an Archiepiscopall visitation and albeit the Archbishops court were to be held at Miletum yet from Ephesus by some Gentleman Apparitor or other the Monitory Summons or Processes were sent forth to the severall Diocesses Risum teneatis amici Who can almost refraine laughter at the very hearing or reading of such ridiculous conceits By the way let us take notice of one thing that to this Archiepiscopall visitation not the inferiour Ministers but the Diocesan Bishops themselves were summoned and cited The evasion is so weake that I am loth to spend time and tire your patience in refutation of it Onely give me leave to say somewhat to it 1. Had these Presbyters been Bishops of farre dispersed charges in Asia and different Territories the holy Evangelist and Historian would rather have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Churches then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Church We finde the Apostle in the like cases using the plurall number The Churches of Asia Rom. 6.19 The Churches of God in Judea 1 Thes 2.14 The Churches of Macedonia 2 Cor. 8.1 2. Though it be not said expressely that these Elders or Presbyters were onely the Presbyters of the Church of Ephesus yet the circumstances of the text will clearely as I conceive with submission to better judgements evince it to be so The Evangelist St Luke describing Pauls journey to Hierusalem saith b Act. 20.17 seq we came to Miletum For Paul determined to saile by Ephesus that he might not tarry in Asia for be hastened if it were possible for him to be at Hierusalem at Pentecoste And sending from Miletum unto Ephesus he called together the Elders of the Church To these Elders of the Church he doth appeale as witnesses of his fidelitie and industrie in preaching the word in serving the Lord with all humilitie teares and in many temptations Now consider where was the place of Pauls abode and residence amongst them was it not Ephesus the former passages of the historie tell us so in plain termes that there he c Chap. 19.10 continued by the space â—f two yeares so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus both Jewes and Greekes Ephesus you see was the place of Pauls residence in Asia here he gathered the Church in the planting and setling of which he continued amongst them by the space of two yeares It being the place in which the Church was gathered must be also the place of residence of the Elders of the Church 3. If Interpreters either Greeke or Latine Ancient or Modern be consulted we shall finde them all accounting these Presbyters to be Presbyters of no other Church then the Church of Ephesus By the cleare evidence of which place sundry Divines of all sorts doe prove the Identitie and Indistinction of Bishops and Presbyters both in name and Office in sacred Writ In which regard I cannot but wonder with what face our Pretenders to Antiquitie for the distinction of their Order from a Presbyter doe venture to obtrude so novell a fancie on their Readers and seduced followers For of how green antiquitie are Buckeride and Barlow with their follower Dr Hall that their Dictates must beare sway against the current of Interpreters not one Divine of note being produced for ought that I could yet reade or heare in favour of this ridiculous evasion which was I am perswaded never heard of in the Christian Church till of late Hieromonarchici nostri as Spalatensis stiles the Papalines and we may not unfitly stile out Prelates vented these their dreames that by these their groundlesse fancies they might the better uphold their own honour and dignities So that we may justly retort the Proverbe applyed by one of them to Mr Brightmans conjectures on their own heads Thus the bels say what some hearers thinke 4. There is no colour of reason to obtrude on us such an interpretation of those words Ye all amongst whom I have gone preaching the Kingdome of God as if it must be understood of Pauls travelling from Diocesse to Diocesse for the Text affords in plain termes another the Apostle puts them in minde what he had done that he d Act 20.20 had taught them and preached amongst them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 publikely and from house to house 3. Albeit the Inscription be in the singular number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the Angel yet that doth not prove it to be spoken unto or meant of one individuall person He spake a truth who said c Baines Diocesans Triall pag. 15. Seven singular starres may signifie seven unites whether singular or aggregative Seven pluralities of person who are so united as if they were one And it is frequent in Scripture to note by an unity an united
multitude Now for as much as this is gain-said by our Hierarchists as a ridiculous evasion I will therefore confirme it against their contradiction and endeavour to make it evident that under one many may be many are meant This is the language and usuall stile of the holy Ghost 1. In visionall speeches Daniel in the narration and interpretation of the Kings dreame faith to Nebuchadnezzar f Dan. 2.38 Thou art this head of gold after thee shall arise another Kingdome inferiour unto thee The speech is directed to Nebuchadnezzar in his own person yet under one many are meant for not he alone but all the Kings precedent and succeeding in that Monarchie are the head of gold as Interpreters doe unanimously consent It is said in the verse following After thee shall another Kingdome arise yet all that have any insight in history both sacred and profane doe know that the Persian Monarchie which is the Kingdome there spoken of did not arise immediately upon the death of Nebuchadnezzar the Great to whom this dreame and interpretation of it is made knowne but upon the death of Belshazzar his Grand-childe So that under the Person of one many of the same order and degree are here necessarily to be understood The Lord represents to g Chap. 1.18 19 20 21. If any desire more instances of this kinde for the confirmation of this I refer him to the reply to Dr Downhams defence part 1. l. 3. c. â— sect 7. Zechariah in a vision soure hornes which did scatter Judah and Jerusalem and foure Carpenters which were sent to fray them away and to repaire Jerusalem Will any sober man hence conclude the Persons which scattered Judah were individually foure no more nor no lesse and the Repairers of Jerusalem just foure and no more yet this inference will hold as well as that which our Prelates make from this vision in the Revelation Christ holdeth in his hand seven starres which seven starres are the Angels of the Churches therefore the Angels of the Churches are just seven and no more They may with as much colour of reason and truth extort another conclusion also thus Christ holdeth in his hand seven starres of the first magnitude and none but them which seven starres are the Angels by a fixed superioritie Therefore Christ hath care of the direction and protection of none but the Bishops which are the starres of the first magnitude the Angels by a fixed superiority Take one instance more When the Apostle speakes of that grand Apostate Antichrist he speakes of him in the singular number h â— Thes 2.3 That man of sinne the sonne of perdition now albeit the i Bell tib 3. de Rom. Pent. â— 2. K. Secudus locus Graeci contrabunt significationem ad unam tem certam ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hominem in coÌ„muni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hominem singularem fignificet Et sanè mirum est nullum adversariorum qui tamen jact ant linguarum peritiam hoc animadvertisse Romish Cardinall doe from the article prefixed when he is stâ—â—ed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that maen of sinne the sonne of perdition that wicked one plead for a restriction to one individuall person and wonder at it that none of the adversaries doe take notice of it notwithstanding all their skill in the tongues of which they so much boast yet how ridiculous a conceit this is you all know Our Polemicall Divines have sufficiently discovered the falshood and vanitie of this assertioÌ„ of which I may truly say as our learned Fulk doth in his reply to the Rhemists who trod in the steps of their fellow Jesuite fore-mentioned k in 2 Thes 2. ver 3. annot â— This is so false that young children which have scarce tasted of the Greek tongue are able to disprove it by infinite Examples 2. In other places of Scripture where the speech is directed unto one yet under that one others of the same order and societie are meant Our Saviour Christ said to Peter l Matth. 16.19 I will give unto thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven though at Rome under the Popes nose in a conclave of Cardinals the limitation of this to Peters person as Christs Vicar would be readily embraced yet you all know Reverend and Beloved how repugnant this is to Scripture in which regard he would be hooted at as having a Pope in his belly that should in any Reformed Church confine the power of the Keyes to Peters person Yea m de rep eccles lib. 1. cap. 7. n. 3. Antonius de Dominis will tell us that it would be a monstrous thing indeed to deny that our Lord did there direct his speech to Peter and promise him the Keyes which he did after wards infallibly conferre on him But it would be monstri majoris simile more monstrous by farre so to limit this promise and the execution thereof unto Peter as that it should imply an exclusion of the rest of the Apostles Hence divers of the Fathers have observed that there under the Person of One to wit Peter to whom the speech is primarily directed is an united multitude the Church to be understood Thus Austin sundry times speaks n Tract 50. in Evang. Iohan. Iudas malus Corpus malorum significat quomodo Petrus corpus bonorum corpus ecclesiae imò corpus ecclesiae sed in bonis nam si in Petro non esset sacramentum Ecclesiae non â—i diceret Dominus Tibi dabo claves regni â—oelorum Wicked Judas signifieth the body of the wicked as Peter the body of the good the body of the Church which consisteth of the good otherwise the Lord would not say to himâ— I will give unto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven And elsewhere o Tract 124. in idem Evang. Ecclesiae Petrus Apostolus propâ—er Apostolatus sui primatum gerebat figurata generalitate personam Quad enim ad ipsum propriè pertinet natura unus homo erat gratia unus Christianus abundantiore gratia ur us idemq primus Apostolus sed quando et dietum Tibi dabo claves regni coelorum universam significabat ecclesiam Peter in respect of himself was properly by nature one man by grace one Christian by a more abundant grace one and the same a chief Apostle But when it was said to him I will give unto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven he did signifie the whole Church c. So he more testimonies might be produced but these are sufficient he that desireth to see this truth confirmed by more suffrages of the ancients may consult p Loc. cit n. 4. seq Spalatensis and receive abundant satisfaction As then in the fore-mentioned speech of our Saviour under one a collected body of Apostles and Beleevers is understood so here by one Angel is meant the united body of Angels and what is spoken unto one is to be understood as spoken to all of them as by
Pastorum collegto judicium adimeretur Sed hoc tantum jubet Apostotus ut omnibus electionibus praesit tanquam moderator electos oratâ—one jejunio impositione manuum consecrareâ— uâ— habes Act. 6. 13 14. Ob id enim Titum priùs à se ordinatum Episcopum reliquit ut alios ipse constitueret sicut dâ—â—itur Consul aut Dictator Consutes alios creasse quia Comitia de eis eligendis babuerunt Salm. in Tit. 1 disp 1. Paul did not in that place permit Titus alone to set Ministers over the Churches for this were to invest him with a Kingly power and by this meanes the right of Election should be taken away from the Churches and the judgement should be taken away from the Colledge of Pastors But the Apostle doth only command him this that he should be President at all elections as a Moderator that he should by prayer fasting and Imposition of hands consecrate those that were chosen as the Apostles themselves did Act. 6.13 14. For this cause did he leave Titus ordained a Bishop formerly that he should ordain others as the Consul or Dictator is said to create Consuls because they held the Comitia the Assemblies for the election and creation of them This being a truth so cleare confirmed as you see by testimonies on all hands I wonder with what face it is spoken against i Episc by div right pa. 120. and another passage out of Hicrome Tanquam imperator in exercitu as the Generall in the Army brought in obtorto collo quite against the haire For Hierome k In Epist ad Evagr. in that place speaks not concerning the power which the Bishop had over the Presbyters but concerning the manner of his prelation to wit by the free election of the Presbyters of Alexandria who did choose one out of their own company whom they placed in an higher degree and called Bishop This forme of prelation by election he doth there illustrate by two examples 1. l Quomodo si exercitus imperatorem sactat aut Diacone eligant de se quem industrium noverint Arcbidiaconum vocent ibid. Of souldiers in an army making choise of a Generall and Commander in chiefe over them but the Father doth not say the Bishop carried himselfe as a Generall in an army or had power given him answerable to the power of a Generall Nay on the contrary he tels the Bishops in plain termes they m Sicut ergo Presbyteri sciunt se ex ecclesiae consuetudine ei qui sibi praepositus suerit subjectos esse ita Episâ—opi noverâ—â—â— so magis consuetudine quam dispositionis Dominiâ—ae veritate Presbyâ—eâ—u esse majores in communi debere Ecclesiam regere in Epist ad Titum ca. 1. ought to governe the Church by the common counsell of the Presbyters above whom they are by the custome of the Church advanced 2. He instanceth in the fact of Deacons making choise of one whom they know to be industrious and set him to be Arch-deacon over them This latter passage is cunningly omitted the former misalleadged and fraudulently perverted because the one cuts the comb of Episcopall Dominion the other as it is wrested seemeth at first sight to uphold or favour it Indeed the execution of Martiall Law hath well pleased them which are now turned Martialists It is too well known how they have hang'd up Ministers ad placitum at their pleasure by their suspensions excommunications deprivations n Conc. Hisp 2. act 6. ap cent Magdâ—cent 7. cap 9. by a tyrannicall power not canonicall authority as was complained of old against some Prelates in the second Councell of Hispalis But ab initio non fuit sic from the beginning it was not so The Colledge of Presbyters granted unto the Bishop the chiefest seat in their publike meetings and gave honour to him as to their Senior and he was commanded to carry himself towards them as toward his Colleagues by the o Episcopus in quolibet loco sedens stare Presterum non patiatur Conc Carth. 4. can 34. Episcopus in ecclesia consessu presbuterorum sublimior sedeat Intra domum verò collegam se Presbyterorum cognoscat can 35. ap Grat dist 95. Canons of the fourth Councell of Carthage unto which Canons registred by Gratian this Summarie or title is prefixed p Episcopus non dominum sed Collegam se presbyâ—erorum cognoseat Let the Bishop know that he is not a Lord over but Colleague of the Presbyters In this regard in the same Canonist the q Episcopi se sacerdotes esse noverint non dominos bonorent clericos quasi clericos ut it sis à clericis quasi episcopis honos eseratur Grat. dist 95. ca. Esâ—o subjectus ex Hier. ad Nepot epist 2. Bishops are commanded to honour their Clergy as Clergy-men that so the Clergy may reciprocally honour them as their Bishops And the forementioned r Hoc est contra supercilium Episcoporum qui subdiros appellant siâ—ios cum debeant cos appel lare fratres Caus 8. q. 1. cap. Quid autem vol sociâ—s caus 10 q. 3. cap. Cavendum Gloss in verb. quasi clerices Glossator Semeca hath observed that this doth sharply reprove the pride of those Bishops who account them their subjects and underlings whom they ought to reckon of and call their brethren and companions Last of all when the Bishop began to be distinguished in name from the Presbyters and the forementioned Presidentship and Priority was granted him yet was he not thereby advanced to an order distinct from and superior to the order of Presbyters but only to an higher degree in that Order This is cleare by this that at the first distinction of a Bishop from the Presbyters there was no new consecration or ordination of the Bishop Antonius de Dominis a man Prelaticall enough doth confesse induced thereunto by the cleare testimonie of Ambrose Å¿ De rep eccl lib. 3. cap. 3. n. 2. at the beginning whensoever a Bishop dyed and the Episcopall throne was vacant there was not so much as an election of him that was to succeed much lesse any new ordination but the eldest Presbyter came prosently in the roome of the deceased Bishop The words of Ambrose are expresse for it t Primi pretbyteri Episcopi appellabautur ut recedente co sequent ei succederet in 4 ca. ad Eph. The first Presbyters were called Bishops so as that when he to wit the first or eldest Presbyter departed the next did succeed him Thus it was at first the reason why this order was changed that Episcopacie should be conferred by Election not by Succession is there given by the same Father * Quia caperunt sequentes Presbyteri indigul inveniri ad primatus tenendes immatata est ratio prospiciente Concilie ut non ordo sed meritum crearet Episcopum multerum Sacerdotum judlcio constitutum ne indigum temerâ— usurparer esset