say to the prelate of the Church whom he vnderstood by Church bind him with bands or cords c. Theophylact explaineth the words thus If before two or three witnesses hee being reprooued shall not bee ashamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Oecolampadius translateth thus Ne graueris tunc in Ecclesiae suggestu invulgare peccatum sticke not then to publish his fault in the pulpit of the Church or iudgement seate But the acceÌ„t sheweth that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are to vnderstaÌ„d An tistites or presides the Prelates of the Church And those words what you shall bind c he expoundeth thus If thou who art wronged shall hold the offender as a Publican or Ethnicke euen such a one he shal be in heauen but if thou loose him that is forgiue him he shal be pardoned in heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for not onely what the Priests loose are loosed but also what we who are wronged doe bind or loose the same shal be bound or loosed where by Priests he meaneth those whom before he called the Prelates of the Church Erasmus maketh this Paraphrase If the offender be so vntractable that he will be moued neither with shame nor feare of iudgement bring the matter to the congregation that either he maybe reformed by the content of the multitude or by authoritie of them which be rulers ouâ— the multitude But if he be so farre past cure that he will not be corrected neither by secret and brotherly monition neither by the knowledge and consent of two or three neither by the shame of his fault vttered and disclosed neither by the authoritie of the â—hiefe rulers leaue him to his disease My aduersarie therefore to salue his credit had need to bring those from whom he had these testimonies at the second or third hand to depose that Chrysostome Theophylact and Erasmus doe say that Christ speaketh of Lay-Elders Otherwise he will hardly escape the censure of imposture and seeking to seduce the people with glorious shewes To the rest of his witnesses I answere that what new writers being parties in the cause doe testifie without warrant of scripture euidence of reason or testimonie of antiquitie it deserueth no credit The second testimonie Act. 14.23 that Paul and Barnabas ordained Presbyters in euery Church therefore lay-Lay-Elders How is this consequence proued because the greeke Scholiast and a few new writers say so But here the disputer for his credite sake must plead that he for his part neuer saw the Greeke Scholiast but receiued this allegation from T. C. else he must be accused either of grosse ignorance or notorious falsification I see not saith T. C. why it may not be referred to Elders meaning Lay-Elders as well as too Bishops meaning Ministers seeing S. Paul there setteth forth how they set a full order in the Church And of that iudgement is the greeke Scholiast which affirmeth that those which followed S. Paul and Barnabas were worthy to be Bishops and that they created of them Elders and Deacons Vnderstanding Oecumenius as if by Bishops he meant ordinarie Ministers and Elders and Deacons their Lay-Elders and Lay-Deacons which were a notable deprauing of Oecumenius his meaning if he were so to be translated But his words being these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who haue but small skill in greeke doe know that the article of the plurall number with the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth most vsually signifie no more then the proper name alone so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all in one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so is vsed by Oecumenius in the very next sentence following as you shall heare Besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie they were worthy but they had the dignitie or honour or if they had beene worthy to haue beene Bishops Paul and Barnabas had small reason in that want of sufficient Ministers to make them lay either Elders or Deacons So that Oecumenius his words are thus to be translated it is to be noted that Paul and Barnabas had the dignitie of Bishops for that they ordained by imposition of hands not onely Deacons but also Presbyters Note also saith hee that in Miletum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barnabas and Paul were by imposition of hands ordained but I found another coppie which for Miletum hath Antioch and that is more probable His meaning is that at Antioch Paul and Barnabas were ordained Bishops Act. 13.2 And that Oecumenius by Presbyters vnderstood Ministers or Teachers it is apparant by his words going before for demanding why the Apostles made not Presbyters in Cyprus and Samaria but in these places mentioned Act. 14. he answereth those were neare to Ierusalem and the apostles and in Antioch the word preuailed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in these places they needed much exhortation chiefly those of the gentiles needed much teaching The third testimonie Iam. 5.14 Is any man sicke among you let him call for the Presbyters of the Church and let them pray ouer him annointing him with oile in the name of the Lord. Therefore there were lay-Lay-Elders in S. Iames time This consequence is proued because Caluin and foure other new writers say so The fourth Rom. 12.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that ruleth in diligence this Ruler must needs be the Lay-Elder For besides certaine new writers Ambrose saith so But Ambrose vnderstandeth the words generally of any Ruler expounding him that ruleth to be eum qui curam vt praesit fratribus suscipit him that vndertaketh the care to rule his brethren The fifth 1. Cor. 12.28 God hath appointed in the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gouernements these gouernements must needs be of lay-Lay-Elders for besides some new writers Ambrose Ierome Theodoret doe testifie so much Ambrose his words be these sunt gubernatores gui spiritualib retinaculis hominibus documento sunt there are also gouernours who with spirituall reines doe nurture men Ierome qui sciunt singulos prout apti sunt gubernare who know to gouerne euery one according as they are apt Theodoret hereby he signified the administrations or gouernements of the Church These be all the places of scripture which this great striker durst make shew of Whereof not any one can be said with any shew of probabilitie to speake one word for lay-Lay-Elders If Lay-Elders were first proued by other arguments or presupposed the best argument that could out of these places be raised were from the Genus to the species affirmatiue as if they should say the scriptures speake of gouernours therefore of Lay-Elders of Presbyters therefore of onely gouerning Presbyters But seeing they neuer were nor euer will be proued by other arguments the reason taken from these places is from the Genus to a fancied and platonicall Idea or poeticall species and that affirmatiuè If I should say it is a bird therefore a Swanne it
perpetually vsed in all Christian Churches in the first three hundred yeeres after Christ and his Apostles the latter and was not ordained by generall Councils The former part I proue by foure arguments The first whereof is this If the Angels or gouernors of the primitiue Church in the first 300. yeeres after Christ and his Apostles were diocesan BB. then the gouernment of the Church by such BB. was generally and perpetually vsed in that time But the antecedent is true Therefore the consequent He maketh a doubt of the proposition because he hath not learned that speeches in disputation indefinitly propounded are generally to be vnderstood for auoiding of clenches and therefore when I say the Angels or gouernours I meane all the Angels or gouernours when I say in the three hundred yeers I meane throughout that terme euen from the death of Saint Iohn to the end of the foure hundred yeere after the incarnation of Christ. The assumption hath beene proued at large in the former part of the Sermon and in this defence thereof first by this disiunction either the Churches after the Apostles time were gouerned by diocesan BB. as we say or by presbiteries consisting for the most part of lay-Lay-elders as the disciplinarians hold But neuer by such presbiteries Therefore euer by BB. Secondly I haue proued that euer since the Apostles times the Churches haue been dioceses and the BB. diocesans superiour to other ministers in degree hauing singularity of preeminence during life and majoritie of power in respect both of ordination and iurisdiction his answere is that he hath answered those points of my Sermon where he hath shewed that I proued no such matter whereunto I reply that all his answeres were but shifts and euasions and stand fully confuted But perhaps the refuter will say if I had vnderstood your proposition as vttered in generall termes as now it is expounded by you then I would haue taken the same exception against the proofe of the assumption which I did against your proposition for although in some part of that time some BB. were perhaps such as you described yet it followeth not that generally and perpetually in the first three hundred yeeres after Christ and his Apostles they were such That they were generally such in the last of the three hundred yeeres which is the fourth century after Christ it thing most fully testified and most manifestly proued in the proofe of the former points and hath been confessed by the refuter neither can be denyed of any man who hath any sound learning ioyned with a good conscience Let vs then consider when such BB. had their beginning Perhaps some will say they began with Constantine for then was the greatest alteration in the state of the Church I answere the alteration was in respect of outward peace and prosperitie wherewith God blessed his Church not in the discipline or doctrin of the Church in respect of the wealth and better maintenance of the BB. not in the substance of their calling It is euident that BB. were diocesan before they were actually Metropolitanes and Metropolitanes before they were Patriarches for of the combination of dioceses did follow Metropolitanes and vpon the consociation of prouinces were Patriarches ordayned and yet long before the Councill of Nice the Patriarches were in vse and the customes of subiecting diuerse prouinces to them are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ancient customes In the same canon it was also decreed that the priuiledges or prerogatiues of Churches meaning especially the priuiledges of being mother Churches should be reserued to them which priuiledge as I haue shewed before belonged to them euer since the Apostles times When the B. of Antioch attempted to ordaine the Metropolitane of Cyprus the BB. of Cyprus complaine to the Councill of Ephesus alledging that euer since the Apostles the Metropolitane B. of Constantia was ordained by the Synode of the prouinciall BB. whereupon the Councill not onely censured the attempt of the B. of Antioch as an innouation contrarie to the rules of the Apostles but also determineth first that no B. should haue to doe with any countrey or prouince which had not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euer from the beginning belonged to his See and secondly that euery prouince within it selfe should retayne inuiolable such rights as they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euer from the beginning according to the custome receiued of old If therefore Metropolitanes and Patriarches were in vse long before Constantines time who can doubt but diocesan BB. were much more Long since saith Cyprian in all prouinces and in all cities BB. are ordained in age ancient sound in faith tryed in affliction c. in Prouinces Metropolitanes such as himselfe was in Cities diocesans Without doubt if diocesan BB. had their beginning after the Apostles times then was it shortly after their decease But that cannot be first because as I shall proue in the next reason they were in the Apostles times secondly because as I said in the Sermon it is incredible that all the Churches would and impossible that they could agree in abolishing a gouernment receiued from the Apostles and setting vp at once in all places of the world one other vniforme gouernment by BB. without the gaine saying of any one of the godly Fathers or worthy Martyrs of Christ. Besides the succession of BB. from the Apostles times as I shall shew doth plainely proue their originall to haue beene in the Apostles times Whereunto may be added the testimony of Eusebius concerning the age succeeding the Apostles times for hauing shewed that about the twelfth yeere of Traian which was about seauen yeeres after the death of Saint Iohn Primus succeeded Cerdo in the Bishopricke of Alexandria and Alexander Euaristus in the Bishopricke of Rome he testifieth that in those times both the doctrine of Christ and his Church did flourish dayly more and more Likewise in the time of Adrian he testifieth both that the Churches shined in all places of the world like most glorious lights and the faith of Christ in all nations flourished And in the same book after he had noted the succession of the BB. of Rome Alexandria Antioch shewing how Soter succeeded Anicetus at Rome Agrippinus Celadion at Alexandria Theophilus Heros who had succeeded Cornelius and he Heron at Antioch and hauing mentioned some other famous BB. as Dionysius of Corinth and Pinytus of Candy Philippe Apollinaris Melita Musanus Modestus and Irenaeus he saith that Hegesippus flourished at the same time whose testimonie of the estate of the Church in his time he hath recorded to this effect that iourneying toward Rome in many places he had conference with the BB. all which he found to be teachers of one and the same doctrine and hauing spoken of the Epistle of Clemens to the Corinthians he giueth this testimony to the Church of Corinth in particular that it had continued in the right faith
such Archbb. as are aboue Metropolitanes were not ordayned by Christ and his Apostles as D. Bilson who also is alledged as hauing beene of the Refuters minde because he citeth Ierome in Tit. 1.1 ad Euagr. Some that there were two sorts of Elders as Iunius Some vnderstanding Ieromes words of the time when factions began not of the Apostles times but afterward as Iunius These are all his witnesses besides some with whose names onely without their testimonies he thought best to make a simple flourish Now if any one of these allegations were reduced into the forme of a Syllogisme concluding the contradictorie to my assertion viz. that some auncient Councils Histories or Fathers doe testifie that in the three hundred yeares after Christ and his Apostles the gouernement by BB. was not generally and perpetually vsed it would appeare to euery one how ridiculously our refuter argueth As for example Danaeus Musculus Iunius c. doe testifie that in the three hundred yeares after Christ and his Apostles the gouernment by BB. was not generally receiued Therefore some ancient Councils Histories or Fathers doe testifie so much Yea but you speake of sound Writers in generall will he say and so I conclude Therefore some sound Writers doe testifie so much But it is plaine say I that I meane the ancient But to his argument such as it is I answere first that if these Writers had testified that which is contayned in the antecedent yet had not they beene competent witnesses in a matter of fact fourteene or fifteene hundred yeares before their time the greatest part of them being also parties in the cause But indeede not all no nor any one of his witnesses doth testifie that in the three hundred yeares after the Apostles the gouernment of Bishops was not generally receiued but all his allegations accommodated to that conclusion are most ridiculous As for example in in the Apostles times Bishops and Presbyters were the same Therefore in the three hundred yeares after the Apostles the gouernment by Bishops was not receiued Bishops were ordayned not by Gods law c. Therefore they were not in the first three hundred yeares and so of the rest But some body will say though these testimonies be impertinent to the present purpose and I must needes confesse that your Refuter did grossely abuse his vnlearned Readers in making such a flourish with them notwithstanding some of the allegations contayne assertions contrarie to some points in your Sermon Of whom in steed of answere if I should aske this question whom hee conceiueth to be aduersaries to vs in this cause he would answere those that stand for the pretended discipline And who be those Caluin Beza Danaeus lunius Sadeel and the most of those whom the Refuter hath alledged If they be aduersaries in this cause is it to be wondred that they haue deliuered contrary assertions and if they be parties in the cause are their testimonies to be admitted Verily he might better haue alledged M. Cartwright and M. Trauers then some of those whom hee did cite being more parties in the cause then they as not onely hauing written in defence of their discipline but liuing where it is practised but that hee knew the simple Reader vvho cannot be ignorant that T. C. and W. T. are parties vvas ignorant that these outlandish Writers vvere aduersaries vnto vs in the cause to vvhose assertions seeing it is folly to oppose the authorities of learned men vvho are on our side vvhom the Refuter vvould reiect as parties I oppose the testimonies of antiquity and the reasons contayned in this booke desiring the Reader in the feare of God to giue credit without partiality to that side on which there is better euidence of truth And thus hauing turned ouer and as I suppose ouerturned more then fiue leaues vvhich hee blotted vvith these testimonies I come to his examples of vvhich hee hauing not any one betweene the Apostles times and ours therefore giueth instance in the Churches of our time and in the time of the Apostles But marke I pray you vvhat vvas my assertion vvhich hee vvould seeme to contradict Was it not this that no example of any Orthodoxall or Apostolicall Church can be produced to proue that in the three hundred yeares after Christ and his Apostles the gouernment by Bishops vvas not generally receiued No saith hee vvhat say you then to the Churches of Heluetia France lowe Countries c. in our time and to the Church of Corinth Cenchrea Ephesus and Antioch in the Apostles times Marry this I say that the Refuter is a very trifler vvho pretending to giue instance of some Church vvithin three hundred yeares after the Apostles times contrarie to my assertion thinkes to satisfie his Reader eyther vvith examples of some Churches in our age or of those in the Apostles times vvhereof this present question is not I confesse that the Churches in the Apostles times at the first had not Bishoppes excepting that of Ierusalem Notwithstanding before the death of Saint Iohn the Churches had not onely Bishops but diuers of them a succession of Bishops and such were two of those which he nameth to wit Antioch and Ephesus for at Antioch there were Bishops successiuely in the Apostles times Evodius and Ignatius And at Ephesus before the Angel to whom that Epistle is directed Apoc. 2.1 Timothie About the yeare one hundred seauenty and foure Dionysius was B. of Corinth and before him was Primus who was of the same time with Anicetus Anno one hundred fifty sixe before whom there was a succession from the Apostles time as Hegesippus recordeth As for Cenchrea that neuer had a peculiar Bishop of her owne but was subiect as other Townes and Parishes of Achaâ—a to the Bishop of Corinth As touching the Churches after the Apostles times the Refuter hath nothing to obiect but what before he hath alleadged out of Iustin Martyr and Tertullian in whom there is not a word against Bishops Iustin Martyr speaketh but of one gouernour in each Church whom he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the B. saith Beza speaking so plainely for the singularity of preheminence of one B. in each Church that T. C. who would perswade that in the seueral Churches there were more Bishops then one saith that euen in Iustines time there began to peepe out something which went from the simplicity of the Gospell as that the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was common to the Elders with the Ministers of the word was it seemeth appropriated vnto one And whereas this place of Iustine was alleadged to proue the Bishops superiority ouer the Presbyters for euen Beza confesseth hee was the President of the Presbyterie who afterwards was called a Bishop hee answereth if it should be granted that Iustines President had superioritie ouer the Ministers yet how fondly is it concluded that it is Lawfull because it was And as I
18. Matt 16.19 Iohn 20.23 Vers 19.20 In Matt 18 17. in Marc 5.22 Matth 16.19 Ioh 20.23 § Sect. 5. The assumption confuted in Math 18.17 Lib 2. part 2 pag 41. Exod 28. Numb 11. De presbyt excomm pag 103. Lib 2. part 2. pag 40. Exod 4.29 See Beza de Presbyt excomm pag 101. 2 King 6.32 Ezek 8.1 Nehem 8.2 § Sect 6. 2. Chron 19.8 10 11. Num 11.16 Ezek 8.11 Sigon li. 6. c. 7 ex Talmud Lib. 6 c 4 ex Ier 19 1 Lib 4 Antiq 8. De presbyt excom pag 104 Leuit 10 10 Cap. 11. 2. Chron. 26.17 Pag. 103.104 § Sect. 7. Shoterim See 1. Chron 234. Deut. 17.9.10 In Pentateuch in deut 17 9. Also see Deu. 19 17. SigoÌ„ de rep Hebr. lib. 6. c. 7. Antiq. lib. 9. c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synedrion fuisse 71. cui precrat Sacerdos Summus The high Priest had authoâ—itie to call or assemble the counsell till the time of Antipater Herods Father but after wards not without the Lieuetenants leaue Sigon li. 6. c. 7. Iosep. l. 20. Cal. in Mat. 18. (a) Li. 4. c. 8. (b) Li. 6. c. 7. (c) Luk. 22.66 Esa. 1.26 Ezek 44.24 Contr. Appion lib. 2. § Sect. 8. Exod. 18. Deut. 1. 16. 2. Chron. 19. De presb excom pag. 102. 5.22 de presbyt 112. Pag. 103. Mat. 10.17 23 34. Act. 22 19. Cap. 13. § Sect. 9. Cap. 18. In Mat 18.17 In Num. 11.16 Sigon lib. 6. c. 7. ex Talmud Petr. Galatin Act. 6. 7. and 22.4.5.19.20 and 24.6 16.10.11 Deut. 17.12 § Sect. 10. Act. 14.23 T. C. lib. 1.174 Tit. 1.5 act 14.23 Tit. 1.5 De relig pag. 1 68. In Act. 14.23 In Act. 14.23 Lib. 2. part 2.35 36. Lib. 4. c. 3. § 8. Caluin in Tit. 1.5 Counterpois arg 6. for Elders § Sect. 11. 5.14 Counterpois argum 5. for Lay-Elder 1. Tim. 4. 1. Thess. 5.14 1. 5.12.14 Bez. in Iam. 5. Mar. 6.13 Zanch. de relig pag. 168. § Sect. 12. Rom. 12.8 Counterpoison arg 2. for Elders Rom 12.6 See D. Bâ—lson Pag. 137 138. Lib. 4. c. 4. Sect. 8. Inst. li. 4. c. â—◠§ Sect. 4. In Rom 12.8 The countterpois Beza de presbyt excoÌ„m 113. Coll. 3.16 Heb. 3.13 In Tit. 1. sect 2. contra Rhem. § Sect. 13. 1 Cor. 12.28 Bez. de presbyt ex coÌ„m 113. T. C. lib. 2. part 2.38 Counterpois Argum 3. for Elders Vers 27. Eph. 4.11 Chrysost. 1. Cor. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts. 20.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in 1. Cor 12. 1. Cor 12.31 14.1.3 In 1. Cor. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambros in 1. Cor 12. A-Apostolos ipsi Episcopi sunt Theodoretus EccleesiaruÌ„ administrationes per haec significauit Anselm Th Aquin Dyonisius Carthus N. Lyranus in 1. Cor 12. * Ad pag 5◠§ Sect. 2. The testimonies of Ignatius answered Lib 2. part 2.45 H.I. pag 67 Protestat out of Sc. 41. Ad Trallian Ad Trall Ah Smyrn Ad Tarsens Ad Philadelp Ad Smyrn Ad Trall Ad Smyrn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Maguel The Senate of the Apostles Ad Antioch (a) Ad Philadelph (b) Ibid. § Sect. 3. (c) The testimonie of Tertulli apolog Cap. 39. (d) T. C. and after him the counter poiâ— cite this testimonie thus If there be any that hath committed such a fault that he is to be put away from the pertaking of the prayer of the Church and from all holy matters or affaires there dâ— beare rule or be presidents certaine of the most approued ancients or Elders which haue obtained this honour not by money but by good report (e) Dc câ—rona militis Lib. 1. ad vxorem De Monogamia quem librum scripsit aduersus Ecclesiam Hierom. in Catalog Pag. 649. Pag. 650. Pag. 651. Li. 2. part 2 Pag. 41. § Sect. 4. The testimonie of Cyprian answered Demonstr c. 12. H. I. pag. 67. Lib. 2. part 2.42 Cypr. lib. 4. epist. 5. Li. 1. epist. 9. Sportulantes fratres Li. 4. epist. 5. Li. 1. epist. 9. 2. Tim. 2.4 Duaren de sacr eccl minist bâ—n lib. 1. c. 18. C. de sacro cccl. l. placet c. Lib. 3. epist. 14. 15. Lib. 3. epist. 22. Clero proximos Doctorem audientium Theod. Balsam in Conc. NeÌ„ocaess c. 5. Ancyr c. 20. Niceph li. 5. c. 4. Euseb. lib. 6. c. 20. Niceph. l. 5. c. 14. Hier. adeuagrium Li. 3. epist. 1. Pag. 11. Pag. 41. Perpet gouern Chap. 11. Ad pag. 52. Lib. 4. c. ult The second point of the 5. The 3. point Pag. 53. §. 2. How the word Ecclesia is taken in the Scriptures a Act. 19.32.39.40 Psal. 22.23 26.5.12 149.1 Nehem. 5.7 in the Greeke translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 §. 3. What is to be called a Church § 4. Visible Churches not parishes only H. I. pag. 6. Of the Iewes there may so oft as there is mention of their synagogues § 5. The acceptation of the words ecclesia c. in the antient Writers The acceptations of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paroecia §. 6. Paroecia beâ—okening a Bishop's charge doth signifie a diocesse a Can. Apost 14. b Euseb. l. 3. de vit Constantini pag. 146. c Conc. Nic. c. 15. d Conc. Antioc c. 21. e Epist. synod Sardic apud Theodor. l. 2. c. 8. f Con. Sard. c. 15. g Conc. Ancyr c. â—8 Conc. Antioch c. 18. Martin Brac câ—aâ— Capiâ— synod gr c. 10. eâ— 12. h Epiph. epist. ad Ioan. Hierosol apud Hieronym t. 2. § 7. The like vse of the word in later times i Conc. Aruern tempore Pelag. c. 9. k Conc. ToletaÌ„ 3 tempore Pelag c. 3. l Lib. 7. epist. 110. m Apud BedaÌ„ in bâ—st Angl. l. 4 c. 5. can 2. .6 n Con. Arelat sub Carolo Mag c. 17. o Conc. Mogunt c. 31. p Conc. Rotho mag c. 6. q Vormâ—tienâ— c. 62. That in Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paroecia signifieth the Diocesse r Euseb. l. 6. c. 1. s L. 6. c. 8. t Lib. c. 26. u L. 6. c. 3â— Euseb li. 4. c. 15. l. 5. c. 23 The 2. signification of Paroecia betokening the city or chiefe seat of the Bishop x Can. apost 34 y In the CouÌ„cel of ChalcedoÌ„ Act. 11. the 16. 17. CanoÌ„s of the couÌ„cell of Antioch are out of the booke of the CanoÌ„s of CouÌ„cels quoted as the 96. 97. Canon which sheweth that the ancient book agreeth with the edition of Tilâ—us which reckoning the Apostles Canoâ—s by theÌ„selues alloweth 20. CanoÌ„s to the Councell of Nice 25. to that of Ancyra 15. to the Counc of Neocesaria 20. to the counc of Gangra all which arise to 80. Whereto if you adde the canons of the councill of Antioch the 16. of that councell will be the 96. the 17. the 97. z Conc. Antioch c. 9. § 9. The third
allow neither doe thinke themselues bound to allow any maintenance at all to their lay-Lay-Elders and also to perswade all those reformed Churches which haue them not and which in manie parishes are either not able or not willing to yeeld sufficient maintenāce to one learned minister to erect in euery parish besides the Pastor and the Doctor a Senate of lay-Lay-Elders with purpose to vndergoe an vnsupportable charge and to think themselues bound by the word of God to allow them all and euery of them sufficient maintenance But what one reason doth he or can he alledge to perswade this or where doth he go about to perswade it If he say according to the iudgement and practise of all Churches whatsoeuer which either haue them or haue them not that this honour of maintenance is not due vnto them why doth he not ingenuously confesse that which is ineuitably proued out of the words that lay-Lay-Elders are neither mentioned nor meant in this place If hee say as indeed that is all he doth say that my proofes are not sufficient what better proofe would hee require in such breuitie then the confession of the parties yea but they doe not confesse it First therefore I will proue their confession And secondly I will demonstrate that the double honour of maintenance though they did not confesse so much is not by the word of God due to their imagined Lay-Elders for their workes sake Their confession I proue thus What the learned reformers prescribed to be done according to Gods word as they pretended that was their Doctrine That there should be onely gouerning Elders elected out of the people or Laitie without maintenance to be yeelded to them was prescribed by the learned reformers according to the word of God as they pretended Therefore that there sho'uld be Elders elected out of the Laitie without maintenance to be yeelded to them was the Doctrine of the learned reformers The proposition needs no proofe The assumption I confirme thus That which is practised according to the lawes of Discipline in all those reformed churches where the Presbyteries be erected was prescribed by the learned reformers according to the word of God as they pretended The election of only-gouerning Elders out of the Laity without maintenance to be yelded to them is practised in all those reformed churches according to the laws of discipline Therefore the election of only gouerning-Elders out of the Laitie without maintenance to be yeelded to them was prescribed by the learned reformers according to the word of God as they pretended And consequently that lay-Lay-Elders are not to haue maintenance is both the Doctrine of the learned reformers and the practise of all those Churches reformed by them The proposition is manifest because the lawes of Discipline in those Churches were either prescribed by the learned reformers or framed according to their prescript The assumption may also be euidētly proued by induction For the lay-Lay-Elders neither in the Churches of Geneua France Low-countreys haue nor of Scotland had any maintenāce allowed thē that according to the lawes of their discipline neither can the refuter giue any one instance to the contrary It shal suffice me to make instāce in Geneua which was a patterne in this behalfe to the rest In Geneua is this order takē by their lawes whereof Caluin was the chiefe author that of the 12. only gouerning Elders ioyned to the 6. ministers 6. shuld be chosen out of the Councell of 200.4 out of the Coūcel of 60.2 out of the Councel of 25. all statesmen to this end both that they should be of great countenance and also that the Church should not be charged with allowing them any maintenāce Beza professeth that euery where in other Churches the like choyce according to the state of the place is made viz Not of the meaner or poorer sort but men of great both abilitie authoritie are chosen to be of the Presbyterie And else-where he saith that consideration must be had that Princes Noblemen and such as be of authority be chosen into the Seignorie And T.C. himselfe cōfesseth it to be the practise of the Churches in these dayes to make choice of such Elders as are able to liue without charging the church any whit Their cōfessiō I haue shewed Now let vs see what the refuter obiecteth 1. That I might haue read the contrary in Calui◠Bullinger Beza Cartwright D. Bilson and D. Sutcliffe but that it seemes I did not read on that side of the leafe And it seemes to mee that you would not haue me read on that side as yet or rather that there is no such thing to be read Else you would haue pointed if not to the leafe yet at least to the booke For my part I professe that I doe not remember that I haue read any such thing either in Caluin Beza or Bullinger but the contrary as I haue shewed in Caluin and Beza As for Bullinger you had lesse reason to alledge him seeing that you found him cited together with the other two expounding this word honour as signifying the maintenance due to ministers As touching D. Bils it is strange that you should both accuse mee for taking this reason from him and also charge him with teaching the contrary In his preface hee saith thus By no precept nor example will it euer be proued that Lay-presbyters had in the Apostles times or should haue by the word of God at any time double honour and maintenance from the Church of Christ. Wherefore they must either giue all lay-Lay-Elders double maintenance as S. Paul willeth which they doe not or shutte them cleane from these words which yeeld double maintenance by Gods Law to Presbyters that rule well And to the like purpose hee speaketh in the place by you quoted The speech of that worthy learned man who is highly to be commended for his great learning good paines and zealous affection for the maintenance of the truth whom you vilely and vngraciously abuse as you doe all others that come in your way be they neuer so worthy champions of our Church against the Papists his reproofe I say of T. C. for requiring maintenance as due to the lay-Lay-Elders I haue not seene to my remembrance But this I remember well that I haue read in his treatise of Ecclesiasticall discipline that the Elders whereof the Apostles speake receiued wages of the Church But saith he the new Aldermen in all Churches where they raigne liue vpon interest of their owne money or goods and receiue no salarie of the Churches Neither had he indeed any great reason in my iudgement to blame T. C. that I may also come to him as opposing his iudgement to the practise of the reformed Churches For although he seeme to say that by the Apostles rule such Elders as be poore ought to be relieued at the Churches charge yet it doth not seeme to be his iudgement that he
would haue lay-Lay-Elders maintained at the Churches charge But this is one of his colours whereby he would perswade that the Eldership should rather now be admitted then in the Apostles times Because if the Apostle would charge the Churches being in persecution and therefore poore with maintaining Elders which being poore were not sometimes able to liue without some reliefe from the Church c how much more ought there now to be Seniors when the Churches be in peace and therefore not so poore and when there may be chosen such for the most part throughout the realme as are able to liue without charging the Church any whit as the practise of these daies doth manifestly declare For if it had beene his iudgement that lay-Lay-Elders are to be maintained otherwise then for need he would haue argued thus If by the Apostles rule the Elders were to be maintained for their workes sake by the Churches being poore and in pâ—rsecution then much more are they to be maintained when the Churches be in peace and profpâ—ritie and so would haue assumed the antecedent to conclude the consequent But seeing he doth tollere consequens contradict the consequent saying that when the Churches are in peace and prosperitie such a course may and ought to be taken for that may seeme to be his meaning according to the example of all the reformed Churches that the Church shall not be charged at all with the maintenance of the Seniors that is to say by choosing men of abilitie who need no reliefe it is easie to conclude tollendo antecedens that his iudgement was that this rule of the Apostle notwithstanding lay-Lay-Elders were not to haue maintenance for their workes sake but reliefe onely if they did need Of the same iudgement is the demonstratour of discipline for it being obiected that the parishes would be ouerburdened in prouiding for so many he answereth it is not necessarie that they should prouide for any more of them sauing those that are exercised in the ministerie of the word vnlesse any of the rest may need the liberalitie of the Church But suppose that this were T. C. iudgement or the opinion of any other among vs who hath conceiued a platonicall Idea of discipline which he neuer saw practised were this sufficient to disproue my assertion who haue the confession of the learned reformers in respect of their doctrine and of the reformed Churches in respect of their practise Or if this were a sufficient exception against the consent of those which stand for discipline that some one doth hold a singular opinion by himselfe then can their consent be scarcely alledged for any one affirmatiue point of discipline euery man almost pleasing himselfe in the noueltie of his inuention and in the singularitie of his opinion For plentifull proofe whereof I referre you to the suruey of the pretended discipline § 5. His second obiection is that although in practise reformed Churches doe not giue their lay-Lay-Elders any maintenance yet this doth not hinder but that in their iudgement they may according to the Apostles rule esteeme them worthy of it Can we doubt saith he but our Clergie maisters thinke M. D. worthy of a Bishoppricke for his paines in pleading their cause yet we see they bestowe not so much as a suffraganeship on him Shall we therefore say they doe not thinke him to deserue it What a profane mockerie is this to expound the Apostles words as though hee would haue the people thinke they had discharged their dutie in esteeming onely their Ministers worthy of double honour when in fact they doe not yeeld them sufficient maintenance If he were in the ministerie as I know not whether he be or not and the people should answere him thus Syr though we allow you no maintenance as you desire yet let this content you that according to the Apostles rule we count you worthy of double honour would he not thinke S. Paul abused himselfe deluded yea and Christ his Lord and maister in him to be mocked Be not deceiued saith the Apostle speaking in this cause God is not mocked That which I say of Ministers is in like manner to be vnderstood of Lay-Elders if they be included in this text The words of the Apostle are generall the Presbyters that rule well let them be counted worthy of double honour Wherefore let them either acknowledge that the Lay-Elders are not meant in this place or else teach the people before they admit Lay-Elders to thinke themselues bound by the Apostles rule to yeeld them double honour that is saith T. C. a plentifull reward such as may be fully sufficieÌ„t for them and their housholds and to yeeld it willingly gratefully For that is the Apostles meaning when he requireth the Presbyters to be accounted worthy of double honour not onely that this honour of maintenance should be giuen them as appeareth by the reasons which he hath annexed but that the people should giue it not grudgingly and as it were by constraint of law as thinking the Ministers not worthy of maintenance but willingly and gratefully as esteeming them most worthy of double honour and thinking it a small matter to giue temporall things to them of whom they receive spirituall Neither is it to any purpose which he obiecteth concerning either Pauls refusing of maintenance from the Corinthians and Thessalonains or of wealthy Ministers refusing to burden the Churches by taking maintenance from them vnlesse he can proue that order being taken in those Churches for the maintenance of their Elders which they may readily receiue if they will themselues doe voluntarily and freely refuse it For if those Elders be comprised vnder Presbyters in this text there must the like order be taken for maintenance of all by the Apostles rule though the painefull Preachers are chiefely to be respected But the contrarie course is taken Neither is there not hauing of maintenance to be ascribed to their owne refusing as in the example of Paul and the wealthy Ministers but to the Churches not allowing them maintenance To the like purpose is that which he saith that I need not insult ouer those reformed Churches which with consent of the Elders themselues thinke it best to ease the people of that charge seeing the paines to be taken in the office of the Eldership is not such but that they may attend their ciuill callings and meanes of liuing as well as our Churchwardens and ciuill officers In which words first he wrongfully chargeth me with insulting ouer those Churches Secondly he confuteth himselfe who hauing before denied them to be lay-Lay-Elders here confesseth they haue ciuill callings which they may attend vpon as well as our Churchwardens Thirdly where hee speaketh of the Elders consent in not taking maintenance it is the consent of obedience to the lawes and orders of the Church such as is in our Churchwardens who by the like consent haue no maintenance But to leaue his words
and to come to the substance of his speech seeing their paines are not such but that they may follow their ciuill callings and worldly busines and seeing they haue ciuill callings to attend vpon and other sufficient meanes of liuelihood being in all these respects like if not superiour to our Churchwardens it may not be thought that the Apostle who was desirous the Churches should be eased as much as might be would require them to giue double honour to such as neither deserued nor needed such maintenance And therfore he did not comprise them vnder the name of Presbyters which indeed signifieth Priests or Ministers or if he did no Church must thinke it selfe to haue authoritie to dispense with the Apostle but must acknowledge it selfe bound if it vnderstand lay-Lay-Elders to be comprised in this text willingly and gratefully to giue double that is sufficient and plentifull maintenance to them esteeming them worthy of it for their worke sake The onely thing which is obiected by the learned of that side is that which I mention in the Sermon that their Lay-Elders if they stand in need are to be maintained Whereunto I now adde that some of them so vnderstand the Apostle and I answere that if hee be so vnderstood in respect of Lay-Elders he must in like manner be vnderstood of Ministers his speech being generall and fauouring the Ministers no more then thus that as all Elders are to be maintained if they need so especially Preachers whom notwithstanding the Apostle would haue according to equitie and iustice maintained with an honourable stipend for their worke sake and not onely by way of almes to be relieued for their need But here the refuter behaueth himselfe as one that is at a nonplus for reason and at an ouerplus for rancour his words added to the last I cited be these But to proue it he propoundeth out of the surueyour of discipline cap. 10. an obiection and then answereth it The summe whereof is this that the maintenance allowed them is rather a beggarly almes giuen in charitie for need then that honourable stipend which iniustice is due to them for their worke sake But to proue it saith he what would I proue the refuter is confounâ—ed he knoweth not well what he saith He propoundeth saith he an obiection out of the surueyour Sure his eyes dazeled and his witts were to seeke In the suruey is not so much as a shew of any such obiection neither is it alledged to any other end but to proue that whereunto the letter in the margent directed him that is that they make choise of such as haue no need But what is it the summe whereof is this that the maintenance allowed them is rather a beggerly almes c. Is this the summe of the obiection that is senselesse and yet he seemes to say so What then is it the summe of the answere or of both no man that were not at a losse would say it I professe I haue not often read a speech more senselesse To helpe him out of the maze and to make him confesse that hee was at a nonplus I will explaine my words For whereas some obiect said I c My meaning was this the onely thing which is obiected to disproue my assumption that to the Lay-Elders the honour of maintenance is not due for their worke sake is this that Lay-Elders if they stand in need are to be maintained Which obiection hath beene made personally to me I will not say by the refuter though some thinke so for I take that obiector to be an honester man and that which is obiected is that conceit not onely of T. C. the maister and the demonstrator his scholler but of Danaeus also writing on that place To this obiection of their need I answered first that it is needlesse as the refuter also in the words following doth censure it as being preuented by all those reformed Churches where the Presbyters be erected in which order is taken that none shall be chosen into the seigniorie but such as be of good abilitie To which purpose I cited the tenth chapter of the Suruey the argument wherof is this Their Aldermen must be according to their owne positions men of good calling and among other things in that chapter are cited the lawes of Geneua requiring that all their twelue Lay-Elders should be men of state c as I said before Secondly I answered if they chance to haue need which is a case that happeneth as seldome at the least to them as to our Church-wardens and if they be relieued as our Church-wardens also should in the like case that then the maintenance which is allowed is for their need and not for their worke sake But the Apostle saith the Presbyters are worthy of double honour and the workeman is worthy of his stipend c. As if I had said the reliefe which is giuen to Lay-Elders for their need if euer that doe happen doth not disproue my assumption nor proue that they are included in this text For The maintenance which the Apostle requireth to be giuen to Presbyters is not a beggarly almes that is a poore mans reliefe giuen by way of almes bestowed onely in charitie to supply their need but an honourable stipend Paul calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Sauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in iustice due to the Presbyters for their worke sake But the reliefe which they require to be giuen to their Lay-Elders is a beggarly almes that is a poore mans reliefe giuen by way of almes and bestowed onely in charitie to supply their need and not an honourable stipend called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c in iustice due for their worke sake Therefore the reliefe which they require to be giuen to their Lay-Elders is not that maintenance which the Apostle requireth to be giuen to Presbyters Now let vs heare what the refuter addeth to his former words But saith he as the obiection is needlesse so his answere is insufficient here now he speaketh with reason though without truth The obiection is made by the chiefe of his side and is the best though needlesse if not the onely obiection they haue My answere is such as you haue heard that is to say such an answere as whensoeuer he medleth with it will bring him to a nonplus againe but because I said he speaketh with reason let vs heare his reason For saith he albeit their necessitie occasioneth their maintenance by common allowance yet is it for their worke sake that they are maintained to which I reply if it were a maintenance in iustice due for their worke sake and not a reliefe giuen onely in charitie by way of almes for their need that then it ought in iustice to be giuen to them whether they be in need or not For the workeman is worthy of his stipend for his worke sake and willingly it
Ministers and Lay-Elders then it doth necessarily follow that as the Ministers haue the care and ouersight of doctrine and religion so the Lay-Elders haue the ouersight of manners and care of auoiding offences But the Antecedent is true 1. Tim. 5.17 Therefore the consequent To the assumption of the former Syllogisme I answere that Lay-Elders are no where 's said in the Scriptures to be Presbyters or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gouerne or ouersee but all those places which be alleadged to this purpose are to bee vnderstood of Ministers onely Besides the same Author hath confessed that Lay Elders are not Byshops neither will he say that they be Pastors But the places which he quoteth are to be vnderstood of Bishops Pastors Of Act. 20.28 1. Pet. 5. I haue already spoken as also of 1. Thess. 5.12 Why Heb. 13.17 should be applpyed to Lay-Elders there is no reason vnlesse whatsoeuer is spoken of Spirituall gouernors is to be vnderstood of them The Writers both olde and new expound it of Bishops and Pastors The assumption also of the second syllogisme is vntrue neither hath it any thing to support it but their owne exposition of 1. Tim. 5.17 which I haue proued to be false Neither is that true which is presupposed in both syllogismes that there must be two sorts of Elders answerable to the two parts of ouersight For both the parts of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ouersight belong to those which be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ouerseers that is Bishops and Pastors whose dutie is both to teach and to gouerne Their third Argument is taken from the practise of the primitiue Church next succeeding the Apostles Which of all their Arguments is most friuolous there being not anie testimonie of any writer or example of any Church to bee alledged that euer there was such an office in the Church But howsoeuer these duties to be performed by the Elders seuerally might be borne with so they were not obtruded as the ordinances of Christ yet the ioynt office of their Lay presbyteryes is intollerable For what reason can they alledge for their intruding into the sacred office of Bishops and Pastors vsurping the keyes of the kingdome of heauen which our Sauiour Christ committed to none but to the Apostles and their successors That Lay-men should haue authoritie and that by the ordinance of Christ to ordaine Ministers by imposition of hands to remit or retaine sinnes to excommunicate the obstinate or to reconcile the penitent is an opinion too absurde to be confuted Thus therefore I reason according to their owne principles No office in the Church is lawfull as themselues say which hath not expresse warrant in the scriptures which is all one as if they had said All lawfull offices in the church haue expresse warrant in Gods word The office of the lay-Lay-Elders seuerally and of their Elderships yearely hath not expresse warrant in Gods word Therfore it is vnlawfull To their office wee will ioyne the consideration of their qualities for surely if the holy Ghost had prescribed in the scriptures an office of such importance it is to bee thought that he would also haue described what manner of men were to be chosen to it and how qualified for the performance of an office of so high a nature And although he omitted their qualities in other places yet mee thinks if it be a function that is in dignitie vnder the Minister but aboue the Deacon the Apostle could not haue forgotten them in 1. Tim. 3 where he describeth the qualities not only of Bishops and Ministers which be aboue them but of the Deacons also which are beneath them directing Timo 〈◊〉 and in him all Bishops what manner of persons to orâ—aâ—â— Ministers or Deacons Forgotten say they why are they not plainly expressed in that place Yes no doubt for that is agreed vpon among vs For some will needs comprise them vnder the Bishop or Minister and feare not to â—ay that they also must be suâ— modo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is able 〈◊〉 preach after their fashion Others acknowledge that they are neuer comprehended vnder the name Bishop and that it is necessarily required of Ministers alone to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able to preach especially in that sense that the Apostle meaneth as appeareth by comparing that place with Tit 1.9 yet resolued to finde a roome for them in that place and not to suffer them to be excluded are faine to sâ—rowâ—e them vnder the name of Deacons though the name of Deacon neither in scriptures nor Fathers was euer attributed to them How they will compound these contrarieties I know not For if they be comprised vnder the name Bishop then are they not to be shrowded vnder Deacons and if they be contained vnder Deacons then are they not comprised vnder Bishops It shall 〈◊〉 me to alledge that forsomuch as the Eldership is in their conceit a different office both from the Minister and Deacon that it is comprehended in neither For who cannot conceiue this reason None but Bishops Ministers and Deacons are described in that place Bishops and Ministers in the former description and Deacons in the latter But Lay-elders are neither Bishops or Ministers nor Deacons but an imagined office distinct from both Therefore they are not described in that place The refuâ—â—â— hath solemnely proclaimed before and required all men to take notice of it that their Elders ought to be men religious of great grauitie and pietie and of good yeares also if it may be as the name importeth called with due examination chosen with consent of the congregation ouer which they are set with prayer and imposition of hands put a part to that Ecclesiasticall office All which I will not denie to haue beene politickely deuised so it may be acknowledged an humane deuise and not a diuine ordinance But why are not the margents filled with scriptures for the proofe of these things The truth is there is not one testimonie of scripture to be alledged prescribing the office or describing the qualities of Lay-Elders But perhaps there may be mention sufficient of them in the scriptures to warrant their calling though neither their office nor their qualities be described in the word of God Nor that neither as shall appeare when I come to answere the refuters allegations for them In the meane time I will not doubt to renew my former challenge if they can produce any one pregnant testimonie out of the scriptures whereby it may necessarily be concluded that either there were at any time or ought to be at all times in the Church of Christ such Elders and Elderships as they speake of that then I will yeeld to them in the whole controuersie betwixt vs. But vntill such proofe be produced for them which will neuer be they shall giue me leaue to esteeme their doctrine of Lay-Elders to be as it is a meere fiction how vehemently soeuer it be vrged and obtruded
that there were no other but parish Bishops In the meane time let the Reader hold this for a certaine and vndeniable truth that there were no Presbyteries of Ministers but onely in cities and Cathedrall Churches but hereof I shall haue occasion to speake in the second booke As touching the second conclusion it followeth thus the parish pastor had either a Presbyterie to assist him or he was subiect to superiors as namely the Diocesan and prouinciall Bishops to ouerrule him or else he ruled like a Pope for a fourth thing cannot be named before there were Christian Magistrates But it is absurd to imagine that in the primitiue Church they had an absolute popeling who neither had assistants nor superiors for that were to ascribe not onely supreme but also sole power to them and it is as false that in seuerall parishes there was a Presbyterie to assist him therefore it remaineth that the parish Bishops were subiect to the authoritie of the Diocesan and prouinciall Bishops To the proposition he answereth two wâ—ies first by retortion that what I say of the parish Bishop his ruling as a Pope may with more probabilitie be spoken of a Diocesan Bishop which I haue answered before For this is the second place where he laboureth out of my wordâ— to proue our Diocesan Bishops to be popes vsing this insultation in the margent Sic tu beas amiâ—os But though their parish Bishops whom they make the supreme Ecclesiasticall officers would be absolute popelings if presbyteries were not adioyned to them because they should haue not onely Supreame but also sole authoritie yet it followeth not that our Bishops to whom neither supreme nor sole authoritie belongeth should he esteemed such Secondly he denieth the disfunction alleaging that a fourth thing might be added concerning the chiefe authoritie of the people Which if it be added in the proposition is with the rest to be denied in the assumption For this brownisticall or rather Anabaptisticall conceit for some of the Brownists disclaime it that the Bishops in the primitiue Church were subiected to the people as if the state of the Church had beene Democraticall or popular is a dotage that was neuer dreamed of till of late and therefore as it is most confidently to be denied so it needed not to be inserted in the proposition CHAP. IX Answering the testimonies which by the refuter are alleaged to proue Lay-Elders BVt now had I need to call for armour of defence For hitherto saith the refuter we haue warded the blowes that M. D. gaue to beat downe the Lay-presbyterie now let vs shew that we also can strike if need be The Reader that hath found the refuter so strict in exacting Syllogismes of me euen when I performe the part of an answerer cannot but expect most formall and accurate Syllogismes at his hands But he shall finde that to be true which I foretold him not long since that this great Champion not daring to vrge his testimonies or to reduce his proofes into Syllogismes according to the poore pollicie of them all holdeth out certaine testimonies as it were Pallas shield thinking with the bare quotation of them though he cite them not to put vs to silence And to this purpose like a notorious Mountebanke setting himselfe to delude the simple he commendeth his witnesses euen Christ himselfe his Apostles and Euangelists with swelling titles when their testimonies themselues are not so much as cited as though he thought it more needfull to winne credit to his witnesses then to proue â—hat they testifie that for which he would seeme to alleage them But you shall heare Pyrgopolinices himselfe For the scriptures we haue among others these mightie ones to wage battell for vs. First the great Emperour of the Christian armie our Sauiour Christ himselfe Mat. 18.17 Next a great worthy Luke the Euangelist Act. 14.23 Adde to these Iames the Apostle one of the Pillars of the Church Iam. 5.14 and that famous Generall of the gentiles the Apostle Paul Rom. 12 8.1 Cor. 12.28 These are most worthy witnesses indeed and without exception If any one of these giue testimonie to your lay-Lay-Elders we will most willingly yeeld But I pray you let vs heare their words It shall not need if you will not belieue vs that they giue testi-monie to Lay-Elders yet belieue other diuines who say they doe Are they witnesses what they said only or what by the holy Ghost is committed to writing If the latter why be not their owne testimonies produced but other witnesses must be deposed that they said so when it appeareth vpon most authenticall record whether they said so or not Let vs therefore heare the words themselues The first is Matt. 18.17 Where our Sauiour Christ saith dic Ecclesiae tell the Church or assembly What then therefore there ought to be lay-Lay-Elders in euery congregation See you not by this time what a striker this is first there may be question whether Ecclesia signifie the whole congregation of the people or an assembly of iudges or gouernours if the former sense be followed there is no shew for Lay-Elders If the latter which is the more likely question againe may be made whether Christ speake of the Synedrion of the Iewes as Caluin and some others suppose or of Christian gouernours if of the Synedrion which was a ciuill senate and indeed the high counsell of estate in the policie of the Iewes what doth that make for Ecclesiasticall Elders in the Church of Christ and that in euery parish If of christian gouernours as the Fathers expound it what sense is there to vnderstand the words of lay-Lay-Elders vnlesse it can otherwise be proued either that Christ had alreadie ordained them or that afterwards they were in vse in the Church of Christ. But the former is absurd and for the latter they haue not so much as a faire shew being disarmed of the two places which I haue vindicated out of their hands viz 1. Tim. 5.17 and Ambrose in 1. Tim. 5.1 Nay further I adde that if it could be proued as it neuer will that euer there were Lay-Elders in the Church before this our age yet they should but argue from the Genus to the Species affirmatiuely tell the gouernours ergo lay-Lay-Elders wherefore this is a very seely argument Yea but other diuines say that Christ spake of Lay-Elders What others say it is not greatly materiall in this kind so long as we plainely see there is no necessitie nor probabilitie so to vnderstand him But who are they that say so Chrysostome Theophylact Erasmus Caluin Beza Piscator vpon the place it selfe c. For the three first because they are no parties I can be content to examine their testimonies All that Chrysostome saith of those words is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tell the Church that is Prelates and gouernours and on those words whatsoeuer you shall bind on earth c nec dicit saith he Ecclesiae presuli neither did he
were but a simple argument but if thus it is a Bird therefore a blacke Swanne it were too ridiculous Such are the arguments of this disputer for if he should say the holy Ghost speaketh in three of these places of gouernours therefore of Presbyters it were a weake argument but when he inferreth therefore Lay-presbyters who were more rare then blacke Swannes it is very ridiculous If the worst argument in my Sermon euen when he made the worst of it had concluded no better then the best of these he would neuer haue done insulting and triumphing But I cannot blame him they be the best proofes his cause can afford they are the testimonies which the principall patrones of the Presbyterie doe vse to alledge But you will say this is a strange kind of arguing to proceed from men who allow no office in the Church but what hath expresse and direct warrant in the scriptures this is the meaning of the scriptures because some new diuines doe thinke so We are wont to hold that scripture is to be expouÌ„ded by scripture as by conference of other paralell scriptures or by inference out of the context it selfe diduced by some artificiall argument or if these faile especially in such places as concerne matters of storie or fact as for example whether there were any Lay-Elders in the primitiue Church we fly to the expositions of the Fathers testimonie of antiquitie But what would you haue a man doe these proofes and testimonies fayling the best glosse they can set vpon their cause and the fairest excuse for themselues is that some other new writers in matters of substance for the most part Orthodoxall haue beene partly of their minde and yet if we consider that two or three principall men hauing vpon necessitie deuised the Presbyterie to supply the roome of the Bishop before eiected and afterwards being growne into liking with their owne deuise because a few places of the scriptures and Fathers especially 1. Tim. 5.17 and Ambrose in 1. Tim. 5.1 seemed to fauour the same commended it to others as warranted by scriptures and Fathers others taking it vpon their word without sufficient tryall haue yeelded their consent and by their writings commended the same to posteritie I say if these things be considered we haue no great reason much to esteeme the testimonies either of the principall Authors or of the pedarie fautors of the Presbyterian discipline being all parties in the cause But now if I should proue vnto you that as this disputer abused the names of so many of the Fathers as he hath named so also hath wronged some of the new writers assuredly if he be not as shamelesse as he is namelesse his face which now he hideth he will neuer dare to shew For first where he produceth D. Whitakers as a witnesse that Christ when he said tell the Church meant lay-Lay-Elders it is euident to any that readeth him that by Ecclesia in that place he vnderstandeth the Church represented in a Councell whether prouinciall which he sheweth to be aboue a Bishop or generall which he proueth to be aboue the Pope For if a Bishop or the Pope should offend the course which our Sauiour prescribeth to Peter himselfe and the rest of his Apostles should be taken First by priuate admonition Secondly before two or three witnesses and thirdly if these faile by telling the Church For the second place he alleageth D. Fulke who doth not once mention lay-Lay-Elders nor meane them in that place But our translation being accused by the Rhemists for that where we should say Priests we say Elders D. Fulke doth not deny but that Priests or Ministers are there meant by Elders whom he could be content should be called Priests as Priests is the English of Presbyters and wisheth that the sacrificers of the law had neuer beene called by that name but that it had beene reserued if I vnderstand him to signifie the Ministers of the Gospell There is no question therefore betweene them whether Lay-Elders be there meant but whether the Ministers who are there meant by the name Presbyteri whom the Papists would haue translated Priests may not also be called Elders Aretius though he holdeth the distinction of Elders and so is a partie in the cause notwithstanding by Presbyters Act. 14 23. he vnderstandeth Ministers onely Ministrâ—s ordinat per singulas Ecclesias expende hic quid sint Presbyteri nimirum ministri certis Ecclesiis deputati vnde duplex fuit primitiuae Ecclesiae genus Presbyterorum vnum quod Ecclesiae praer at docendo quales isti hic sunt c. For the third he abuseth againe the testimonie of D. Fulke who as in the former place by Presbyteros vnderstandeth Priests or Ministers And as the Rhemists blamed after the same manner our translation for saying Elders and not Priests he answereth as before And whereas they obiect that our Elders be not such as the Apostle Iames requireth to be sent for as being not deputed specially to publike praying or administration of the Sacraments he answereth that although in some Churches there be some Elders appointed only to gouerne yet is there no Church in which there be no Elders appointed specially to publicke prayers and administration of Sacraments But admitting that the Ministers of our Church be such as the Apostle speaketh of you demaund why we translate them not Ministers I answere saith he because the word signifieth Elders not Ministers yet we contend not for the terme nor refuse the name Priest when it signifieth the same whom the Apostle calleth Presbyterum but when by abuse of Papists it is taken to signifie a sacrificer In the second and fift he quoteth D. Nâ—well who indeed speaketh of certaine Seniors which with the Pastor that is the Bishop were to exercise the discipline of the Church but whether they were chosen out of the Clergie or laitie he sheweth not by the places which he quoteth for the proofe of them diuerse whereof euen in the iudgement of Caluin are to be vnderstood of Ministers he may seeme to meane Seniors of the Clergie In the fourth and fifth he abuseth the testimonie of Th. Morton not the learned and iudicious Deane of Winchester but another old acquaintance of mine who in Rom. 12.8 1. Cor. 12.28 by gouernours vnderstandeth those who haue the gouernement of the Church These may suffice for a taste of his good dealing with new writers especially our owne countrey men the rest let examine them who either haue the bookes or thinke it worth their paines CHAP. X. Containing an answere to the same testimonies and some other proofes as they are vrged by other disciplinarians THus much might suffice to haue answered his allegations out of the scriptures were it not that some perhaps will imagine that these places might be better vrged For their satisfaction therefore I will take vpon me briefly yet fully to answere these and some other of
place which he should choose either ordained by Moses or restored by Iosaphat or renewed by the Iewes after their captiuitie Wherefore our disciplinarians might as well desire to haue a parliament or high counsell of state in euery parish as such a consistorie as this was To conclude this place Though it were true that the Iewes had an Ecclesiasticall Senate consisting of Priests and Elders of the people yet it cannot be proued that in this place of Mathew Christ alluded to it and much lesse that he ordained the like in his Church But now I haue shewed that the Iewes had no such Ecclesiasticall senate and therefore out of this place nothing can with any shew of probabilitie be concluded for lay-Lay-Elders The second testimonie T. C. vrgeth thus Diuerse Ministers were not ordained in euery congregation Diuerse Elders were ordained in euery congregation therefore there were Elders which were not Ministers The proposition he proueth because it was not like that they had diuerse Ministers for such a number of congregations as were then to be preached vnto I distinguish of the word congregation which T. C. vseth ambiguously for in the assumption it signifieth the Church of a whole citie in which sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one and so it is true that diuerse Presbyters were placed in euery Church In the proposition as appeareth by the prosyllogisme it signifieth euery particular congregation which T. C. seemeth to acknowledge to haue beene diuerse in euery citie or Church contrarie to our refuter as we shall heare in the second booke And in this sense it may be true that not euery congregation had diuerse Presbyters as with vs euery citie or Church hath diuerse Presbyters yet euery congregation hath not I say then what Paul required Titus to doe in Creet the same he and Barnabas performed in these countries that is they ordained Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in euery citie or Church which Presbyters were also such as the Apostle Tit. 1. calleth Bishops and requireth in them abilitie to preach And although in euery citie or Church there were diuerse of them yet not diuerse for euery meeting There is no necessitie therefore nor yet probabilitie that by Presbyters in this place we should vnderstand any but Ministers contrarie to the perpetuall vse of the word Neither can any interpreter be alleaged old or new that is not a partie which doth vnderstand the word of Lay-Elders Zanchius though a fauourer of the Presbyterie reckoneth this place among those wherin Ministers of the word are called Presbyters Aretius though he acknowledgeth the distinction of Presbyters into two sorts yet he confesseth this place is as you heard before to be vnderstood of Ministers Caluin himselfe the principall Patrone of the Eldership vnderstandeth by Presbyters in this place Ministers and Preachers Prebyteros his vocari intâ—rpretor quibus iniunctum erat docendi munus Presbyters here I interprete those to be called to whom the office of teaching was enioyned Yea but saith T. C. though Caluin say Ministers here be called Presbyters yet he doth not say that they onely yea he must be vnderstood as implying Lay-Elders vnder Presbyters seeing he auoucheth the place of Titus which to vs seemeth all one with Act. 14 for the establishment of these Elders and quoteth instit lib. 4. c. 3. s. 8. where he writeth thus Whereas I called those who gouerne the Churches indifferently Bishops Presbyters Pastors Ministers I did according to the vse of the scripture which confoundeth these words for whosoeuer exercise the ministerie of the word it giueth the title of Bishops to them So where Paul commandeth Titus to ordaine Presbyters in euery citie he straightwaies addeth for a Bishop must be vnreproueable Tit. 1.5.7 so Phil. 1.1 Act. 20.17.28 here now it is to be obserued that hitherto we haue reckoned those officers onely which consist in the ministerie of the word You see then how Caluin in his institutions vrged this place in the Epistle to Titus for Lay-Elders Wil you also heare his iudgment in his coÌ„mentarie vpon the place although we gather saith he out of the 1. Tim 5 that there were two sorts of Presbyters yet the context here will straightwaies shew that no other then Doctors are here vnderstood that is who were ordained to teach becà use by and by he will call them Bishops But for all this T.C. seeth not why it may not be referred to Elders meaning Lay-Elders as well as too BB meaning Ministers But say I you must see that Lay-Elders not onely may but must necessarily be vnderstood in this place or else it is absurdly alleaged by you to proue them Yes he and the Author of the counter poison will proue that they are meant here for the word Elders is set downe generally signifying as well Lay-Elders as Ministers therefore Paul and Barnabas ordained Lay-Elders as well as Ministers To the consequence I first answere that if Elders were a generall name comprising more sorts then one and if Luke had said that they ordained all sorts of Elders this consequence would haue held for from the Genus vniuersally taken we may affirmatiuely conclude the speciall sorts But Luke not speaking so it is sufficient for the truth of the historie if they ordained any sort of Elders Now it is confessed of all that they ordained Ministers therefore though Elders were the Genus yet this were a very weake argument Yea but saith T.C. S. Luke there setteth forth how they set a full order in the Church and his purpose was saith another to declare how the Apostles brought the Churches to a perfect and full order of Church gouernement Whereunto I answere first that the Church might haue a perfect and full order of gouernement without them And secondly that Lukes meaning was not to signifie that they brought those Churches to a full and perfect order of gouernement at their first conuersion which was not to be expected but that now they began to establish Churches placing among them Presbyters or Ministers as being necessarie for the very being of visible Churches without mention I say not of Bishops who notwithstanding were added before they were brought to the full and perfect order of gouernemeÌ„t but euen of Deacons The consequence therefore were naught though the antecedent were true that is though Presbyter were the Genus or generall word signifying as well Lay-Elders as Ministers for it were onely an argument from the Genus to the Species affirmatiuely But the antecedent I haue before proued to be most false there being not any testimonie to be produced out of scriptures Counsels Fathers or histories of the Church where Presbyter signifieth an Ecclesiasticall function in the Church of Christ doth signifie any other but a Minister of the word And therefore it is absurd to imagine that Luke Act. 14. doth by Presbyters meane any other then Ministers
The third testimonie I find not vrged any where but in the counterpoison Where it is said that Iames willing them when they be weake to send for the Elders of the Church thereby plainely declareth that the Church ought not onely to haue a pastor and a doctor whose chiefe attendance must be on reading exhortation and doctrine but also many who ought alwaies to be readie at an instant calling of diuerse and many at once that none in that necessarie worke be neglected It followeth thereby that besides them there ought to be such other Elders as may admonish the vnruly comfort the weake minded and be patient towards all If all this were granted as it is propounded it would not follow thereupon that therefore there should be any Lay-Elders but many Ministers in euery Church for such were those in the place cited and it is the duetie of those whom Iames would haue sent for to attend vnto reading doctrine and exhortation But his meaning no doubt was this There ought to be many Elders in euery Church therefore some lay-Lay-Elders The consequence he taketh for granted the antecedent he proueth thus There were many Elders in euery Church in S. Iames time therefore there ought to be many now For answere to his antecedent and proofe thereof we are to distinguish of the word Church For if thereby he meane the Church of a whole citie and countrey adioyning there were and are many Presbyters in euery Church but if thereby he meane euery seuerall congregation meeting or assembly of Christians there neither are nor were many Presbyters appointed to euery such Church In S. Iames time though in each Church there were diuerse assemblies of Christians meeting as they could yet were not parishes distinguished nor Presbyters seuerally and certainely allotted to them but to the Church of a whole citie and countrey adioyning there was one Bishop and many Presbyters prouided But when parishes were distinguished to each of them seuerally a Presbyter was assigned out of the Clergy or Presbyterie of the citie the residue of the Presbyters remaining with the Bishop who as before the diuision of parishes retained still the charge of the whole Diocesse as I will God willing shew in the next booke Wherefore though in S. Iames time before the diuision of parishes there were in euery Church that is Diocesse many Presbyters yet it doth not follow that therefore in euery parish there should be diuerse Presbyters But his consequence is especially to be insisted vpon for though there were in each Church many Presbyters as at Ephesus Act. 20. and at Ierusalem where Iames himselfe was Bishop Act. 15. 21. of which number Iames would haue the weake to send for some yet in that number there was not one who was not a Minister Neither can any sound reason be alleaged why we should conceiue these Presbyters of whom Iames speaketh to haue beene any other then Ministers First the title which is giuen them viz Presbyters of the Church as Act. 20.17 is peculiar to Ministers not one instance to be giuen to the contrarie Secondly the function for the performance wherof they were to visit the sicke chiefely if not onely pertaining to Ministers and that was not onely to pray ouer the partie and that as it seemeth by the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with imposition of hands but also to annoint him with the oile in the name of the Lord that by the oile as an outward though temporarie Sacrament annexed to the temporarie gift of healing granted for a time not onely to the Apostles but also to their successors in the ministerie of the word the sicke might be restored to health and by prayer ioyned with imposition of hands the sinnes of the partie might be remitted and so the cause of the sicknes be remoued Wherefore I make no question but the speach of Saint Iames is to be vnderstoode according to the perpetuall vse of the word the generall interpretation of all writers both old and new excepting not all that be parties in the cause and the generall and continuall practise of the Church expounding him as if he had said let him call for the Ministers c. The fourth testimonie is thus vrged If the Apostle setting downe the ordinary members of Christ his Church which differ in their proper action doe set downe the Elder to be ouer the people with diligence and not to be occupied in the ministerie of the word either by exhortation or doctrine but to admonish them and rule them then the onely-gouerning Elders were ordained by the Apostles but the first say they is manifest Rom. 12.6.7.8 therefore the second But the first say I is so farre from being manifest that it cannot so much as obscurely be gathered out of the text It is true the Apostle speaketh of the members of the body of Christ and of the diuerse gifts bestowed vpon them which the Apostle exhorteth euery one knowing his proportion or measure in all humilitie and modestie to imploy to the common good of the whole body But you must vnderstand First that the members of Christ are not onely officers in the state Ecclesiasticall but all Christians whatsoeuer as well in the body politicke as Ecclesiasticke whether publicke or priuate Secondly that the Apostle doth not speake of distinct offices which are not coincident to the same persons but of the diuerse gifts and graces of Gods spirit for so he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c hauing diuerse gifts according to the grace which is giuen vnto vs of which all or most may concurre in the same subiect As for example a good and faithfull Minister hath as a Minister First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of expounding the scriptures and of prayer Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a function to Minister and serue God in the edification of the church Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of Teaching 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of Exhortation 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of gouernment and as a good Christian. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grace to distribute and to communicate to to the necessities of his bretheren in simplicitie and cheerefulnes 3. That these gifts are not proper to Ecclesiasticall persons but common to others But if the Apostle had here propounded distinct offices then might 7. be distinguished and those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in-compatible in the same person But neither are there according to these branches 7. distinct offices And besides they are or may be all or diuers of them coincident to the same person As for Lay-Elders they are neither particular lie expressed nor in the generall implyed The speech is generall hee that gouerneth in diligence appartaining to all that haue authoritie not onely in the church but also in the family or common-wealth Indeed if it were presupposed which will neuer be proued by them
nor graunted by vs that among gouernours lay-Lay-Elders had a place in the primitiue church then this generall might particularly be applyed to them after this manner all gouernours ought to be diligent therfore they But seeing there were none such for men to argue from the generall to a fained speciall and that affirmatiuè in this manner the Apostle speaketh of gouernours therefore of lay-Lay-Elders It is an argument like all the rest not worth the answering Yea but the disputer alleageth Caluin who in his institutions affirmeth that this place cannot bee otherwise vnderstood I would be loath to contest with Caluin whose name is reuerend and whose memorie is blessed Neuertheles it is euident by that which hath bene said that it may and ought otherwise to be expounded Yea Caluin himselfe confesseth else-where that howsoeuer this place doe seeme especially to be vnderstood of Ecclesiasticall Gouernours or Seniors tamen dubium non est quin omne iustae prefecturae genus nobis commendet Yet it is not to bee doubted but that the Apostle doth commend vnto vs all kindes of iust gouernement And againe although properly he call the Church-Gouernors and namely the Seniors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notwithstanding what he saith of them may vniuersally be extended to gouernements of all sorts By Caluins owne confession therfore the words may generally be vnderstood And if they may then also they must For who shall dare without good warrant to restraine the generall sence of the holy Ghost to one onely particular Especially that being but a counterfeit as if the Apostle when he saith hee that gouerneth in diligence had said let the Lay or only gouerning Elders be diligeÌ„t in their office Yea but the Apostle speaketh of such a Gouernour as might neither teach nor exhort and therefore beeing neither Pastor nor Doctor it must needes be the only gouerning Elder Of this Enthymâ—me both the antecedent is false and the consequence vnsound For if the Apostle speake of such a Gouernour as might not teach nor exhort then neither distribute nor shew mercie and by the same reason the teacher and exhorter of whome hee spake before may not gouerne But as I said the Apostle doth not speake of distinct offices but of diuerse gifts which manie times concurre in the same person So that as hee that teacheth and exhorteth may also gouerne and distribute so hee that gouerneth as the Pastor may teach and exhort and not onely hee but the Father is to teach and exhort his children the maister his familie yea priuate Christians are to instruct and exhort one another Neither doth it follow if he which gouerneth be neither a Pastor nor Doctor that straightwaies he should be an onely gouerning Elder For husbands parents maisters and magistrates maisters of Colleges and hospitalls are gouernors though neither Doctors nor Pastors and yet are they no Ecclesiasticall Lay-Elders To conclude D. Fulke vnderstaÌ„deth this place chiefly of Bishops whom he supposeth here to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Heb 13.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fifth and last testimonie is thus inforced by them If God hath set in his Church Gouernours distinct from the Ministers of the Word then hath he ordained Lay or onely gouerning Elders But the first is testified by the Apostle 1. Cor. 12.28 therefore God hath ordained lay or onely gouerning Elders In this Syllogisme no part is sound for first the consequence of the proposition is naught for by Church as it is taken in the assumption citing 1. Cor. 12. is meant the whole body of Christ and by the members of his body all Christians among whom God hath established degrees of superiors to gouerne and inferiors to obey in all societies as well in the family coÌ„monwealth as in the Ecclesiasticall state Secondly the assumption is false for although it be true that in Christs body there are gouernours Occonomicall politicall distinct from the Ministers yet Paul doth not in this place testifie that Christ hath set in his Church gouernours distinct from the Ministers and much lesse doth he testifie that in the Church that is the state Ecclesiasticall he hath ordained gouernours which are not Ministers Nay which is more the Apostle doth not once mention gouernours in this text for it is the fault of the translation for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is helpes and gouernements to read helpers and gouernours it being the purpose of the holy Ghost in all the 12.13 and 14. chapters to discourse of the diuerse gifts wherewith God doth adorne the membes of his Church in this context in the midsts of other gifts which are expressed in the abstract he placeth these two for so he saith powers gifts of healing helpes gouernemeÌ„ts kindes of tongues Now it is no better reasoÌ„ to make two distinct offices of helpers and gouernours out of these words then to raise three others out of the other three powers gifts of healing and kinds of tongues But it were ridiculous to make three distinct offices of these three so is it of the other And if the other three are to be accounted as gifts and not as offices why should we not so conceiue of helpings and gouernings that is to say the gift of helping and gouerning Yea I say further that although in the beginning of the verse the Apostle doth reckon three offices Apostles Prophets Teachers yet his purpose was not exactly to distinguish Ecclesiasticall functions but to enumerate the diuerse gifts of Gods spirit wherwith the members of Christs bodie are adorned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the common good of the bodie Some being honoured with the gift of the Apostleship some with the gift of Prophecie some with the gift of teaching some with the gift of working miracles some with the gift of healing diseases some with the gift of helping and relieuing those that be distressed as Chrysostome expoundeth it and as the word is vsed Act 20. some with the gift of gouerning some with the gift of tongues For if the Apostle had meant in this place to distinguish the Functions and Offices of the Church then from this Text should eight distinct offices bee collected neither should these gifts haue bene coincident into the same persons so that teachers might not gouerne and gouernours might not teach c. whereas contrariwise it is euident that the Apostles had all these gifts as Chrysostome also saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prophets and Teachers had diuers of them c. It is plaine therefore that the Apostle did not distinguish the offices of the Church but orderlie recount the gifts and graces wherewith the Lord doth beautifie diuers members of the Church And whereas the Corinthians were proud of their gift of tongues and despised others the Apostle sheweth that among all these gifts which hee reckoneth that of tongues deserueth the last place And therfore exhorteth theÌ„ to be zealous of
not that we are able to ouersway them without comparison no writer till our age giuing testimonie no Church since the Apostles times vntill this present age giuing approbation to lay-Lay-Elders but all writers and Churches before our time giuing testimonie and approbation to the gouernement of Bishops To omit that as in the number of learned men we are not inferiour so in the multitude of Churches at this day which doe not admit the lay-Lay-Elders we are farre superiour as hereafter shal be shewed And thus much I hope will suffice for the first point FINIS LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Creed 1611. THE SECOND BOOKE PROVING That the Primitiue Churches indued with Power of Ecclesiasticall Gouernment were not Parishes properly but Dioceses And that the Angels of the Churches or ancient Bishops were not Parishionall but Diocesan Bishops The First Chapter entreating of the diuers acceptations of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church Diocesse and that which is translated Parish IN this second conflict I find the Refuter very confident like the men of Ai though not vpon the like occasion as though my forces were not able to stand before him But forasmuch as in the former assault I haue taken the Acropolis chiefe hold of the Presbyterian Discipline I doubt not but that when he shall with the men of Ai looke backe and see the chiefe Tower of his defence I meane the Presbytery vanishing as it were a smoake his courage will bee abated For the Presbytery being downe what hath he wherewith to hold out Bishoppes For seeing the Primitiue Churches were gouerned eyther by Diocesan Bishoppes as we hold or by Pastors of Parishes assisted with lay-Lay-Elders as they imagine who seeth not that vpon the ouerthrow of the Presbyteries the gouernment by Bishops is necessarily inferred Hauing therefore proued the first point of the fiue with such euidence of truth as I am wel assured all the gainesayers thereof will neuer bee able soundly and substantially to confute I need not doubt of preuailing in the rest As for the 2. next points which I handle concerning Dioceses and Diocesans the refuter thinketh they be the weakest of all the fiue and the worst appointed and thereupon would take occasion to cauill at my order as if I were to learne Methode of him whereas indeed his imputation of weakenesse to these 2. parts if it were true would commend my disposition of them as Homericall seeing I haue marshalled them Nestorio more after the manner of Nestor in medio infirma placing the weakest in the middest The chiefest points in my estimation being the first and the two last The truth is I did more lightly passe ouer these two then the rest but not out of an opinion of weakenes in the points themselues but partly in a conceit of their euidence and partly in consideration that they were not either so worthie or so needfull to be insisted vpon as the rest For first I supposed them to be so euident that howsoeuer T. C. in whose steppes our new Disciplinarians tread vpon weaker grounds then a man of learning iudgement should haue stood vpon doth deny them yet scarsly any other man of learning iudgement besides him would gain-say them Secondly that the three weightiest points which are most contradicted and in which these 2. are presupposed were most worthy in that breuity whereto I was confined to be stood vpon And thirdly that J needed not to bee so carefull in prouing of them seeing the chiefest patrones of the pretended Discipline as Caluin and Beza c. doe herein ioin with vs against our new sect of Disciplinarians as hath already beene proued Now whereas I brought forth these forces intending only a light skirmish velitationem quandam tanquam leuis armaturae my aduersary bringeth his maine battel into the field as if the euent of this whole warfare depended vpon this encounter I will therefore not onely bring a new supply like those of the Israelites which came vpon the men of Ai as they were pursuing the other companies of Israel but also cause these Arguments which now like the troupes of Israel seem in his conceit to flie before him to returne vpon him a fresh And forasmuch as here we are to entreat of Churches Parishes and Dioceses it shall not bee amisse to beginne with the names which are diuersly taken And first with the word Ecclesia which signifying generally any assembly company or congregation of men whatsoeuer ciuill or ecclesiasticall holy or prophane is in all the places of the new Testament excepting Act. 19. appropriated to the Companies of the faithfull For whereas all mankind is to be diuided into two Companies the one is the world which is the kingdome of darkenesse containing manie particular companies which are all the Synagogues of Sathan the other the Kingdome of God this latter is called Ecclesia signifying a Company of men as redeemed so also called out of the world as the Greeke word importeth Ecclesia therefore is a company of men called out of the world vnto saluation by Christ that is to say more brieflie the Church doth signifie a companie of Christians And thus it is vsed in the Scriptures either more Generally to signifie eyther the Vniuersal company of them that are elected in Christ or called to be Saints as Ephes. 1.22 3.21 5.23 24.25.27.29 32. Act 2.47 Colos. 1.18.24 The two main parts of the vniuersall Church Triumphant in heauen as Heb. 12 23. Militant on earth as Mat. 16.18 1. Cor. 12.28 Eph. 3.10 1. Tim. 3.15 and that eyther dispersed in diuers nations and Countries throughout the world 1. Cor. 10.32 15 9. Act. 8.3 Gal 1.13 Phil. 3.6 Congregated in an vniuersall or Oâ—cumenicall Synode Particularly that either Definitely to signifie the Church of a Nation in the nuÌ„ber Singular Act. 7 38. Plural Rom. 16.4 1. Cor. 16.1.19 2. Co. 8.1 Ga. 1.2.22 And these either dispersed or coÌ„gregated into a Synode or consistory Mat. 18.17 Act. 15.22 Congregation whether set or vncertain as Act. 11.26 14.27 1. Cor. 11 18 22. 14.5.12.19 23.28.34.35.3 Ioh. 6. City and Country adioyning Act. 5.11 8.1 11.12 12.1.5 13.1 14.23 20. 17.28 1. Cor. 1.2 2 Co. 1.1 8.23 Col 4.16 2. Thes. 1.1 1. Tim. 5.16 Iam. 5.14 Apoc. 1.4 11.20 2.1.7.8.12.18 3.1.7.14 Village or towne Rom. 16 1. Family Rom. 16.5 1. Cor. 16 9. Col. 4.5 Philem. 2. Indefinitely signifying any company of Christians not defining either the Place Society whether of a Nation City c. quantity whether an entire church or but a part as Act. 9. â—1 15 3.4.41 18.22 Rom. 16.16 23.1 Co. 4.17 6.4 11.16 14. 33. 2. Cor. 8.18.19.24 â—1 8.28 12.13 Phil. 4.15 1. Thes. 2.14 2. Thes. 1.4 â— Tim. 3.5.3 Iohn 9. 10. Apoc. 2.7.17.23.29 3.6.13.22 22.16 The significations of the word Church being so manifold in the Scriptures
in the first 100. yeeres Concerning Rome I haue proued already that within the first 200. yeeres it was diuided into many parishes and therefore although there bee not so good euidence for other Cities in particular yet the like is to bee concluded of them seeing they were all of the same constitution Passing by therefore his proposition I take hold of his assumption and doe plainely denie the Churches he speaketh of or any other which had a Bishop and Presbyterie to haue beene for the first two hundred yeeres no more but parishes for J doubt not but it is easier to proue that within this terme not onely the Presbyters and people in the said dioceses but also the Bishops in the same Prouinces were subiect to the Bishops of these three Cities For as it is euident of Antioch by the testimonie of Ignatius who calleth himselfe the Bishop of Syria so no reason can bee alleged why the Bishops of Ephesus and Corinth who in the third centurie and in the ages following were Metropolitans were not so in the second or if they were Metropolitans in the third and in the ages following as most certainely they were why they should not haue beene Diocesans at the least in the second The assumption hee saith appeareth plaine by the proofe of the particulars But what doth he prooue of the particulars Are his syllogismes so soone come to an end His chiefe proofes be that in the Apostle Pauls time each of them vsed to assemble in one Congregation Was this your assumption You that are so strict in exacting syllogismes and direct proofes should not haue sought to carrie away the matter as it were in the cloudes Yea but that which he prooueth doth prooue the assumption That shall thus bee tried by his owne forme of argumentation If those Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch in the Apostle Pauls time were each of them no more then ordinarily assembled in one place then were they for the first 200. yeeres each of them but one parish But the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch in the Apostle Pauls time were each of them no more then ordinarily assembled in one place Therefore for the first 200. yeeres they were each of them but one parish The proposition is omitted by the disputer as taken for granted but therein he hath plaied the sophister for he that meaneth truly doth not vse to omit any part of his argument but that which is certaine or confessed But the consequence of this proposition is worse then naught for if hee had onely said thus If in the Apostles times they were each of them but one Congregation therefore for 200. yeeres they were so the consequence had beene starke naught or if he had onely said If in the Apostles time they were each but one Congregation then were they each one parish that consequence also had beene naught but when he saith If in the Apostles times each was but one Congregation therefore for 200. yeeres each of them was but a parish that consequence is as I said worse then naught That the first of the two consequences is naught it is euident for though at the first conuersion of any great City and for a while after the number vsually was so small that they might haue assembled in one place yet it is certaine that within 200. yeeres their number was growne to bee almost innumerable as hath beene shewed and therefore too great to make one ordinarie congregation This one exception if no more should bee added ouerturneth all his dispute As touching the second though it should bee granted that each of these Churches in the Apostles time did ordinarilie assemble together in one place yet would it not follow that therefore each of them was but a parish and much lesse which is the end of all this disputation that all Churches endued with ecclesiasticall power should be but parishes and consequently that euery parish should haue a Bishop and presbyterie The reasons of my deniall of these consequences I haue before set downe at large Chap. 3. § 5. and 6. and therefore this disputation I haue sufficiently ouerthrowne already For a surplussage I adde these two reasons First If these Churches because they were each of them but one Congregation were parishes before the diuision of parishes then were they such Churches as after the diuision parishes were This consequence may not be denied especially by them who would haue all parishes framed to the constitution of the first Churches But they were not such for the parishes after their diuision had not a Bishop and presbyterie but only a Presbyter assigned to them neither was the Pastor thereof superintendent ouer others neither was any of them intended to bee a mother Church Secondly if that assumption was false which denied parishes to haue beene distinguished in the Apostles times then these Churches were not onely many congregations but many parishes also But he said before that that assumption had no truth in it These two iust exceptions I haue against his consequence If against the former it bee obiected that some of his testimonies doe seeme to prooue that after the Apostles times these Churches were each of them but one congregation I answer that his maine argument and proofes thereof doe speake of the Apostles time Those which are extended further shall bee further examined Now I come to his assumption for though I doe not denie but that at the first and namely in the time of the Apostle Paul the most of the Churches so soone after their conuersion did not each of them exceed the proportion of a populous congregation yet I cannot yeeld to all his proofes His proofes be either allegation of Scriptures or other testimonies His Scriptures for Corinth are out of the first epistle to the Corinthians and Rom. â—6 1 for Ephesus Act. 20.28 for Antioch Act. 14.27 Now let vs consider the date of his testimonies and then what is testified in them The date of them is ancienter then Paul his going to Rome which was in the yeere 5â— or â—6 Which I do note to shew to what time his proposition is to bee restrained as if hee had said If before the yeere 55. or â—6 they were but one congregation then they were no more vntill the yeere 200. The thing that is testified for Corinth 1. Cor 11. is such as might bee written to the Church of England as verse 18. When you come into the Church I beare there bee schismâ—s among you vers 20. When you come together in the same place this is not to eat the Supper of the Lord vers 33. When you come together to eat expect one another Rom. 16. There is mention of the Church of Cenchreae whereof mention hath beene made now thrice to no purpose vnlesse it bee against himselfe for if Câ—nchreae were a parish subordinate to the Church of Corinth as most certainly it was it selfe hauing not a Bishop or presbyterie but a
â—â—daciousnes of wicked men be feared that what they cannot doe by right and equity they may â—ccomplish by rash and desperate courses actum est de episcopatus vigore de ecclesiae gubernandae sublimi ac diuina potestate then farewell the vigour of episcopall authority and that high and diuine power of gouerning the Church But more fully is this authority described in the Councels of Antioch and Constantinople and also in the writings of Ierome Euery Bishop saith the Councell of Antioch hath authoritie of his owne See both to gouerne it according to the feare of God which is before his eies and to haue a prouident care of the whole Countrey which is vnder his Citie as also to ordaine Presbyters and Deacons and to gouerne all things with iudgement The Councell held in Trullo decreed that forasmuch as some Cities being occupied by the Barbarians inuading Christian kingdomes the Bishops of the said Cities could not enioy their seat and performe such offices there as belong to the episcopall function that they should retaine their eminent dignitie and authoritie so that they may canonically exercise ordination of the diuers degrees of Clerkes and that they may vse within their bounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the authoritie of their Prelacie and that all their administration be firme and lawfull But what saith Ierome He hauing intreated of the other degrees of the Clergie at the last commeth to intreat de praecipuo gradu Ecclesiae of the chiefe degree of the Church qui ordo episcopalis est which is the order of Bishops the power whereof he setteth downe in these words Hee ordaineth Priests and Leuites that is Presbyters and Deacons c. Hee gouerneth the Church of God he sheweth what euery one ought to do he condâ—mneth he receiueth he bindeth hee looseth that which was bound hee hath the keyes of the kingdome of heauen hee openeth and shutteth the throne of God meaning heauen hauing nothing meaning no ecclesiasticall order aboue him c. But the superioritie of Bishops ouer Presbyters I shewed in the sermon by comparing the iurisdiction of BB. with that which Presbyters haue both in regard of the greatnesse and largenesse and also in respect of the deriuation thereof The Presbyters iurisdiction is ouer the flocke of one parish the iurisdiction of the Bishop is ouer the whole Diocese The Presbyters is priuate in the court of conscience the Bishops publike and in the externall Court also The Presbyter gouerneth the people onely of one flocke the Bishop gouerneth not only the people of the whole Diocese but the Presbyters also themselues The Presbyters receiue institution vnto their iurisdiction from the Bishop and exercise it vnder the Bishop of the Diocese who hahauing as the Councell of Antioch and Ierome say the care of the whole Church or Diocese admit the Presbyters in partem solicitudinis into part of their care by giuing them institution to their seuerall parishes The Presbyters doe answer to the sonnes of Aaron and are the successours of the 70. Disciples as diuers of the Fathers doe teach but the Bishops answer to Aaron and are the successors of the Apostles as I proue by the testimonie of Ierome who saith that in the true Church Bishops doe hold the place of the Apostles and of Irenaeus that the Apostles left the Bishops their successors deliuering vnto them their owne place of gouernment To all this the Refuter maketh a dilatorie answer not purposing indeede to answer these allegations at all Of these points I purpose not saith he to say any thing in this place because the former concerning the difference of the Bishops and Presbyters iurisdiction must presently be disputed the latter is to be discussed in the last point of his fiue And thus hath he by a cleanly deuice auâ—ided these allegations which he knew not how to answer and very featly rid his hands of them But if the Reader shall vpon examination finde that hee speaketh nothing to these allegations and proofes in the places whereunto he is differred hee must needes thinke that their cause of sinceritie as they call it is not very sincerely handled Hauing thus in generall noted the superioritie of Bishops in the power of iurisdiction let vs now descend vnto particulars The authoritie therefore of the Bishop respecteth either the things of the Church or the persons Whatsoeuer things saith the Councell of Antioch appertaine to the Church are to be gouerned husbanded and disposed by the iudgement and authoritie of the Bishop to whose trust the whole people is committed and the soules of the congregation And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Bishop hath the power or authoritie of those things which belong to the Church And this authoritie the Bishops had from the beginning for as what was at the first giuen to the Church was laid at the Apostles feet so afterwards what was contributed was committed saith Iustine Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Bishop Heereof you may reade more Conc. Gangr c. 7. 8. Concil Tol. 3. c. 19. 4 c. 32. Balsam in Concil Carth. Gr. c. 36. alias 33. As touching persons they were distinguished at the first into Clericos Laicos vnto whom afterward a third sort was added viz. Monachi monasticall persons who though they were sequestred from the companie and societie of secular men as they count them yet were they not exempted from the iurisdiction of the Bishop The great Councell of Chalcedon determined that no man should build a monastery any where or house of prayer without the consent of the Bishop of the Citie and that those which in euery Citie or Countrey did leade a monasticall life should bee subiect to the Bishop See more c. 8. Conc. Afric c. 47. Agath c. 27. 58. Theod. Balsam saith that Monkes were more subiect to the Bishop then to the Gouernour of the monasterie As touching the Laitie I said Serm. sect 10. pag. 46. to pag. 47. l. 6. I should not neede to prooue the Bishops authoritie ouer the people of their Diocese if I demonstrate their rule ouer the Presbyters thereof c. Not neede saith the Refuter Yeâ— you must prooue the power of censuring the people to be their only right vnlesse you yeeld that preeminence to be giuen them jure humano as indeede it must be seeing they haue it not potestate ordinis by the power of their order The Refuter is to be borne with if hee talke at randon seeing he is as it seemeth out of his element The thing which I was to prooue if it had beene needfull was that whereas Presbyters did gouerne each one the people of a parish and that priuately the Bishop gouerneth the people of the whole diocese and that publikelie the which I held needlesse to prooue because before it was prooued that they had the charge of the whole Diocese
May not a man say as much of the Duke of Venice or of the King of Polonia yet are neither of these soueraignes no more had the B. for all these words any supreme and sole authority Do I any where say that the BB. haue or ought to haue supreme and sole authority which here againe he obiecteth to make the BB. according to my iudgement forsooth absolute Popelings will these odious slanders wilfully deuised to disgrace the truth which I taught neuer bee left and yet that is vntrue which he saith of the Duke of Venice and that is more then we desire that the B. in his diocese should be like the King of Polonia in his kingdome For though the Duke of Venice bee aboue any other in Venice yet hee hath not the whole power and authority aboue al neither doe we make the B. to haue supreme power in his diocese as the King of Poland hath in his realme though in respect of the election of him to his kingdome and of BB. to their sees there be somelikenes In the third place I alleage another testimony of Ignatius where hee exhorteth the Presbyters of Antioch where himselfe was Bishop to feed the flocke which was among them vsing the words which Peter doth 1. Epist. 5. Vntill God should declare who should bee their Gouernour meaning the Bishop Where the B. in plaine termes is called the gouernor of the Presbyters There can be no question but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a maiority of rule And yet he saith this testimony doth not proue any such maiority of rule and that for foure worthy reasons First because this is one of those places which the disciplinarians absurdly alledge for the proofe of onely-gouerning elders which neuer were the duty inioined them being pastorall Secondly because the Church whereof he was B. was but one congregation at that time And yet he expressely calleth himselfe the Bishop of Syria which plainely proueth that he was not onely a diocesan but a Metropolitan B. Yea but in his epistle to Ierome he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wil not vrge the error in the name Ierome for Heron perhaps it was not our Ieremies but his Barucks fault The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hee absurdly translateth Synagogue and parish signifieth congregation and is the same with ecclesia or Church For Ignatius hauing signified to him that he should be his successour in the Bishopricke he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the congregation of the Lord shall not be as sheepe without a pastor But hereof I haue spoken heretofore Howbeit both this and the former answere here are meere euasions For suppose that which I haue proued to be most false that there were onely-gouerning elders in Antioch and that the Church had been but one parish can he be so absurde asto say that none of the Presbyters in Antioch were ministers If any were as indeed they were all as I haue abundantly proued before is not the B. here plainely noted to be their gouernour and if he were their gouernour was he not aboue them in the power of iurisdiction or gouernment Or what is this to the present question whether the Church of Antioch contained one congregation or more if it cannot be denied that the B. was superiour in the power of iurisdiction to the Presbyters of that Church how great or how little soeuer it was His third reason of all others is most impertinent For what is this to the purpose if it were true that the duty which Ignatius inioineth them of feeding that is of instructing and guiding the people was not perpetually belonging to their office but onely in the time of the vacancie till they had another gouernour seeing he noteth that himselfe had been and his successour should bee their gouernour But it is vntrue which he saith concerning the perpetuity of the duty For Ignatius his meaning was that as they were at all times to feed the people so especially in the absence or want of the Bishop the care and attendance of the flocke in the defect of a B. being deuolued to them Fourthly If M. D. doe vrge saith he that Ignatius was and so also his successor their gouernour which was indeed the onely thing for which the place was alleaged and to which point alone hee ought to haue directed his speech the answere is easie that he might be so and yet the Church but a parish and those Presbyters gouerning Elders An easie answere indeed as who should say though the allegation doe proue that for which you bring it yet it doth not disprooue some other of our absurdities for the disproofe whereof you do not bring it as that the Church was a parish and the Presbyters onely gouerning elders Was the disproofe of those points to be expected from this place and at this time do you not say it is one of the places which is ordinarily brought out of Ignatius for proofe of onely-gouerning Elders And must this be your shift to auoid my argument proouing out of this place the superiority of Bishops in the power of iurisdiction that for any thing can hence be alleaged the Presbyters might be onely gouerning Elders Js not the Refuter neere driuen thinke you when he would beare his Reader in hand that his lay Presbyters be sufficiently proued if the place which themselues bring for them doth not disproue them but especially when he is driuen to alleage this as a poore shift to auoid another thing in question Yea but if the Church were a parish and they onely gouerning Elders then was Ignatius but as a Parson of a parish and Parsons though they be called rectores ecclesiarum gouernours of the parish Churches are farre enough from the maiority of rule in question Whereto J answere that if he would need◠make Ignatius but the Parson of a parish assisted with a Presbytery of lay Elders hee should haue conceiued him to be such a one as themselues fancie and not as ours are For he should not haue been subordinate and subiect as ours are and as all Presbyters of parishes euer were to the Bishops but as they fancy indued with a power vnsubordinate and independent and therefore had a supremacy rather then superiority as being the supreme ecclesiasticall officer in all that Church But how I beseech you is it proued that Ignatius was but a parish Bishop Because forsooth the Church of Antioch might be a parish and the Presbyters thereof onely-gouerning Elders for any thing that I haue here said to the contrary which indeed I intended not in this place But now I discerne a worthy stratageme of this Refuter in chusing rather to answere the places out of Ignatius being brought for superiority of Bishops then himselfe to vrge them for the lay-elders hoping to perswade some kind of Readers both that their Elders are sufficiently proued if they be not disprooued out of the places
haue answered his allegation before out of Tertullian for lay-elders wherein is nothing that maketh against Bishops so haue I cited pregnant places in his vvritings giuing testimony not onely to the gouernment of BB. in his time but prouing a continued succession of them from the Apostles to his time It is plaine therefore that the refuter with the help of all his collectors is not able to produce any one example of an orthodoxall and Apostolicall Church in the first three hundred yeeres after the Apostles times wherin the Episcopall gouernment was not receiued so that my argument standeth firme and sure in all the parts of it To my fourth reason concluding the perpetuity of the Episcopall gouernment in the ancient Churches from the succession of BB. deduced from the Apostles times vntill the Councill of Nice remayning as yet vpon authenticall records Eusebius euery where carefully setting downe this succession and Irenaeus and Tertullian prouing the deriuation of the orthodoxall doctrine from the Apostles to their time by the personall succession of BB. in the Churches teaching the same truth He obiecteth and saith the obiection is worth the answering that I deceiue them with the name he confesseth there was a succession of BB. but the first were not like the latter for though the latter were Diocesan Bishops yet the former were not Belike they were first Parish BB. and then titular Diocesan BB. and then ruling Diocesans then Lord Diocesans then Metropolitanes then Patriarches which being obiected vpon ridiculous grounds heretofore confuted I held scarse worth the mentioning in the Sermon It is apparant by this succession that within the compasse of euery Diocese there was onely one B. at a time there hauing bin no more in any Diocese at the end of the first or second hundred then were at the end of of foure hundred yeeres and therefore this succession doth euidently proue a perpetuitie of Diocesan BB. from the Apostles times downewards And thus the former part of my assumption is manifest Wherefore as I said in the Sermon this to a moderate Christian might seeme a sufficient commendation of the Episcopall function though no more could be said for it that in the best times of the primitiue Church it was borne of so many thousand godly and learned Bishops receiued in all true Churches approued of all the orthodoxall and learned Fathers allowed and commended of all the famous Councils The latter part that the Episcopall function was not first ordayned by generall Councils I proue by vndenyable euidence but this proofe the refuter had no mind to deale withall because it also proueâ—h the former part by such an argument as he could not tell how to answere that vvas this that the first generall Councill of Nice was so farre from first ordayning Bishops or Metropolitanes that it acknowledgeth Patriarches to haue beene long before that time in vse and confirmeth the ancient custome of subiecting diuers Prouinces to them For there were Diocesan Bishops before there were Metropolitanes actually and Metropolitanes were long before Patriarches and Patriarches had beene long in vse before the Councill of Nice and yet that Councill was held within two hundred and thirtie yeeres after the Apostle times Wherefore seeing the proposition of my syllogisme was so euidently true as that the refuter could not deny it viz. that gouernment which was generally and perpetually receiued in all Christian Churches in the first three hundred yeeres after Christ and his Apostles and not ordayned by generall Councils was vndoubtedly of Apostolicall institution and seeing the assumption was proued by foure or fiue vnanswerable arguments that the gouernment by such Bishops as were described in the former part of the Sermon was generally and perpetually vsed in all Christian Churches in the first three hundred yeeres after Christ and his Apostles and not ordayned by generall Councils therefore the conclusion is of necessarie and vndenyable truth that the gouernment of the Churches by such Bishops was vndoubtedly of Apostolicall institution After I had thus concluded affirmatiuely to proue my assertion I propounded another syllogisme concluding negatiuely against the pretended discipline therein intending to prouoke and challenge him that should take vpon him the refutation of my Sermon to bring some proofes for their gouernment in the first three hundred yeeres after Christ. The syllogisme was this That gouernment which no where was in vse in the first three hundred yeares is not of Apostolicall institution The gouernment of the Churches by a parity of ministers and assistance of lay-Lay-elders in euery parish was no where in vse in the first three hundred yeeres Therefore it is not of Apostolicall institution The proposition is as certaine as the former the assumption I haue already proued in the former syllogisme For if the gouernment by Diocesan BB. was generally and perpetually receiued in those three hundred yeares after the Apostles then is it manifest that this gouernment which they speake of was no wherein vse But because it is infinite to proue such a negatiue by induction of particulars which might be disproued by any one instance by them which hold the affirmatiue therefore I left the proofe of the affirmatiue to the refuter Let vs see then how he answeareth forsooth by opposing the like syllogisme saying That gouernment which was generally in vse in the first three hundred yeeres is of Apostolicall institution The gouernment of the Churches by a parity of ministers and assistance of onely-gouerning Elders in euery parish was generally in vse in the first three hundred yeeres Therefore it is of Apostolicall institution And then braggeth that his proofe for their discipline is as good as mine against it Wher the refuter doth not so much bewray his ignorance in the lawes of disputation as the badnes of his cause choosing rather to boast that their gouernment was generally and perpetually vsed then to giue any one instance to proue it what needed this generall assertion vnlesse it were to beguile the simple who are lead with shewes when one perticular instance would haue serued But that the reader may vnderstand that this my assumption was vndoubtedly true I will make the refuter this faire offer that if he can bring any one pregnant and approued example of a Christian Church gouerned by a parity of ministers and assistance of onely-gouerning Elders I will promise to suscribe to their discipline wherefore let not the reader be carried away with vaine shewes neither let him belieue that their pretended discipline was instituted by the Apostles vntill they be able to shew as they neuer will be that it was sometime and some where practised within three hundred yeeres say a thousand foure hundred if you will after the Apostles The II. CHAPTER Prouing the function of BB. to be of Apostolicall institution because it was vsed in those times without their dislike Serm. Sect. 4. pag.
I shew that Bishops not onely were in the Apostles times but also were approued by them That they were in respect of their function approued I proue by the examples of the 7. Angels approued by S. Iohn or rather by our Sauiour Christ of Epaphroditus the Apostle or B. of the Philippians who therefore is not mentioned in the inscription of that Epistle because the Epistle was sent by him commended by S Paul as his compatner both in his function and in affliction and the Philippians commanded to haue in honour such Iames the Iust B. of Ierusalem approued of all Archippus the B. of Colossa approued of Paul Antipas who had beene B. of Pergamus commended by the holy Ghost To none of these hath the Refuter any thing to say but to Epaphroditus whom he would not therefore haue thought to haue beene a Diocesan B. because Paul calleth him his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow workâ—-man nor that the Apostle meant to equall him to himselfe in the Apostleship for Epaphroditus was none c. Though that word doth not proue it neither was it alledged to that end but as one of the titles of commendation giuen to Epaphroditus yet the word Apostle which I alledged doth proue it neither should the Refuter haue balked that to lay hold vpon another vnlesse it were to deceiue the simple It is therefore to be noted that as the twelue Patriarches of Christs Church which were sent into the whole world some going one way some another were called the Apostles of Christ and not the Apostles of any Church in particular excepting Iames who was the Apostle of the Iewes so those Apostolicall men who were set ouer particular Churches as the Bishops thereof were for a time called the Apostles of those Churches So Paul calleth Epaphroditus the Apostle of the Philippians and therefore it was malepertly said by the Refuter that he was not an Apostle But of this more hereafter Before I ended this point I thought it needfull to meet with that obiection which ordinarily is made out of Ierome by them who vnderstand him as if he had said that Bishops were not ordayned in the Apostles times But I shew both by the place it selfe which they alledge and by conference of other places in Ierome that hee plainely confesseth BB. to haue been ordayned in the Apostles times Ierome therfore confesseth in the place which is vsually obiected that when factions began to arise in the Church some saying I am of Paul I am of Apollos I am of Cephas which was in the Apostles times 1 Cor. 1. it was decreed in the whole world and therefore by the Apostles for who should in the Apostles times make such a generall decree but the Apostles yea and Ierome himselfe calleth the Episcopall function a tradition Apostolicall that one being chosen from among the Presbyters should be set ouer the rest vnto whom the care of the whole Church should appertaine Whereunto I added his confession of the same truth in other places For he confesseth that Iames the Iust shortly after the Passion of Christ was made Bishop of Ierusalem and continued B. there thirtie yeares euen vntill his death In the same Catalogue it is confessed that Simon succeeded the said Iames in the Bishopricke and that Timothie was B. of Ephâ—sus and Titus of Creet and Polycarpe of Smyrna in S. Iohns time that Linus Anacletus and Clemens were BB. of Rome Hee confesseth also that at Alexandria euer since S. Marke there had beene BB. chosen successiuely that S. Marke was the first B. of the Church at Alexandria and that Anianus succeeded him After whom there were two more Abilius and Cerdo in the Apostles times It is most plaine therefore that Ierome acknowledgeth BB. to haue beene in the Apostles time Now let vs see what tricke the Refuter hath to auoide such plaine euidence Forsooth because these testimonies were as he saith not knowing indeed nor greatly caring what he affirmeth brought in by me out of order and some of them come to be handled againe he will answere generally and briefly that the Bishops Ierome speaketh of were not Diocesan Lords but such as himselfe describeth where hee sheweth the custome of the Church of Alexandria c. Whether they were called Lords or not it is not greatly materiall seeing they were called the Angels and the Apostles of the Churches which are titles of greater honour neither doth it appertaine to the substance of their calling in regard whereof I defend the ancient Bishops to haue beene such as ours are And such doth Ierome describe them in the place which the Refuter meaneth For hee plainly noteth the Bishop to haue beene but one in a whole Church or Diocese to whom the care of the whole Church did belong superiour also to the Presbyters in degree c. The Refuter hauing answered my second argument in such sort as you haue heard taketh his turne to reply and that thus That gouernment which euen in the Apostles times was vsed in the Apostolicall Churches and was not contradicted by them was of Apostollicall institution The gouernment by common consent of Elders was vsed euen in the Apostles times in the Apostolicall Churches and not contradicted by them Therefore the gouernment by the common consent of Elders was of Apostolicall institution The Proposition saith he is sure on our side though it was not of his See â—ee homo homini quantum praestat that which is weake in my hand is strong in this The truth it selfe belike is so partiall as that it is true onely in his mouth For the strengthening of the assumption saith hee besides that which before I answered Sect. 3. which was besides the testimonie of Cyprian and Ierome before answered an allegation of some new Writers who are parties in the cause I will adde the testimonies of B. Whitgift D. Bilson D. Sutcliffe and D. Downame himselfe all speaking to the truth thereof He should haue done well to haue cited these testimonies so would it haue appeared that we spake according to the truth but not according to his meaning which is vntrue But I answere to his assumption and first to the former part of it by distinction If by Elders he meaneth the onely gouerning Elders as well as Ministers as hee doth or else he saith little for the pretended discipline I answere that the Church was neuer gouerned by the common Counsell of such Aldermen neither did Cyprian and Ierome testifie it nor D. Bilson D. Sutcliffe or D. Downame confesse it If by Elders he meane onely Ministers as Ierome did when he said at the first the Churches before factions did arise were gouerned by the common counsell of Elders two things may be questioned first whether this gouernment of theirs were vnsubordinate according to the new discipline and secondly whether the Apostles did intend that the Churches should be
so gouerned still Whereunto I answere according to the euident light of truth that the Presbyters gouerned the Churches as vnder the Apostles and that but for a time vntill the Apostles substituted BB. or left them as their successors committing the gouernment of the seuerall Churches vnto them To the second part of his assumption I answere that the Apostles contradicted that gouernment which hee speaketh of by common counsell of Elders ruling without a B. not so much by words as by deeds when ordayning BB. in seuerall Churches they committed the whole care thereof as Ierome speaketh or at least the chiefe care and authoritie as Ignatius testifieth to them And so leauing the Refuter to rowle the stone he speaketh of I proceed to my third argument The III. CHAPTER Prouing that the Apostles themselues ordayned Bishops Serm. Sect. 5. pag. 65. But yet I proceede to a further degree which is to proue that the Apostles themselues ordayned BB. and committed the Churches to them and therefore that the Episcopall function is without question of Apostolicall institution c. to 38. yeares pag. 69. THE refuter would faine haue me seeme to proue idem per idem but that he could not but discerne that I argue from the ordination of the persons to the institution of the function against which consequence though himselfe say that without question it is good yet I confesse he might haue taken more iust exception then he hath hitherto against any which was not of his owne making so farre is it from concluding the same by the same For he might haue said though they ordayned the persons yet Christ instituted the function and that is the iudgement of many of the Fathers who holde that our Sauiour Christ in ordayning his twelue Apostles and his seauentie two Disciples both which sorts he sent to preach the Gospell he instituted the two degrees of the ministerie BB. answering to the high Priest and Presbyters answerable to the Priests Againe those Fathers who affirme the BB. to be the successors of the Apostles doe by consequence affirme that Christ when he ordayned Apostles ordayned BB. and Cyprian in plainetermes saith so much that our Lord himselfe ordayned Apostles that is to say Bishops For the Popish conceipt that the Apostles were not made Priests till Christs last supper nor BB. till after his resurrection as it is sutable with other their opinions deuised to aduance the Popes supremacy so it is repugnant to the iudgement of the ancients contrary to the truth Seeing the very Disciples who were inferiour to the Apostles were authorized before Christs last supper to preach to baptise Neither had they or needed they any new ordination whereby they might be qualified to administer the Sacrament But of this matter I will not contend for whether the function were first ordayned by Christ or instituted by the Apostles Christ is the authour thereof either immediatly according to the former opinion or mediatly according to the latter And those things are said to be of Apostolicall institution which Christ ordayned by the Apostles The antecedent of my argument viz. that the Apostles ordayned BB. and committed the Churches to them was in the Sermon explaned and proued by shewing the time when the places where the persons whom the Apostles ordayned BB. As concerning the time I said there was some difference betweene the Church of Ierusalem and the rest in respect of their first Bishop For there because shortly after Christs passion a great number were conuerted to the faith for we read of three thousand conuerted in one day and because that was the mother Church vnto which the Christians from all parts were afterwards to haue recourse the Apostles before their dispersion statim post passionem Domini straight wayes after the passion of our Lord ordayned Iames the iust Bishop of Ierusalem as Ierome testifieth Here my refuter maketh me to argue thus culling out one part of my argumentation from the rest Iames was ordayned Bishop by the Apostles therefore the Apostles ordayned Bishops And then denieth the consequence because though Iames being an Apostle had Episcopall power in respect of ordination and iurisdiction yet it would not follow that the Apostles ordayned Diocesan Bishops in other Churches But my argument is an induction standing thus The Apostles ordayned BB. at Ierusalem and in other Churches which afterwards particularly I doe enumerate therefore they ordayned BB. That they ordayned BB. at Ierusalem I proue because they ordayned Iames the Iust and Simon the sonne of Cleophas BB. of Ierusalem That they ordayned Iames B. of Ierusalem I proue in this section That they ordained Simon the sonne of Cleophas B. of Ierusalem and Bishops in other Churches I proue afterwards according to the order of time Beginning here with Ierusalem because that Church had first a Bishop Now that Iames was by the Apostles made B. of Ierusalem I proue by these testimonies first of Ierome whose words are these Iames who is called the brother of our Lord fâ—â—named the iust straight wayes after the passion of our Lord was ordayned by the Apostles the Bishop of Ierusalem This is that Ierome on whose onely authoritie almost the Disciplinarians in this cause relye alledging out of him that Bishops were not ordayned till after the Apostles times Secondly of Eusebius and of the most ancient histories of the Church whose testimonies he citeth to this purpose first therefore he saith in generall that the histories before his time did report that to Iames the brother of our Lord surnamed the iust the throne of the Bishopricke of the Church in Ierusalem was first committed Then particularly he citeth Clemens Alexandrinus testifying that Iames Peter and Iohn after the ascension of our Sauiour did choose Iames the iust Bishop of Ierusalem Afterwards Hegesippus who was nere the Apostles times as Ierome speaketh being as Eusebius saith in the very first succession of the Apostles to the like purpose Eusebius himselfe in his Chronicle translated by Ierome hath these words Iames the brother of our Lord is by the Apostles made the first Bishop of Ierusalem Againe in his history he not onely saith that Iames called the brother of our Lord was the first Bishop of Ierusâ—â—em but also testifieth vpon his knowledge that the Episcopall throne or chaire wherein Iames sate as Bishop of Ierusalem and wherein all the BB. of that See succeeded him was yet in his time to be seene being preserued as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a worthy and sacred monument And finally both in his historie and Chronicle he setteth down the succession of the Bishops of Ierusalem from Iames vnto Macarius whom he noteth to haue been the thirtie ninth Bishop of Ierusalem reckoning Iames the first and Simon the second and Iustus the third Zacheus the fourth c. Epiphanius also testifieth that Iames the Lords brother was
assumption therefore which is true of the rest of the Apostles is not true of Iames and were to be denied if the Syllogisme were thus framed BB. had certaine Churches assigned to them Iames had not a certaine Church assigned to him Therefore he was not B. This assumption I haue disproued And therefore though that argument may seeme to conclude sufficiently against Peters being B. of Rome it concludeth not against Iames his being B. of Ierusalem And besides betweene Iames and the rest this difference may be noted that whereas they hauing planted Churches when they saw their time committed the same to certaine BB. so Peter and others of the Apostles committed Antioch to Evodius Peter and Paul committed Rome to Linus Paul committed Ephesus to Timothie Creet to Titus Iohn committed Smyrna to Polycarpus and diuers other Churches in Asia to other Bishops as Eusebius reporteth yet Iames abiding all his time at Ierusalem committed that Church to no other though when he was dead the Apostles committed it to Simon whom they ordayned his successour The second reason applied to Iames. If Iames were B. then by the same reason other of the Apostles were BB. But the other Apostles were not Bishops properly Therefore not Iames. Why I should not grant this consequence I haue shewed sufficient reason in setting downe the difference betweene Iames and the rest of the Apostles Therefore that reason also howsoeuer it may take place as touching Peter in whom no such difference from the rest of the Apostles can be truly noted yet it holdeth not against Iames his being B. of Ierusalem If the Refuter or any other be not as yet perswaded of this point to satisfie him in the maine point that the Apostles appointed and ordained Bishops I will be content to suppose that Iames was not B. of Ierusalem because it might be supposed and granted without any great preiudice to the cause seeing it is manifest that the same ancient Authors who testifie that the Apostles appointed Iames B. of Ierusalem doe also witnesse that after his death the Apostles who were then remayning ordayned Simon the sonne of Cleophas to be B. there as hereafter shall be shewed After I had proued that Iames was B. of Ierusalem I endeuoured to confute the opinion of the learneder sort of Disciplinarians who doe hold as before hath been shewed that Bishops were not superiour to other Ministers in degree neither had superioritie for terme of life but for a short time And to this end obiected the same conceipts that by this instance of Iames they might plainly be refuted Hereunto the Refuter replyeth that I deuise those obiections to make my selfe worke when as indeed they be the two maine points wherein Beza differeth from vs. But saith he who euer conceiued any such thought of the Apostle Iames I am sure there is not a syllable nor a letter of him at all in the place he quoteth out of Beza the more wrong he doth him c. All this adoe ariseth from the misprinting of one letter in the margent c being put for p. For in the 23. page of that book in the end of the third chapter he hath this saying though I grant that Iames the brother of our Lord was in order first in the Church of Ierusalem yet it followeth not that he was in degree superiour either to the Apostles or else to his fellow Ministers Which saying as it seemeth I should not neede to haue confuted if all the Disciplinarians were of our Refuters minde who censureth that speech as vntrue and vnreuerent But yet that he might let his Reader see that he is able to defend any thing against me he saith if a man would speake so vntruly and vnreuerently he might easily maintayne it against the answere that M. D. bringeth They must remember saith he that he was an Apostle and his honour and degree by his Bishopricke not impaired As if the question were not of him as a B. not as an Apostle His superiority in degree proceeded from his Apostleship and yet as a B. he might be superiour in order onely This tricke of fast and loose was not worth the shewing vnlesse it could haue beene done more cleanely To returne these trickes of fast and loose to such a shifting Sophister as I haue proued the Refuter to be it is plaine that Beza speaketh simply of Iames as the chiefe in the Church of Ierusalem as wel in respect of the Apostles as the Presbyters there And therefore considereth him as an Apostle as well as a B. And if he had intended any such distinction as the Refuter imagineth hee should haue conceiued that Iames his honour and degree by his Bishopricke was impaired and that the Apostles in choosing him to be B. of Ierusalem should rather haue depressed him then done him honour But they thought it a singular honour to be the Apostle or Bishop of that Church which Christ himselfe had founded And therefore as Clement noteth the chiefe of the Apostles Peter Iames and Iohn though Christ had vouchsafed to them greater honour then the rest yet would not arrogate to themselues that honour but preferred Iames the iust the brother of our Lord thereunto and when it was void againe by his death they made choise of Simon the sonne of Cleophas for the same cause because he also was the Lords kinsman The graue censure of the Refuter is that Clements speech is vnsauourie and the respect carnall which Hegesippus and Eusebius alledge Thus is hee able as it were with a breath to blowe away these worthy Authors Hegesippus Clemens and Eusebius they are not able to stand before him But why vnsauourie when the Apostles were to be dispersed into diuers parts of the world was it not a speciall honour for one amongst them without that trauaile wandring wherto the rest were subiect to be set ouer the mother Church of Christendome which Christ himselfe had founded to be the Apostle of that people which had sundry prerogatiues aboue all other Nations and in respect of that place to haue a precedence before the other Apostles as Iames had Act. 15. Gal. 2 And why carnall were not they bound in respect of that loue and reuerence which they did owe to our Sauiour Christ to preferre his neere kinsmen according to the flesh being at the least equall with others It is certaine that Iames for his admirable piety was wonderfully honoured not onely among Christians but also among the vnbeleeuing Iewes as might easily be shewed in so much that Iosephus imputeth the destruction of Ierusalem to his death as to a principall cause But saith he if it had beene arrogancie in them why not in him That which had beene arrogancie in them to haue arrogated to themselues was no arrogancie in him to vndertake being imposed vpon him Yea but if it were so great a priuiledge why might it not haue aduanced him
owne confession was common to all Pastors though afterwards appropriated to some speciall persons as if he should haue said I grant that which here you doe proue but yet that followeth not hereon which you intended not That the Churches were Diocesses and the Bishops Diocesan like to ours for the substance of their office I proued before in the former part here I am so farre from inferring or prouing it that I presuppose it as sufficiently proued before But this is the poore shift which the refuter vsually flyeth vnto when he hath nothing to answere He perswaded himselfe such was his iudgement that in the question of parishes and Diocesses he had the vpper hand and therefore when he is foiled in any of the points following he flyeth to that as his refuge yea but though this be so as you say yet the Church was not a Diocese nor the Bishop a Diocesan But how little reason he hath to imagine Philippi one of the cheife Cities of Macedonia to haue beene a parish Church may be gathered by that which before hath beene said of the like Cities Where he saith I goe about to deceiue the reader with the like equiuocation of the word Bishop he doth me wrong But he and his consorts deceiue the readers when they would perswade them that because in the Apostles writings and for some part of the Apostles time the names Episcopus Presbyter were confounded namely vntill Bishops began to be chosen from among the Presbyters that therefore the offices were confounded For here I shew that when Presbyters were called Episcopi those who euer since the Apostles times haue beene called Bishops were then called the Agels and the Apostles of the Churches to whom as I noted before out of Theodoret those who were then called Episcopi that is Presbyters were subiect For as I said in the Sermon whiles the Episcopall power was in the Apostles and Apostolicke men those who had that power were called Apostles and therefore Ambrose by Apostles in some places of Scripture vnderstandeth Bishops and to the like purpose Cyprian Apostolos id est Episcopos praepositos dominus elegit the Lord chose Apostles that is Bishops and Gouernours For as Theodoret hath well obserued on 1 Tim. 3. In times past saith he they called the same men Presbyters and Bishops and those who now are called Bishops they named Apostles But in processe of time they left the name Apostle to those who are properly called Apostles and the name of Bishop they gaue to them who had beene called Apostles Thus Epaphroditus was the Apostle of the Philippians Titus of the Cretians and Timothie of the Asians Which testimony if it be conferred with some before cited out of Ierome the truth concerning this matter will appeare to be this Whiles the Bishops were Apostles and Apostolicke men for such were the first Bishops the Angels of the Churches were also called the Apostles of the Churches other Ministers being then called Presbyteri Episcopi indifferently but when the first Bishops being dead their successours were to be chosen out of the Presbyters which Ierome noteth to haue been done at Alexandria euer since the death of S. Marke and was done in all other places where were no Euangelists or Apostolicall men remayning then they left the name Apostle and for difference sake called him the Bishop Wherefore as I said in the Sermon it was not long that the name Episcopus was confounded with Presbyter For Ignatius who was a B. aboue thirtie yeares in the Apostles time after that Evodius had beene B. of Antioch aboue twenty yeares before him appropriateth the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a Bishop and vsually distinguisheth the three degrees of the Clergie as the Church euer since the Apostles hath distinguished them by these three names Bishop Presbyter and Deacon Yea but we may gather out of Theodorets testimonie saith the Refuter that the report which M. D. maketh of Ignatius his appropriating the name of Episcopus to a Diocesan Bishop is without any sufficient warrant For seeing Ignatius liued in the Apostles times and died within sixe yeares after S. Iohn and Theodoret saith that in processe of time the name of B. was imposed it is not likely Ignatius should be the imposer of it No man includeth the processe of time within the compasse of sixe yeares any man will thinke The processe of time wherof Theodoret speaketh was as appeareth by conference of him with Ierome in the Apostles time At the first towards the beginning of the Apostles time the Gouernours of the Churches were called Apostles but in processe of time when the first Bishops who had beene Apostles or Apostolicall men were dead and now were to be chosen out of the Presbyters which was towards the latter end of the Apostles times then they began to be called Episcopi Bishops And that this was so appeareth not onely by Ignatius who continually vseth the word as the first and highest degree of the Clergie Presbyters as the second and Deacons as the third but also by other monuments of antiquity which I mentioned in the Sermon I haue the longer insisted on this point because it is of great consequence For hereby it appeareth first that when the name Presbyter and Episcopus were confounded yet the offices of Bishops and Presbyters were not confounded Secondly that Bishops being then called Apostoli were superiour to other Ministers who were called Presbyteri Episcopi And lastly that such Bishops as were superiour to other Ministers were in the Apostles times and mentioned in the Apostles writings The IIII. CHAPTER Shewing the Places where and the Persons whom the Apostles ordayned BB but chiefly that Timothie was B. of Ephesus and Titus of Creet Serm. Sect. 7. pag. 72. But we are also to shew the places where and the persons whom the Apostles ordayned BB. and first out of the scriptures c. to all ordayned there pag. 75. IN this section and the two next following I proue that Timothie and Titus were by S. Paul ordayned Bishops the one of Ephesus the other of Creet and maintaine the same assertion against their obiections Afterwards I shew out of other the auncientest monuments of antiquitie that other BB. of other places were ordayned by the Apostles This saith the Refuter is the last supply to maintaine the former antecedent by shewing the places where and the persons whom the Apostles ordayned Bishops If this faile he is vndone As who should say that all which hitherto hath beene said hath by him beene very learnedly and sufficiently refuted When as in truth hee hath not beene able to confute any one sentence or line of the Sermon hitherto with soundnesse of reason or euidence of truth And the like assurance I haue of that which followeth Now that Timothie and Titus were by the Apostle ordained Bishops I proue by a two-fold reason which I ioyned together is thus to be
as well say that as one Presbyter in euery parish is superiour to the rest according to their conceipt so one Pastor which is the Bishop in euerie diocese is superiour to the other Pastors c. But indeed the superioritie of Bishops is so far from breeding the Papacy as the cause or originall that it was not so much as any direct occasion thereof Yea so farre vvas it from breeding the oecumenicall B. of the whole world that it did not breed the Patriarckeship in the maine parts of the world nor yet the superioritie of the Metropolitanes in the seuerall prouinces For the superioritie of Metropolitanes did arise as Beza supposeth from the very light of nature directing and force of necessitie vrging men to that course but as I rather thinke from the institution of the Apostles after whose times the first originall of them cannot be shewen For although actually they were not Primates till in the seuerall dioceses of the prouince Bishops were ordained yet the euent plainely sheweth it was from the beginning intended that the Bishop of the mother citie should be the chiefe in the prouince And you haue heard before how in the Apostles times Ignatius the B. of Antioch was the Metropolitane B. of Syria and in the age following Philippe the Metropolitane B of Creet and Irenaeus the B. of Lyons was the Metropolitane of the churches in France And although not long after the Patriarches were acknowledged and in the councill of Nice established in a godly policie as Caluin Beza and Zanchius confesse yet neither did the superioritie of Bishops breede them nor they the Papacy The true originall of the superioritie of Bishops Metropolitanes and Patriarches in their circuites was the patterne of ciuill gouernment in the Romane Empire diuided into certaine precinâ—ts which the Church did follow Whereas therefore to each citie the countrey adioyning was subiect the Apostles first placed Bishops in the cities committing to their charge not only the citie but countrey subiect to it which wee call a Diocese wherein from the beginning there was neuer more lawfully then one B. and whereas in euery prouince wherein were many Cities there was one Metropolis or mother citie where the ruler of that prouince was seated in like manner so soone as Bishops were placed in the seuerall cities they acknowledged the B. of their mother citie their primate and chiefe B. of the Prouince And as the whole Empire was diuided among certaine gouernours who were called praefecti praetorio whereof one was placed in Rome hauing the gouernment of Italy Affricke and part of Illyricum A second in Alexandria hauing the rule of Egypt Lybia Pentapolis c. A third at Antioch ruling Syria and other countreyes of the East A fourth in France gouerning France Germanie Spaine and Britaine so the diuers prouinces subiect to the praefecti praetorio at least the three former were subiected to the Bishops of the same sees who afterwards were called Patriarches whose Patriarchal authoritie was ratified in the Councill of Nice to wit that according to the auncient custome the B. of Rome should haue the care sub vrbicarum prouinciarum as Ruffinus reporteth that Canon that is as I suppose of the prouinces belonging to that pretorian prefecture that the B. of Alexandria should haue the gouernment of Egypt Lybia and Pentapolis and the B. of Antioch the regiment of Syria and other countreyes in the East After Constantinople was built and made the seat of the Empire diuers countreyes were subiect to the prefecture and consequently to the Bishopricke thereof Neither as I said did the superioritie of Patriarches though perhaps larger then was absolutely needfull because the Ecclesiasticall causes of euery prouince might be sufficiently determined in the prouincial Synodes notwithstanding I say it did not breede the Popes supremacie Which did arise from another occasion which was this The Bishop of Constantinople considering that the Churches of Alexandria and Antioch had that prerogatiue which they had because they were seates of praefecti praetorio and Rome because it had beene the seate not onely of the praefectus but of the Emperour himselfe though at that time in respect of ciuill gouernment it were subiect to the Exarch of Rauenna for which cause the Archbishop of Rauenna contended with the B. of Rome for the superioritie and with all remembring that Constantinople vvas the seate of the Empire contended therefore that as the Emperour who had his seate at Constantinople was the Monarch of the world so himselfe might be acknowledged the vniuersall B. or oecumenicall Patriarch The which ambition though it were condemned by Gregorie the B. of Rome as Antichristian for there is no vniuersall B. or head of the whole Church but Christ yet his successor Boniface the third did imitate and exceede Alledging that Rome whereof hee was Bishop was the ancient seate of the Empire and that the Emperour though hee remained at Constantinople yet hee was the Romane Emperour At length with much a doe and contention obtained of the Emperour Phocas not only that he should be called an Oecumenicall Patriarch for that title the B. of Constantinople hauing once vsurped enioyed it as well as hee and doth retayne it to this day but that his See should be head of all Churches And this was the true originall of the Popes supremacie Serm sect 12. pag. 89. Secondly they vrge Ieromes inference in that place Presbyters at the first ruled the Church by common counsell therefore the BB. and they ought to rule the Church in common still The refuter denyeth this inference to be Ieromes or that any hath vrged such an inference from him When indeed the inference plainely is Ieromes and is that which among all their obiections is to best purpose obiected by the Disciplinarians Ierome had said before that in the writings of the Apostles Episcopus and Presbyter is all one and that before factions did arise by the instinct of the Diuell some saying I am of Paul c. the Churches were gouerned by the common counsell of Presbyters c. Of those speeches when hee had made a briefe recitall haecpropterea c. he maketh an inference to this effect that for as much as Episcopus and Presbyter were all one at the first therefore both Presbyters should know themselues to be subiect to the B. and BB superiour to the Presbyters by the custome of the Church c. And for as much as at the first the churches were gouerned by the common councell of the Presbyters as vnder the Apostles that therefore the B. being set ouer the Presbyters should not altogether exclude them but should in communi EcclesiaÌ„ regere rule the church in common imitating Moses who when hee had in his power to rule the people of Israel alone chose seauenty with whom he might iudge the people Which obiection being better then any the refuter hath made in this booke I will not let it passe without some
A DEFENCE OF THE SERMON Preached at the Consecration of the L. Bishop of Bath and VVelles against a confutation thereof by a namelesse Author Diuided into 4 Bookes The first prouing chiefly that the lay or onely-gouerning Elders haue no warrant either in the Scriptures or other monuments of Antiquity The second shewing that the primitiue Churches indued with power of Ecclesiasticall gouernment were not Parishes properly but Dioceses and consequently that the Angels of the Churches or ancient Bishops were not parishionall but Diocesan Bishops The third defending the superioritie of Bishops aboue other Ministers and prouing that Bishops alwayes had a prioritie not onely in order but also in degree and a maioritie of power both for ordination and iurisdiction The fourth maintayning that the Episcopall function is of Apostolicall and diuine institution By GEORGE DOWNAME Doctor of Diuinitie LONDON Printed by Thomas Creed William Hall and Thomas Snodham 1611. TO THE MOST High and mighty Monarch Iames by the grace of God King of great Britayne France and Ireland defender of the faith c. All true happinesse and prosperitie in this life and eternall felicitie in the life to come THE prudent speech of the politicke Historiographer most gracious and dread Soueraigne is in some sort verified of vs in this Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those which be in the middest are slaine or at the least wise assayled on both sides The Romanists on the one side blaming vs for departing too farre from the Church of Rome our innouatours accusing vs on the other side for comming too neare the same Which contrarie accusations of men being in contrarie extreames are a good euidence for vs that wee hold the meane For neither are wee departed further from the now-Roman church then it hath swarued by Apostasie from the auncient Church of Christ to which in departing from them wee are returned neither haue wee retayned eyther for the substance of Doctrine or for the forme of Discipline any thing almost agreeing with them which with them wee haue not receiued eyther from the doctrine or institution of the Apostles or from the approued practise of the Primitiue Church The which as it is to be acknowledged to the high praise of God and to the singular commendation of your Maiestie so also to the contentation and ioy of all your louing subiects God hauing vouchsafed vnto vs this especiall fauour for which his name is euer to be praised and magnified among vs that there is not a Church vnder the Sunne which both for the substance of Doctrine and forme of Discipline doth come so neare the patterne of the Prime and Apostolicall Churches as these vnder your gracious gouernment Your Maiestie also hauing beene a blessed instrument of God not onely for the retayning of the truely Catholike and Apostolicke doctrine and religion in all your Dominions but also for the establishing of the auncient and Apostolicall gouernment where it was in vse before and likewise for renewing and restoring the same though to your great cost and charges where it was formerly abolished These vnestimable benefits if wee in this land doe not acknowledge and professe our selues to haue receiued from God by your Maiestie wee must confesse our selues to be not onely vnthankefull both to God who is the gracious Authour and to your Highnesse who are the happie meanes of these benefits but also vnworthy to enioy them If we doe according to our bounden duetie acknowledge so much it remayneth that wee should testifie our thankefulnes to GOD Almightie as in respect of his true Doctrine and sound religion continued among vs by walking worthy our calling and by adorning the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things so also in regard of the Apostolicall forme of gouernment established among vs by a due and respectiue countenancing of it on all hands For howsoeuer a great number in these dayes haue thought so much the better of themselues by how much they haue thought the worse of Bishops yet is it most certaine that the contempt of Bishops is the cause if not of all euill which notwithstanding Chrysostome seemeth to affirme yet of very much euill among vs. This contempt therefore is diligently to be preuented and auoided as by the godly and religious care both of your Highnes in preferring worthy men to this high and sacred function and of the reuerend Bishops in shewing themselues worthy of that honour whereof they would and indeed should be accounted worthy so also by instructing the people to conceiue a right of this holy and honourable calling And for as much as the pernicious schisme and diuision which is among vs proceedeth from an erroneous conceipt eyther that the Presbyterian Discipline is the holy ordinance of Christ or that the gouernment by Bishops is vnlawfull and Antichristian I was perswaded for my part that I could not performe a seruice eyther more acceptable vnto God or more profitable to his Church then to publish those arguments for the satisfaction of others which had perswaded mine owne soule not onely that the Presbyterian Discipline is a meere humane inuention and new deuise hauing no ground eyther in the Scriptures or other monuments of Antiquitie but also that the Episcopall function is of Apostolicall and Diuine institution And whereas my Sermon published in defence of the holy and honourable calling of Bishops hath been eagerly oppugned by a namelesse refuter I thought my selfe bound in conscience to deliuer the truth which I had defended from his sophisticall cauillations The which through Gods good blessing vpon my labours I haue so performed that there is scarce any one sentence of the Sermon if any at all oppugned by the aduersarie which I haue not defended by plaine euidence of truth These my labours I haue presumed to dedicate to your Maiestie as the principall Patrone vnder Christ of that truth which I defend not onely intreating your Highnes to accept in good part my poore endeauours but also commending my selfe and them to your most gracious Patronage and Royall protection The King of Kings blesse prosper and preserue your excellent Maiestie to his glorie the good of his Church and your owne euerlasting comfort Amen Your Maiesties most dutifull and loyall subiect GEORGE DOVVNAME The Contents of this Booke The first booke treateth chiefly of lay-Lay-elders CHap. 1. Answering the Refuters Preamble concerning the Authour and matter of the Sermon and the Text. Chap. 2. Deuiding the Sermon and defending the first part thereof which he calleth the Preface Chap. 3. Defending the two first sections concerning Elders and prouing that there were no Presbyters in the primitiue Church but Ministers Chap. 4. Contayning the first reason why lay-Lay-elders are not proued out of the 1 Tim. 5.17 Chap. 5. Maintayning the second reason Chap. 6. Mayntaining the third reason Chap. 7. That Ambrose on 1 Tim. 5.1 doth not giue testimonie to Lay-elders and that their exposition of Ambrose is vntrue Chap. 8.
not onely said but proued also both in the preface conclusion of the sermon that it is both profitable and necessarie The third It is necessarie indeed to be confuted As if he had said it is necessarie indeed to be confuted therefore it is most needfull to be answered Of these reasons the two first he proueth in the words following the third being as you see nothing else but an absurd begging of the question The first he proueth by diuerse arguments such as they be First then the doctrine of the SermoÌ„ is proued to be vtterly false because it is repugnant to the truth to the word of truth to the scripture of truth But how after al these ridiculous amplifications is the doctrine of the sermon proued to be repugnant to the word of truth he had rather take it for granted then that you should put him to proue it But I shall make it cleare in this defence of my sermon that as there is not a sillable in the scripture to proue the pretended discipline so the Episcopall function hath good warrant in the word of God But when in the second place he proueth the doctrine of the sermoÌ„ to be vtterly false because it is coÌ„trary to the iudgement practise of the prime Churches next after Christ his Apostles I caÌ„not tel whether to woÌ„der at more the blindnesse or the impudencie of the man Seeing I haue made it manifest that the gouernement of the Church by BB. hath the full consent of antiquitie there being not one testimonie of the ancient writers for their Iudgement nor one example of the primitiue churches for their practise to be alleadged to the contrarie How durst he mention the iudgement and practise of the primitiue Church for the triall of the truth in this question when there is not one testimonie for the preteÌ„ded discipline nor one example of it in all antiquitie let them bring any one pregnant either testimonie or example and I will yeeld in the whole cause And where he addeth that it is contrarie to the iudgement and practise of all reformed Churches since the reestablishing of the Gospell by the worthies in these latter times is it not strange that a maÌ„ professing sinceritie should so ouerreach seeing a farre greater part of the reformed Churches is gouerned by BB. and Superintendents then by the presbyterian discipline as I haue shewed in the latter ende of this booke But he addeth foure notorious vntruthes concerning our owne land saying that it is against the doctrine of our Martyrs contrarie to the professed iudgement of all our worthie writers contrariant to the lawes of our land and contrarying the doctrine of the Church of England The first he expresseth thus Against the doctrine of our immediate forefathers some of whom were worthy Martyrs he quoteth in the Margent Latimer Cranmer c who in their submission to king Henry the 8. at the abolishing of the Popes authoritie out of England acknowledge with subscription that the disparitie of Ministers Lordly primacy of B B. was but a politicke deuise of the Fathers not any ordinance of Christ Iesus and that the gouernement of the Church by the Minister certaine Seniors or Elders in euery parish was the ancient discipline Which allegations would make a faire shew if they might passe vnexamined The witnesses which he quoteth for both were Archbishop Cranmer other BB. who allowing the Episcopall function both in iudgement and practise it is almost vncredible that any testimonies can from them be soundly alleadged against the same And I doe greatly wonder at the large conscience of our reâ—uter in this behalfe who throughout the booke taketh wonderfull libertie in citing Authors alleadging as their testimonies his owne conceits which he brought not from their writings but to them For the former he alleageth the booke of Martyrs whereunto that part of the BB. booke which he mentioneth is inserted which hauing pervsed I finde nothing at all concerning the superioritie of BB. ouer other Ministers that which is said concerneth the superioritie of BB. among themselues all whom with the ancient Fathers I do confesse in respect of the power of Order to be equall as were also the Apostles whose successours they are But we may not inferre because the Apostles were equall among themselues that therefore they were not superiour to the 72. disciples or because BB. are equall among themselues that therefore they are not superiour to other ministers For the latter he quoteth the book called Reformatio legum EcclesiasticaruÌ„ Which was a proiect of Ecclesiasticall lawes which if King Edward the 6. had liued should haue been set forth by his authoritie drawne by Archbishop Cranmer B. May other Commissioners and penned as is supposed by D. Haddon In alleadging whereof whiles the refuter goeth about to make the reader belieue that they stood for Lay-Elders and the pretended parish-discipline he plaieth the part of an egregious falsifier And forasmuch as sometimes in his booke he citeth the 10. and 11. chapters I will transcribe the same the bare recitall beeing a sufficieÌ„t coÌ„futation of his forged allegatioÌ„s For amoÌ„g other orders to be obserued in parochijs vrbanis in parishes which be in cities which begin at the 6. chapter of that title de diuin off in the tenth this order is prescribed CoÌ„fectis precibus vespertinis c. euening prayers being ended whereunto after the Sermon there shal be a concourse of all in their owne Churches the principall Minister whoÌ„ they call Parochum the Parson or Pastor the Deacon if perhaps they be present or in their abseÌ„ce the Ministers Vicar Seniors are to coÌ„sult with the people how the money prouided for godly vses may best be bestowed and to the same time let the discipline be reserued For they who haue committed publike wickedness to the common offence of the Church are to be called to the knowledge of their sinne and publikely to be punished that the Church by their holesome correction may be kept in order Moreouer the Minister going a side with some of the Seniors or Ancients of the parish shall take counsell how others whose maners are said to be naught and whose life is found out to be wicked first may be talked withall in brotherly charity according to Christs precept in the Gospell by sober and honest men by whose admonitions if they shall reforme themselues thankes is duely to be giuen to God But if they shall goe on in their wickednes they are to receiue such sharpe punishment as we see in the Gospell prouided against their contumacie Then followeth the 11. chapter how excommunication is to be exercised But when the sentence of excommunication is to be pronounced first the Bishop is to be gone vnto and his sentence to be knowne Who if he shall consent and put too his authoritie the sentence of excommunication is to be denounced before the whole congregation that therein so
is to their Parish Bishop a Consistorie of Lay or onely gouerning Elders Out of which words they frame this proposition They which haue not onely supreme but also sole authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall are absolute Popelings hereto they adde an assumption of their owne All Diocesan Bishops haue not onely supreme but also sole authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall and from thence inferre their victorious triumphing conclusion therefore all Diocesan Bishops are absolute Popelings And this they say is mine owne reason whereby I make Diocesan Bishops absolute Popelings Mine owne reason in which there is nothing mine but the proposition which also is stretched beyond not onely my meaning but euen my words this proposition I denie not may bee framed out of my words they who giue to a Bishop not onely supreme but also sole authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall doe seeme to set vp an absolute Popeling From which words if they had bene retained this might haue bene concluded if I did giue to our Bishops both supreme and sole authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall as I doe not that then I might seeme to set vp absolute Popelings But it were well with my aduersaries if to seeme and to bee were all one And yet I doe not so much as seeme to anie that is wise and indifferent to make our Bishops as they say absolute Popelings The application of this to the BB. is made in the assumption which is both false and foolish and is not mine but theirs They say it is not onely impleyed and intended but is one of the chiefe and principall points I vndertake to proue throughout my Sermon But their saying is false and friuolous How doe they prooue it For the question beeing saith our refuter whether the Churches should bee gouerned by Pastors and Elders or by Diocesan Bishops whereas they say by Pastors and Elders adioyning the Elders to the Pastors and making them both subiect to the whole congregation c. M.D. taketh all from them all and putteth the reynes into his Diocesan alone so making him by his owne rule the absolute Popeling Here I intreate the Reader to keepe in store for future vse the state of the question as it is here propounded by the refuter In the meane time let vs after his owne manner examine his argument The question being whether the Churches should be gouerned by Pastors and Elders for I will for your credites sake leaue out that Brownisticall and Anabaptisticall dotage concerning the chiefe authoritie of the people or by Diocesan BB. whosoeuer taketh all from Pastors and Elders and shall I adde the people too and putteth the reynes into the hands of the Diocesan alone he giueth him not onely supreme but also sole authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall and so maketh him an absolute Popeling But the question being as I said M. D. taketh all authoritie from the Pastors Elders and people and putteth the reynes into the hands of the Diocesan Bishop alone Therefore M. D. giueth to the Diocesan not onely supreme but also sole authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall and so by his owne rule maketh him an absolute Popeling Sect. 10. To let you see how the refuter climbeth a ladder of vntruthes to seat our Bishops in the Papacy I will begin with his assumption wherein are two vntruthes First that I take all authoritie from the Pastors Elders and people The Elders indeed I reiect as a new deuise in the parishioners I acknowledge some authoritie in choosing or consenting to the choyse of some Church-officers but authoritie to gouerne much lesse to ordaine depose and depriue their Pastor I know not any They are the sheepe which must heare their pastors voyce and be obedient to their spirituall guides They are the flocke which must be ruled and taught not followed and obeyed As touching the pastors of parishes I leaue to them that pastorall power which euer was granted to them since the first distinguishing of parishes and allotting of seuerall Presbyters to them that is to say both poâ—â—statem ordinis the power of order as they are Ministers potestatem iurisdictionis spiritualis seu internae a power of spirituall and inward iurisdiction to rule their flocke after a priuate manner as it were in foro conscientiae in the court of conscience as they are pastors of that flocke By which power they rule and guide their flocke not onely in their publike Ministery but also in their priuate attendance or if yee will so call it superintendence as occasion shal be offered For as touching their publicke ministery they are the leaders and guides of the people in Gods seruice they preach the word therein teaching confuting instructing reprouing correcting their hearers they administer the sacraments as the stewards of Gods house by the one admitting into Gods family those which belong to his couenant by the other nourishing the houshold of Christ in due season and both by the word and sacraments exercising so much of the power of the keyes as of right belongeth to them as well binding the notoriously scandalous and impenitent by denouncing the threatnings of God against them in the word and by repelling them for the time from the sacrament as also loosing the penitent belieuers by applying to them the gracious promises of the Gospell and adding thereto the sacraments as seales So that all power is not taken from the pastors neither is all giuen to the Bishop alone For in the gouernement of the Church others are ioyned with him some vnder him some aboue him Vnder him in the mother Church or Cathedrall the Deane and Chapter which in the ancient Church as hereafter wee shall shewe were called Archpresbyters and presbyteri ciuitatis in the other Churches of the Diocesse diuided into seuerall precincts the Archdeacons and rurall Deanes gouerning them as the Chorepiscopi were wont in the primitiue Church Not to speake of the Chancellers and Officials the former being adioyned to the Bishops the latter to the Archdeacons by reason of their skill in the Ecclesiasticall lawes Aboue him not onely the Archbishop and his courts but also the prouinciall Synodes assembling chiefly for ordaining Ecclesiasticall Canons and constitutions by which the Bishops are to rule and to be ruled In making whereof though the Ecclesiasticall authoritie especially appeareth yet neither all the Bishops alone and much lesse any one Bishop concludeth any thing but with the consent of the Presbytery And therefore this may to the former authoritie of Ministers be added that in making Ecclesiasticall lawes they haue a voyce either by themselues if they be sent to the Synode or by such as themselues shall choose Sect. 11. In the proposition likewise are two vntruthes For first it is not generally true as it is necessarily intended in the proposition for otherwise the Syllogisme is a meere Paralogisme that whosoeuer doth giue to the Bishop alone the power which is taken from the seuerall pastors with their Elders and parishes doth straightwaies
giue the sole authoritie Ecclesiasticall to the Bishop Indeed if we were so madde as to thinke that there were no Ecclesiasticall gouernement but parishionall there were something in his speech But when besides and aboue the gouernement not onely parishionall but also Diocesan we acknowledge a superiour authoritie in the Archbishop and his courts in the prouinciall synodes especially that authoritie of making Church-lawes whereby both Dioceses and parishes are to be ruled it is apparent that although I did take all authoritie from parish-bishops and their Elders yet it would not follow that I giue the whole authoritie Ecclesiasticall to the Diocesan alone But that which hee saith of my ascribing the supreme authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall to the Diocesan Bishops that is the supreme and the loudest lye and maketh the assumption of his chiefe Syllogisme most euidently false Doe I or any of vs say that the Diocesan Bishop hath the supreme authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall doth not our Church subiect the Bishop to the Archbishop and prouinciall Synodes doth not appeale lye from the sentence of the Bishop to the Archbishop and likewise from him to the Kings Delegates doth not himselfe acknowledge pag. 69. the Bishops so to be subiected to the two Archbishops as that if we may iudge by the outward appearance and practise we may in his opinion seeme to haue but two Churches and those prouinciall the one of Canterbury and the other of Yorke doe wee not all with one consent acknowledge the Kings Maiestie to haue the supreme authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall and whereas the greatest authoritie of Churchmen is exercised in Synodes and the greatest authoritie of Synodes is the making of Church-lawes yet the ratification of them we submit to the King according to the Practise of the ancient Churches liuing vnder Orthodoxall Kings in so much that they and all our Church-lawes are called the Kings Ecclesiasticall lawe Now then if neither I take all authoritie from the pastors nor giue all to the Bishops nor ascribe vnto them◠sole nor supreme authoritie what haue the libellers gained by all their triumphing outcryes but the manifestation of their owne manifold vntruthes Yea but the title of absolute Popelings agreeth better to our Diocesan BB. then to their parish BB. Neither did I say that they are such but that if they did not ioyne vnto them a consistory of Elders they would seeme to set vp not onely a Popeling but an absolute Popeling in euery parish a petite pope indeed their pastor is in regard of that supremacy they ascribe vnto him making him the supreme Ecclesiasticall officer in euery Church which wee deny to our Bishops and were it not that hee hath a consistory ioyned to him as the Pope hath of Cardinals hee would bee more then a pope And againe whereas our Bishops are to be guided by lawes which by their superiors are imposed vpon them their pastors with their Elders and people hauing as the Pope saith he hath a supreme immediate and independent authoritie sufficient for the gouernement of their Churches in all causes Ecclesiastical and therefore for making of Ecclesiasticall lawes they are to be gouerned by their owne lawes For the chiefe thing in Ecclesiasticall gouernement is the authoritie to prescribe lawes Ecclesiasticall If therefore each parish hath as they say it hath sufficient authoritie within it selfe for the gouernement of it selfe in all causes Ecclesiasticall immediately deriued from Christ then questionlesse they haue authoritie to prescribe lawes Ecclesiasticall And as the Pope doth not acknowledge the superioritie of a synode to impose lawes vpon him no more doe they They will giue synodes leaue to deliberate of that which may be best and to perswade thereto but they will not be ruled by them As for the Kings supremacie in causes Ecclesiastical how it may stand with their maine assertion wherein they ascribe to euery parish an independent authoritie immediately deriued from Christ sufficient for the gouernement of it selfe in all causes Ecclesiasticall I will not dispute Serm. Sect. 3. pag. 5. Concerning the secōd viz. what was the preheminence of these BB. in the Churches in respect whereof they are called the Angels of the Churches others more wise and learned then the former granting they were BB. of whole cities the countries adioyning that is to say of Dioceses notwithstanding the sway of the gouernement they ascribe to the Presbyteries of those Churches consisting partly of Ministers and partly of annual or Lay-presbyters making these Angels or Bishops nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or presidents of those Presbyteries and such presidents as were not superior to other Ministers in degree c. to pag. 6. in their turnes Of the two points seruing to shew by way of explication of the text what manner of Bishops were meant by the Angels the latter I propounded in this section to be examined A reason whereof I alledge a controuersie betwixt vs and another sort of disciplinarians who are as I said more wise and learned then the former who though they grant that which the former denied yet doe greatly differ from vs concerning the preheminence which the Angels or ancient Bishops had in the Churches So that in this section are 2. things first the proposition of the second point concerning the preheminence of BB. in respect whereof they were called the Angels of the Churches secondly a reason thereof To the proposition he answereth that they had this name Angels in regard of their generall calling of the ministerie not because of any soueraignetie or supremacie ouer other their fellow Ministers as he saith I imply here and plainely but vntruely affirme afterwards In which fewe words are 2. vntruthes Whereof the former is an errour that they are to tearmed in respect of their generall calling of the ministery For though to be called Angels generally agreeth to all Ministers yet for one and but one among many Ministers in one and the same Church to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called the Angell of that Church is not a common title belonging to all Ministers in regard of their generall calling but a peculiar stile belonging to one who had singular preheminence aboue the rest that is to say a Bishop So saith D. Raynolds in the Church of Ephesus though it had sundry Elders and pastors to guide it yet among those sundry was there one chiefe whō our Sauiour calleth the Angell of the Church and writeth that to him which by him the rest should know And this is he whom afterward in the primitiue Church the fathers called Bishop As touching the latter where he saith that I doe here imply that the Bishops haue a soueraignety or supremacy ouer other Ministers and afterwards doe affirme it plainely that plainely is a plaine lie Soueraignetie and supremacy ouer other Ministers none but Papists giue to their Bishop and they to none but to the Bishop of Rome Superioritie indeed belongeth to
Bishops ouer other Ministers and so much is intended in this place To the reason if it had beene obscure hee should haue answered as Aristotle teacheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I vnderstand not For better were it to plead ignorance then to wrangle with that he doth not or will not vnderstand For I doe plainely note in the Sermon two sorts of disciplinarians who are opposite vnto vs in this controuersie the one a new sect of disciplinarians lately risen amongst vs who haue coyned the new-found parish discipline which commeth nearer the practise of the Brownists then of any well ordered Church of whom I spake in the former point the other a sort of graue and learned diuines such as Caluin and Beza c. who stand for that discipline which is practised in Geneua and some other reformed Churches shewing that as they doe not consent with our newe disciplinarians in the former point so they dissent from vs in the latter touching the superioritie of Bishops The refuter vnderstandeth all as a grant made by them whereof some part hee acknowledgeth to be true the rest he reiecteth as false And though in neither he doe vnderstand what was intended yet hee is as bold as blind Bayard to blunder out this blustering speech that with one breath I blowe out both truth and falshood Neither doubteth he though meerely ignorant of that which he auoucheth to charge me with foure vntruthes denying 1. that they grant Bishops which here are called Angels to haue beene set ouer Dioceses that is to say the whole citie and countrey adioyning 2 That they teach the onely gouerning Elders to be lay or annuall 3 That the Angels of the Churches were nothing else but presidents of the Presbyteries 4 That their presidentshippe was onely for a weeke or a moneth and that by course as being common to them in their turnes For the manifestation of the truth in all these points I shall not need to seeke further then to the writings of Caluin and Beza Sect. 14. As touching the first Caluin teacheth that in the primitiue Church when in the gouernement thereof there was nothing almost dissonant from Gods word each citie had a colledge of Presbyters who were Pastors and Doctors and that to euery citie was assigned a certaine region which should receiue their Presbyters meaning the pastors of seuerall parisnes from thence and should be accoumpied as part of that Church Euery Colledge was subiect to some one Bishop But if the countrey which was vnder his Bishopricke was larger then that he could in all places discharge all the functions of a Bishop in certaine places throughout the countrey were appointed certaine Presbyters who in busines of lesse importance should be in his steed These were called Chorepiscopi because in the prouince they represented the Bishop Likewise Beza teacheth that the first distribution of the Church into Dioceses was framed according to the diuision of the prouinces vnder the Romane Empier into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were precincts of gouernement which Plinie calleth conuentus iurisdictiones in the chiefe cities whereof the presidents kept their courts of iudgment of which sort Pliny reckneth 9. in Asia the lesse fiue whereof are mentioned in the Apocalypse viz. Laodicea Sardes Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Neither are we saith he to imagine that this order at the first proceeded rather from a councill or decree of the ancient fathers assembled together then from the very instinct of nature and instigation of necessitie Now saith hee in the chiefe Towne of euery Diocesse the first Presbiter who afterwards by a dangerous Catachresis was called a Bishoppe in the daily common iurisdiction Praeerat caeteris tum vrbanis tum alijs eius regionis com-Presbyteris id est totj Diocoesi was President ouer his fellow Presbyters both of the Citie and Countrey that is the whole Diocese And because sometimes the Countrey was of larger extent then that all vpon euery occasion could conueniently meete in the Citie and forasmuch as other small Cities and Townes did neede commune inspection or ouersight they also had their Chorepiscopi that is Countrey-Bishops or Vice-Bishops For the second that they acknowledge their onely gouerning Elders to be of the Laitie it is plaine For whereas Caluin diuideth the Church into two Orders or Ranks Clerum sc. plebem the Clergie and Laitie hee plainely saith that these Elders are chosen from among the Laitie And forasmuch as being chosen they doe not become to bee of the Clergie hee must needes meane that they still continue to be of the Laitie And that hee thought they should be annuall the order of the Church of Geneua by him set downe doth declare Both which points Beza acknowledgeth together In this Citie of Geneua saith hee those gouerning Elders which in the title of the chapter hee called annuall are chosen yearely not of the baser sort of the people but out of the very order of 25.60 and 200. men which be the councills of state in Geneua 2. being chosen out of the 25.4 out of the 60. and 6. out of 200. not without the knowledge and consent of the people I say euery yeare newe are chosen or the olde confirmed So euery where saith hee in other free Churches according to the condition of the place the like choice is obserued For of the Laitie some are chosen to this Eldership in Scotland yearely in the Low-Countreyes they are chosen for 2. yeares the halfe of them being changed euery yeare Now it may not be doubted but that those which bee of the 25. or 60. or 200. in Geneua being all States-men as their gouerning-Elders bee are Lay-men Againe great consideration must bee had saith Beza that Princes and Noble men and such as haue authoritie and preheminence in the Church bee chosen to be of the Seignorie And surely saith he in another place prouing that there ought to bee such Elders of the Laitie ioyned to the Ministers vnlesse some chosen men out of the bodie of the whole congregation doe sit in that assemblie whereby the whole Church is gouerned Scarcely shall the vniuersall name of that Church agree to that assemblie wherewith notwithstanding Christ adorneth it Namely because they being chosen out of all the parts of the whole Church should represent the whole Church His reason therefore is that as the whole Church consisteth of the Clergie and Laytie So that Senate which is to represent the whole Church must consist not onely of the Clergie but of the Laitie also And in another place he prooueth by a necessary disiunction as he thinketh that if there must bee a Presbyterie at all a good part thereof must be chosen out of the Laitie Whence doe they thinke they are to be chosen if not of them whom they call Lay-men c. Thirdly that they make the Angels of the Churches or ancient BB. in respect of their superioritie
as a conclusion to be proued in the last part pag. 55. and is indeed not the proposition but the conclusion of the Syllogisme which himselfe frameth he would against sense make the Reader belieue was by me propounded as the proposition of his Syllogisme As for the proposition which he assigneth to me I did not expresse but tooke it for granted in the collection of the doctrine out of the text which may be collected after this manner Bishops are such as are here meant by the Angels of the Churches therefore their function is lawfull and good Of which collection if any man should make doubt the consequence would be proued by the addition of the proposition The calling of such as are here meant by the Angels of the Churches is lawfull and good c. Wherefore as there were two distinct parts propounded by me so if he had drawne the same into two distinct Syllogismes concluding the same question and not confounded the parts of the Sermon to make the principall branches thereof to seeme heterogeneall or superfluous he had not much missed of my proiect The former Syllogisme as I haue said might be this The calling of such as are here meant by the Angels is lawfull and good Diocesan BB. are such as are here meant by the Angels therefore the calling of Diocesan BB. is lawfull and good The proposition I tooke for granted and therefore did not expresse it The assumption is the same with the former assertion and is proued by the foure first points The conclusion I did not expresse being implyed in the collection of the doctrine out of the text The latter Syllogisme is this That calling which is of appostolicall and diuine institution is lawfull and good The calling of Diocesan BB. is of apostolical diuine institution Therefore it is lawfull and good of this Syllogisme the assumption is the same with the fift point here propounded So that of the fiue points which I propounded not any one is either impertinent or superfluous the foure former seruing to proue the former assertion which is the assumption of the former Syllogisme the fift and last being the assumption of the second Syllogisme As for the second Syllogisme which he assigneth to me I vtterly disclaime it because as no one part thereof is propounded by me so both the premisses are false and contrarie to my meaning For neither to the Angels of the Churches nor to the Bishops doe I ascribe that sole power of ordination and iurisdiction which he speaketh of as after shall appeare But that his Analysis of my Sermon was meerely forced against the light of his owne conscience appeareth first by the quarrels which thereout he hath raised seeing by his Analysis of the fiue parts the first seemeth impertinent the last superfluous the three in the middes not prouing that for which as he saith they are brought For could he perswade himselfe that his Analysis or resolution was answerable to my Genesis or composition of the Sermon when he saw two parts of the fiue could not be brought to his frame and the other three not to be sutable vnto it Secondly by the distribution of my Sermon and the transitions which I vse wholy disagreeing from his Analysis Thirdly by the Analysis propounded here by my selfe and by the defence of the seuerall parts here ensuing wherein I shall by the helpe of God manifestly proue that neither the first of the fiue was impertinent nor the last superfluous nor the other three concluding besides the purpose But now we are to intreate of them seuerally hauing first giuen you to vnderstand that he diuideth the body of my Sermon as he calleth it into fiue parts euery part into diuerse sections as namely the first which concerneth the Eldership into eight sections in all which the summe of that which I maintaine is this that there were no other Presbyters in the primitiue Church but Ministers CHAP. III. Defending the two first Sections concerning Elders Serm. Sect. 1. pag. 8. And first I am to shew that there were no other Presbyters in the primitiue Church but Ministers A sufficient proofe whereof may be this c to obtrude vpon vs in the end of the 8. pag. AS touching this first point the refuter endeuoureth two things First as hee saith he wardeth and repelleth my blowes and then that we may see what a man he is of his hands he sheweth that he also can strike if need be His former act is a reproofe of my treatise the latter a proofe of his owne assertion And first in grosse he reiecteth the whole discourse of Elders as impertinent and after descendeth to the particulars For the first Reason would saith he that M. D. had shewed vs how this first point pertaineth to the proofe of the matter in question Whatsoeuer he conceiue of it I discerne not what affinitie it can haue with any member of his former assumption c. I might answere that common sense would that what he seem done he should conceiue and acknowledge to be done And charitie would which selfe loue would not that if he discerned not the affinitie of this point with his pretended assumption he should rather haue suspected his owne Analysis to be forced then haue blamed me for his owne want of iudgement But that he may discerne this passage concerning Elders to be pertinent to the matter in question I would but intreat him to take notice what is in question betweene vs. The question discussed in the Sermon is twofold The first de facto whether the primitiue Church were gouerned by Diocesan Bishops as we say or by Presbyteries of such Elders as they spake of The second de iure whether the Church may lawfully be gouerned by Bishops as we hold or must needs be gouerned by their Presbyteries as they affirme The first questiō is handled in the former part of the Sermon the second in the latter The question debated in the former part of the Sermon I say againe is this whether the primitiue Churches were gouerned by Diocesan Bishops such as for the substance of their calling ours be or by such Presbyteries as the Presbyterians stand for And those either parishionall consisting of the Parish-Bishop and a company of lay or onely gouerning Elders as the new and shallow sort of disciplinarians doe boldly though ignorantly affirme or Presbyteries in the cities consisting of the president and other Presbyters whereof some are Ministers but the greater some lay or onely gouerning Elders as the Elder and more learned sort of disciplinarians doe teach In this question as the refuter will confesse vnlesse he will confesse himselfe to be ignorant in logicke this disiunction is implyed either the Church was gouerned by Diocesan Bishops as we say or by such Presbyteries as they speake of And this disiunction though it be not absolutely necessarie yet is it necessarie ex hypothesi and so presupposed on both sides For this being the
question whether the Church were gouerned by Bishops or such Presbyteries it is granted on both sides and agreed vpon betwixt vs that it was gouerned either by the one or by the other and that one and but one of these assertions is true For if both parts of the question or disiunction were true it were but a foolish question as the Phylosopher saith And that this is the question betweene vs the refuter hath truely witnessed in respect of the parts of the disiunction though in the latter he falsifieth my assertion where he saith the question betweene vs is whether the Churches should be gouerned by Pastors and Elders or by Diocesan Bishops The question indeed de facto for the time past is whether the primitiue Church were gouerned by Diocesan BB. or such Presbyteries as they speake of The question de iure respecting also the time present and to come is whether the Church may or should be gouerned by Bishops as we say or must be gouerned by their Presbyteries as they affirme This therefore being the question whether by our Bishops or their Presbyteries and this question implying a necessarie disiunction who seeth not that the disproofe of their Presbyteries is a direct proofe for our Bishops The disiunctiue argumentation standeth thus Either the primitiue Church was gouerned by Diocesan Bishops or by such Presbyteries as they stand for But not by such Presbyteries as they stand for Therefore by Diocesan Bishops The proposition is implyed in the very question betweene vs and the disiunction is therein by both parties presupposed as necessarie The assumption is that first point of the fiue which now we haue in hand The conclusion determineth the assertion which in the former part of the Sermon was propounded to be proued viz. that the primitiue Church was gouerned by Diocesan Bishops This passage therefore concerning lay-Lay-Elders will I hope be acknowledged not to be impertinent Now that the Church was not gouerned by such Presbyteries as they speake of I proued in this passage Because howsoeuer with great vehemencie the Presbyterian discipline by lay or only gouerning Elders hath beene by them vrged and obtruded vpon vs yet they are not able to proue that euer there were any Presbyters which were not Ministers For the question which now we haue in hand being whether there were any such Presbyters in the primitiue Church as were not Ministers forasmuch as the Presbyterians are the opponents and plaintiffes not onely holding the affirmatiue that there were such but vehemently vrging that still there ought to be such we contrariwise the respondents and defendants holding the negatiue to wit that neither there were such nor now need to be the Reader therefore is to vnderstand that this burden of prouing lieth vpon them which hold and vrge the affirmatiue that there were and still ought to be Lay-Elders and that in vs it is a sufficient proofe of the negatiue if we can maintaine that they are not able to proue the affirmatiue And whereas all their proofes may be reduced to two heads for either they be such testimonies where the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Presbyter is named or where at the least the function it selfe is as they suppose meant to these two heads therefore I oppose two contrarie assertions The one that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Presbyter doth alwayes signifie a Minister the other that there is no one pregnant testimonie mentioning or meaning the lay or onely gouerning Elder The former of them being affirmatiue I doe briefly confirme by three reasons the latter being such a negatiue as cannot otherwise be proued for the induction of the particulars were infinite I doe therefore maintaine it against the principall instances of the aduersaries And this is the summe of this passage Now I come to his cauils with the particulars The two assertions which I did euen now mention opposed to the two heads of their proofes the refuter casteth into one Syllogisme and hauing so done wrangleth both with the substance of each proposition and also with the manner of setting them downe The Syllogisme is this If in the writings of the Apostles the ancient fathers and councils the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Presbyter noting an Ecclesiasticall person doth euermore signifie a Minister or Priest and there cannot any one pregnant testimonie be alledged out of the scriptures councils or fathers mentioning or meaning any Lay-annuall-onely-gouerning-Presbyters then were there no other Presbyters in the primitiue Church but Ministers but the antecedent is true therefore the consequent In the antecedent of the proposition he noteth two parts the former whereof he reiecteth as superfluous because the latter is as firme and full without it And yet hauing reiected the former he saith the consequence is infirme and weake But if the former be therefore superfluous because the latter is firme and full without it by this reason it shall not be lawfull for a man to bring two arguments for one thing the one concluding the question without the other Yea but these two are ioyned in one proposition and therefore either must afford necessarie helpe to the other or the one is superfluous Blame him then that ioyned them and disdaine thâ—t sophisticall shifts of the refuter deuised to make himselfe worke Yea but if they be not ioyned the former wil be weake and of no strength for it will not suffice that I say the word Presbyter doth euermore signifie a Minister vnlesse I added onely For though it alway signifie a Minister yet it may also signifie him that is no Minister But in mine vnderstanding if it alwaies signifie a Minister it neuer signifieth him that is not a Minister Neither will it serue their turne that they make Presbyter the genus of teaching and gouerning-Elders vnlesse they can shew that as alwaies it signifieth a Minister so in some place an onely-gouerning Elder also and they must remember that in this cause of Elders they are the opponents and therefore they must proue that the places which they alledge for their Lay-presbyters not onely may but of necessitie must be vnderstood of them or else in vaine doe they vrge and obtrude them vpon vs. And surely we must needs esteeme it a very partiall genus and such as yet was neuer heard of that is alwaies predicated of the one species and neuer of the other If animal did alwaies signifie a man and were neuer predicated of any other thing but man we should hardly thinke it were the genus but the selfe same species and conuertible with it as indeed Presbyter is with Minister and therefore not the genus of it and that I proued when I said it alwaies signifieth a Minister because in english it is priest and in the scriptures is confounded with Episcopus and noteth such a person as must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able to preach But let him adde onely if that would please him
may perhaps be true and his cause neuer the better nor ours the worse by it it being enough for vs if there be Ecclesiasticall gouernours which are no Ministers You see then the cause of the new reformers is not the cause of other reformed Churches as I said But seeing M. D. saith hee is simplie to denie all kinde of onely gouerning Elders I as plainely denie the assumption So that both his propositions in this Syllogisme doe want their armour of proofe and waite vpon M. D. as two poore seruants vpon their master for their cloth before they can doe him any seruice Marke well the spirit of this man For hauing denyed without reason the consequence of the proposition being euen as himselfe propoundeth it vndeniable were it not that he cauilled with the words Lay annuall which in his aâ—swere to the â—ssumption he confesseth were not to be cauilled with and hauing barely denied both the former part of the assumption which I fortified by 3. reasons which hee could not answere and also the latter without any shew of reason though the proofe of the contradictory in both lye vpon him which course any man might take to answere the best argument that euer was propounded notwithstanding hee scornefully craketh as if hee had done some great act which might giue occasion to leaue fighting and fall a crowing For my part I greatly wonder aâ— him how he could either content himselfe or hope to satisfie his reader with such answeres For if it be a sufficient answere to say I flâ—tly deny the proposition I do as plainely deny 〈◊〉 assumption who cannot answere sufficiently any Syllogisme whatsoeuer But if a man hauing thus answered shall take occasion thereby to insult ouer his aduersary verily as hee deludeth egregiously his Reader that is simple so he maketh himselfe ridiculous if not odious to him that is iudicious Hauing seene how substantially he hath dealt with the substance of each proposition let vs now see how maÌ„nerly 〈◊〉 hee dealeth with the manner of laying them downe For in regard thereof he chargeth me with three no small faultes First inclination to popery 2. falshood 3. contempt and scorne The which imputations if he cannot make good by sound euidence he will shew himselfe vnmanerly in obiecting them How then proueth hee the first He saith and saith it againe that I delight to call the Ministers of the Gospell by the nâ—me of Priests which all but those that are Popish or desirous to please the Papists would rather forbeare First I denie that those which call Ministers by the name of priests are popish For those worthie instruments vnder God of that happie reformation which is among vs separation from Poperie in the booke of CoÌ„mon prayer in the booke of Orders and in other their writings doe ordinarily vse that name And when they distinguish the Clergie into three degrees they vsually reckon these three orders Bishops Priests and Deacons therein imitating the most ancient and purest writers both of the Greek Latin Church who seldome vsing the word Minister distinguish the same degrees by words of the same signification viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcopi Presbyteri Diaconi that is Bishops Priests Deacons Yea but the Popish shauelings haue appropriated the words to themselues and protestant writers find fault with them for calling the Ministers of the Gospell by the name of Priests to which purpose he alleadgeth D. Whitaker D. Raynolds Whereto I answere of the word Priest there are two vses whereof the one is an abuse the other is the right proper vse of the word according to the natiue signification therof The abuse is when it is ascribed to the Ministers of the Gospell as it is the English of Sacerdos which signifieth a Sacificing Priest and implieth a relation to sacrifices Thus the Papists abuse the name when they applie it to the Ministers of their Gospell with relation to their sacrifice of the Masse And thus D. Whitaker denieth both Sacerdos and Priest as it is the English of Sacerdos to agree to the Ministers of the new Testament The right vse of the word is when it is vsed as the English of Presbyter and without any relation to sacrifice For Presbyter is the name which the Apostles and all antiquitie gaue to the Ministers of the Gospell and the English of Presbyter is Priest as D. Raynolds doth confesse where also he sheweth that the Papists play the sophisters in vsing the word Priest after a double sort the one as it is deriued from Presbyter the other as it signifieth the same that Sacerdos For Priest as iâ— signifieth a man appointed to Sacrifice is Sacerdos and not Presbyter The name which the Apostles giue a Minister is Presbyter and not Sacerdos And againe though th' Apostles call the Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence our English name of Priests is deriued yet they did not call them priests as the name of priest hath relation to Sacrifice For the worde Priest hath two meanings the one of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof the one is giuen by the Apostles but doth not implie authoritie to sacrifice the other doth implie authoritie to Sacrifice but is not giuen by the Apostles It is plaine therefore that the worde Priest is rightly vsed in the signification of presbyter but abused as I said in the Sermon to signifie Sacrificing priests I confesse that the first Translators of the Bible into English in these latter times being as D. Fulke saith not Lords of mens speech but ouer-ruled by the popish vse of the word as it were by a tyrant did giue the name priest to Sacrificing priests as the papists doe and hauing so done when they were to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyteri which doe not signifie Sacrificing priests but Ministers of the Gospell they auoided the name least they might seeme with the papists to make the Ministers of the Gospell Sacrificing priests And so I doe confesse that their purpose was godly who translated presbyters not priests but Elders though I dare not say that the cause was sufficient For if they had called Sacerdotes Sacrificers as the French doe in their Translations they might safely haue giuen the Name Priest to the Ministers and left the name of Sacrificers to the popish priests The name Priest saith D. Fulke wee doe not finde fault with as it commeth of presbyter but as it is commonly vsed for a Sacrificing priest Againe as for the name priest as it is deriued of the Greeke wee doe not refuse it but rather wish that the Sacrificers of the Law had neuer bene called by it And againe more fullie wee doe not contend for the terms nor refuse the name priest when it signifieth the same whome the Apostle calleth presbyter but when by abuse and vaine cauillation of papists it is taken to signifie a Sacrificer To
conclude therefore according to the true Etymologie wee confesse the name to be good and doe vse it in our seruice booke and otherwise knowing that it implieth no sacrificing as you most fondly and ridiculously would enforce out of it But in Translation because by common speech a priest was taken for a Sacrificer and the Translators had no other name whereby to call the Sacrificers of the Lawe but priests to make and obserue that difference which the holie Ghost alwayes obserueth in the Newe Testament they call the one Priests the other Elders But if they had called the one Sacrificers and the other priests that priests might haue bene knowne to differ from Sacrificers it had bene a small matter and perhaps hindered you of this vaine quarrell It is not a popish abuse therefore to call Ministers priests but to giue the name priest to Sacrificers And likewise it is an abuse of Innouators to giue the Name presbyter or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is a name of an office and not of age which is proper to Ministers to them who are no priests Who though they may be called Saecerdotes that is Sacrificers as all Christians may yet presbyters they cannot truely be called But how doth hee proue that I delight to haue the Ministers of the Gospell called priests Forsooth because there was no necessitie laid vpon me to call them so but might haue contended my selfe with the name of Ministers Whereto I answere that I mention the Name Priest the proper English of presbyter as a necessarie argument to proue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or presbyter doth signifie a Minister as I shewed before affirming that they might as well make question whether there were any Lay-priests as Lay presbyters For this was the first argument of the three to none whereof the refuter could see any necessitie laide vpon him to answere It is necessarie with him belike to wrangle with words but not to answere arguments Now to conclude my answere to his first accusation I appeale to the refuter himselfe and to all which either know mee or haue read my other Bookes whether this imputation was laid to my charge out of an vpright conscience or not rather out of an vncharitable desire to bring mee though vniustlie into the dislike of the people to whom the Name priest is odious as D. Fulke truely noteth because they knowe not the Etymologie of it For if they knew that the English word Priest as also the like wordes in French and Italian were deriued from Presbyter and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Presbyter is the name which the holie Ghost and all antiquitie ordinarilie giueth to the Ministers of the Newe-Testament They would rather condemne them that abuse either the name Priest to Sacrificers as the Papists do or the name Presbyter wherof Priest is the true English to signifie Lay-Elders as our Disciplinarians doe then hee would mislike our Church which vseth the word aright Namely as the proper and true English of Presbyter from whence it is deriued without anie relation to Sacrifices at all Wherevnto this is to be added that howsoeuer our first Translators in King Henrie his time auoyding the worde priest translated Presbyteri by Elders Yet by Elders they vnderstood no other but Ministers As appeareth by this speech of M. Tindall All that were called Elders or Priests if they so will were called BB. also Secondly hee chargeth mee with vntruth for saying that question might as well bee made whether there were annuall Ministers or Lay-Priests as annuall or Lay-Presbyters But this I prooued when I demonstrated by three arguments that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or presbyter doth signifie none but a Minister For if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or presbyter as it is the name of an Ecclesiasticall office doth signifie nothing but a minister or priest as I prooued then that question might as well bee made of Ministers or Priests as of presbyters But how I pray you doth hee conuince mee of falshood with an if begging the question if Presbyter doth not signifie onely a Minister then question may be made of Lay-Presbyters though not of annuall Ministers or Lay-Priests As if hee should haue said if you will graunt mee the question and denie that which you haue already prooued and I could not answere then I shal be able to charge you with vntruth Yea but the vntruth of my speech was before manifest in the former part of the answere to the proposition His words there be these that the consequence is weake because there might be other Presbyters in the primitiue Church though the word Presbyter did euermore signifie a Minister So that this was but a poore shift for want of proofe to referre the Reader as oft he doth to another place where he should find little to the purpose In both places as you see all that he can say is that seeing it might be there were Presbyters that were not Ministers and if there were such which I haue disproued then that would appeare to be false which I haue proued to be most true I come to his third accusation It would be noted saith he with what contempt and scorne he calleth the Elders in question Lay-annuall-onely-gouerning Elders And it would be noted say I with how bad a conscience he wilfully depraueth the manner of vttering my words to giue some small colour both to his vnconscionable denyall of the proposition which himselfe contradicted in answere to the assumption and also to this forged calumniation For whereas I propounded the words distinctly with a Comma or note of distinction lay annuall onely-gouerning Presbyters vsing these diuers titles more fully and certainely to expresse whom I meant he hath ioyned them with notes of vnion Lay-annuall-onely-gouerning Elders as if I had in contempt scorne of them framed a nickname for them compounded of all these words And whereas he saith that I call them lay in disgrace of the Elders and reproach of those who stand for them as though they committed the gouernement of the Church to such as are base and priuate persons the truth is that he disgraceth the laitie intollerably as if there were no lay persons but base and priuate men Indeed if I had said that such men as be not of the Clergie are to be called idiotae as some of your side would haue them called rather then lay men you might haue had some colourable pretence for this accusation But when with Caluin we diuide the whole Church into the clergie and laitie vnder the laitie we comprehend the noble as well as the base and publike persons as well as priuate and men of excellent gifts as well as Idiots And it is but a seely exception which you doe vsually make that you would not haue them called lay but Ecclesiasticall For first that word doth not distinguish them from the Ministers And secondly because Ecclesia the Church being diuided into
the Clergie and laitie those which be lay men as not being of the Clergie may haue Ecclesiasticall offices and in regard thereof may be called Ecclesiasticall officers as Church wardens among vs officials Chancellers and commissioners in causes Ecclesiasticall as well as your Elders whom though you make Ecclesiasticall officers yet you cannot denie them to be Lay-Elders Now to auoide this imagined disgrace he would haue all men to take notice what manner of persons they would haue by prayer and imposition of hands ordained and set a part to this Ecclesiasticall office not such as each parish is like to afford but according to the vtopicall Idea conceiued in their owne braine And though there must be many of them in euery parish men religious of great grauitie and pietie you may be sure and of good yeares adioyned to the Ministers and though matters are to be carried by pluralitie of voices euery one hauing the like right of suffrage yet we must not in any case thinke that they will ouer-rule the Minister but be altogether ruled and directed by him Beza saith that in the sacred senate which is called the Presbyterie there is no superioritie of degree or power but a distinction of order and that all matters are managed by common and equall right in giuing their voices the whole consistorie being for that cause called a Presbyterie because howsoeuer otherwise there may be distinction of degrees among them yet in this common function the Ministers are made equall with the Elders and the Elders with the Ministers So that they wrong them shrewdly who shall say where all haue equall right and where all things are swaied by the greater number of voices the one or two voices at the most of the Ministers are like to be ouer-ruled by the multitude of Elders Serm. Sect. 2. pag. 8. For although many places are vsually alledged out of the scriptures and fathers yet I doe vnfainedly professe that to my knowledge there are onely two allegations which I esteeme worth the answering The one out of 1. Tim. 5. the other out of Ambrose on the same chapter Where the words of the abortiue booke seemed bitter and spitefull enough there our refuter followeth that copy otherwise to that potion of worme-wood he addeth an infusion of gall as in this place It is strange saith the abortiue booke that a man of such skill in logicke as I acknowledge D. D. to be c and more strange that one of his temper c is it fit for D. D. modestie c. Not so saith the libeller you must not attribute any skill in logicke or modestie to him now wee must make our followers belieue that since he hath written in defence of the Antichristian calling of the prelates those petite popes he hath lost all modestie and skill in logicke too For if we cannot answere his argumēts nor take away his answeres let vs disgrace his person so will our followers be sure to preiudge any thing he saith and which is our desire the people whom he thought to satisfie shal be kept in the same tearmes they were wont But my purpose is not by reciting his words to spread this part of his spitefull libell and much lesse by vouchsafing an answere to multiply words in this kind with so odious a wrangler To passe by therefore his barking eloquence or dogge-rhetoricke the reader is to vnderstand that in this section and those which follow I endeuour to defend the two former assertions viz. that they can neither proue that the word Presbyter doth signifie any but a Minister nor yet produce any one pregnant testimonie mentioning or meaning their lay or onely-gouerning-Elders Now I would know of my aduersarie for my learning how such a negatiue as this should be maintained Whether by induction of particulars or by speciall insisting vpon the instances which the aduersaries giue not the former for that were to examine euery sentence in the scriptures councels and fathers which were infinite If the latter should I in one of the least parts intended in the Sermon where I had promised breuitie stand vpon euery particular allegation which could hardly haue beene discussed in a whole Sermon or should I make choise of some of the principall which are of more weight then all the rest the latter course I was necessarily to make choise of And therefore supposing our opposites to insist on those two testimonies which are of more weight then all the rest yea then all that all of them can say besides in this cause I endeuoured to defend my assertions against them And although I did not intend to dispute Syllogistically as the opponent but to defend the truth as the respondent yet this my defensiue answere is brought to the anuill and forged into a Syllogisme after this manner If neither Paul in 1. Tim. 5.17 nor Ambrose vpon 1. Tim. 5.1 he should haue added which two allegations onely I esteeme worth the answering or which two are of more worth then all the rest doe not mention or meane any lay or onely gouerning Elders then no pregnant testimonie can be alledged to that purpose But neither doth Paul nor Ambrose in those places mention or meane any lay or onely gouerning Elders Therefore no pregnant testimonie can be produced to that purpose In answering the proposition he wonders and wonders againe at three things First at my want of modestie in that I gloriously despise and insolently reiect the iudgements of those diuines who besides those two alledge many other testimonies when I say I esteeme these two onely worth the answering Whereunto I answere that I esteemed no other in that shortnesse of time worthy to be stood vpon but those two And if that answere will not suffice him I plainely professe and yet without despising the iudgement of any learned man that these two testimonies are the two maine pillars whereon their whole building leaneth and that as their other testimonies depend vpon the presupposall of these as giuing witnesse to their Lay-Elders so these being taken from them the rest haue scarcely any probabilitie in them but may as easily be reiected as obiected And this I will say because I am so indignely prouoked that if my aduersarie or any of his copartners can produce but any one testimonie either out of scriptures or fathers that either may be compared with either of these or that in it selfe without an eye to these hath so much as any shew of a necessary or demonstratiue proofe I will then be content that they should wonder wōder again at my want of modestie Secondly he wonders at my want of logicke in making so feeble a consequence The consequence though it be not absolutely necessarie yet vpon supposall that these are the two chiefe proofes without which all they can say besides for their Elders is scarce worth the answering it is necessarie For if any testimonies proue their Elders then certainely the
hee thought good to cite but 8 now if all these 8. be not cleare on his side what shal we thinke of the rest Surely Luther though he tell him that hee rose vp as a bright morning starre euen another Elias of these times will not be gotten to speake a word for him For in the place by him cited hee doth not so much as speake of this Text and much lesse expound it But hee speaketh onely of the 19. verse Receiue not an accusation against an Elder where vnderstanding Elder according to the vse of the word in the first verse of that chapter as a word of age as well as of office as Chrysostome also doth though he vnderstand vers 17 of Ministers onely he saith that how soeuer the popish Bishops against whome hee writeth did expound this place of Priests that is themselues that they might be the more free from accusation or reproofe yet the Apostle speaketh of Presbyteri that is Elder and graue men for such then bare rule in the Church meaning thereby most plainely auncient Ministers as appeareth by the words following which the refuter hath Sophistically and shamefully peruerted For the Apostle doth not speake De ijs Episcopis saith Luther Sacerdotibus qui iam nostra aetate plerumque sunt aetate florenti penè adolescentes sed de senibus grandâ—â— bus in Scriptura peritis loquitur Of those Bishops and Priests which now in our time are for the most part of a flourishing age and in a manner young youthes and lusty gallants which hee meant in the words going a little before when he calleth them Penelopes sponsos but hee speaketh of such as be aged and ancient men skilfull in the Scriptures Obserue now our Sophysters dealing First hee saith Luther expoundeth this verse of Lay-Elders when as Luther doth not so much as speake of this text 2. that he should say their Lay-elders ruled in the Church then when hee plainely speaketh of ancient and aged Ministers 3. that Luther denieth simplie that Paul speaketh of BB. and Priests For so hee citeth his words Neque enim loquitur de Episcopis Sacerdotibus wheÌ„ he saith that he speaketh not of such Bishops as were in his time young lusty men but of such as were aged skilfull in the scriptures Bullinger in neither place alledged doth say that there were elders in the chuch which were not ministers but rather the coÌ„trary For on 1. Tim. 5.17 he vnderstaÌ„deth that text as requiring the stipend of the ministery seemeth to confound the words Ministers and Presbyters in that sentence which the refuter citeth by halues Cum emin varià sint in ecclesia munia non vnius quoque generis ministri aut Presbyteri sunt For where Bullinger saith Ministers or Presbyters be not all of one kind by Presbyters meaning no other but Ministers he citeth him thus the Elders are not of one kind leauing out the word Ministers And vpon the words following in the nineteenth verse he saith as to a diligent good Minister of Christ sustenaÌ„ce is due so also defence the reason of which law is this a Presbyter is the Minister of truth and truth procureth hatred c. In his Decades he saith the Elders in the Church of Christ are either BB. or otherwise prudent and learned men added to the BB. who albeit they did not teach alwaies as did the BB. yet were they present with them that taught c. Where he doth not speake of lay and vnlearned Elders but of wise and learned men of the Clergie The rest in the places cited doe acknowledge a second sort of Elders besides those which chiefely laboured in the word and doctrine but whe they were of the laitie or Clergie they doe not mention As for D. Fulk in his answere to the Rhemists on 1. Tim. 5.17 he giuing two interpretations of that place preferreth that whereby the Apostles words are vnderstood of Ministers or Priests onely that as euery one of them laboureth more in preaching and teaching he is so much the more to be honoured But of his assumption this is more then enough seeing this is not the question betweene vs whether any of the new writers doe stand for the new Elders for that is confessed His third reason for the deniall of my proposition that if that consequence is good my interpretation of this place is naught seeing it hath not so much as the naked shade of any father to couer it Naked to couer But what figge leaues can he find to couer this naked and shamelesse vntruth For whereas my exposition consisteth of two points the first and principall that by Presbyters I vnderstand Ministers as if the Apostle had said let the Ministers that rule well c the secoÌ„d that by the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which commonly are translated gouerning well I vnderstand the coÌ„mendable performance of their duetie in generall for the latter I alledged the authoritie of Ierome and of the Syricke Paraphrast to whom others might be added for the former I haue the generall consent of all the Fathers and of all writers before our age who haue expounded this place and not one of them can be produced to the contrarie and yet he is not ashamed to say that my interpretation hath not the patronage of any one Father And thus much of the proposition in confuting whereof when he hath spent fiue whole pages with very ill successe as you see he concludeth with as vaine and causelesse a bragge as his successe was badde The assumption that none of the Fathers nor any before our age did euer expound this text of any but Ministers though he dares not plainely denie it yet that it may appeare how he setteth himselfe to wrangle with euery thing he seeketh all the corners of his wit to find some starting holes out of which he may easily be driuen if the Reader wil but remember these two things First that I speake of such as haue before our age meaning hoc seculum this ceÌ„turie or huÌ„dred of yeares expounded this place either in their commentaries or in their other writings which be extant For it were foolish presumption to rely vpon their iudgements who either did not write of it or whose writings are not extant whereby their iudgement might be knowne Secondly that I am in this point the respondent answering their allegation out of this place and that the refuter is the opponent who if he will say any thing to the purpose must proue by good instance the affirmatiue that some one of the Fathers or some other before our age hath expounded this place of Lay-Elders and not absurdly vrge me being the respondent to proue the negatiue which as it cannot be otherwise proued but by alledging that no instance can be giuen to the contrarie so might it be easily disproued by any one instance if any such could be giuen If these two things be remembred
one testimonie no not one Wherefore looke how manie such probable expositions may be giuen vnderstanding this place of Ministers onely they are so manie proofes that there is no necessitie of admitting your interpretation But let vs now examine your reasons whereby you would prooue my exposition to be but a bare shift and such as will not serue my turne The first If others opposing to Lay-Elders haue brought 8. or 9. expositions which are but shifts to auoid them all of them being diuerse among themselues and from that which M. D. bringeth then this 10. of his is but a shift also but the former is true therefore the latter If the reader desire to haue examples of such lame legs as the refuter talketh of here hee may haue a couple For as touching the proposition seeing among different expositions one onely is the true and proper meaning of the place may not this exception be taken against any exposition be it neuer so true being but one amongst manie For suppose the other 9. were but shifts how will it follow that therefore the tenth is so Must all expositions bee false or vnfit because the most are such If those 9. expositions be shifts as you say and if yours be false as I haue proued this is so farre from preiudging the truth of mine which is the eleuenth as that it is a strong presumption to confirme it For seeing it is to be presumed that some one true exposition of this Text is knowne and seeing all other knowne expositions of this place are either supposed by you or proued by mee to be false it remaineth therefore that this eleuenth is true The consequence therefore of the proposition is starke lame The assumption also is false For those diuers expositions are not shifts as this shifting Sophister cauilleth but being all I meane so many as by Presbyters vnderstand Ministers more probable then that which stādeth for Lay-Elders for that doth not so much as touch the subiect wherof the Apostle speaketh they are so many proofes to auoid the necessitie of their Lay-Elders which by thē are as necessary vrged and obtruded vpō vs. And this was his first reason which he brought to make it appeare that my exposition is but a bare shift His second brought to the same purpose either proueth it thus or not at all If M. D. vtterly reiect 8. of the aforesaid expositions and resteth vpon one of those 4. which D. Bilson propounded then his exposition is a bare shift But M. D. reiecteth 8. of the former expositions and resteth vpon one of those 4 which D. B. propoundeth Therefore his exposition is a bare shift In the proposition there is not so much as a shewe of a good consequence vnlesse it be presupposed which I haue disproued that D. B. expositions are but bare shifts His assumption which in plaine termes he setteth downe containeth two vntruthes For first if you vnderstand my words as they may be vnderstood of them that conceiue mee to be the answerer in this place and as my selfe euen now propounded them then doth it not follow that I vtterly reiect all other expositions because in adding this to the former I seeme to preferre it before the rest Againe that I rest in one of those 4. expositions which he recited out of D. B. is not onely false but if you respect his intent sclanderous also as all other his references are as to any that will compare them may easily appeare For not any of D. B. 4. expositions vnderstādeth the former branch as containing the generall dutie of a Minister Howbeit some of the examples which hee produceth together with his explication of some of them doe well agree with my exposition as you shall heare in my answere to his third reason which being his shoot-ancor if it faile him his Lay-Elders are like to suffer shipwracke Heare his words Thirdly that it may appeare that M. D. is besides the true meaning of the Apostle in the sense hee resteth on let vs weigh the Apostles words well and wee shall finde them clearely and euidently to speake of persons and at the most but indirectly of duties The Elders that rule well especially they can any man be so blind as not to see that these Elders and they must needes signifie persons who must be counted worthie of double honour No saith M.D. but this account riseth from the consideration of their duties Euen so we denie it not but may it not be so and yet 2. sorts of Elders heere noted Yes verily The elders that faithfully discharge their dutie in gouerning the Church are worthie of double honour especially those who labour in the Word and Doctrine Is there any thing in this Scripture thus vnderstood to shutte out 2. kindes of Elders Are not the duties in the former clause generall in the latter speciall Yes saith he but for all that they bee indeed two duties of the Minister onely Of which discourse the best that I can make is this If the comparison betwixt the persons euidently noted in this Text doth seeme to fauour the distinction of Elders into 2. sorts and the comparison betweene the duties indirectly noted doth not hinder the said distinction that then is there nothing in this Text to exclude two sorts of Elders But the antecedent is true in both the parts thereof Therefore the consequent The former part of the antecedent is proued thus The persons here mentioned are in the comparison noted to be of two sorts Elders are the persons here mentioned Therefore Elders are in this comparison noted to bee of 2. sorts The latter thus The distinction of duties into generall and speciall doth not exclude two sorts of Elders For the generall agreeth to both sorts The distinction of duties heere mentioned is into generall and speciall Therefore the distinction heree mentiond doth not exclude two sorts of Elders By the refuters maine conclusion it is euident that hee hath gotten the wrong end of the staffe For whereas this place to Timothie is the chiefe and as I iudge the onely place to speake of in the Scriptures which all of them without exception obiect and most confidently vrge as necessarily including and concluding their Lay-Elders in answering whereof this part of my Sermon is spent my aduersary by his Sophysticall shifts in making mee the opponent and himselfe the respondent would make the Reader belieue that he hath acquitted himselfe well if this place bee not against Lay-Elders But the Reader must remember that it lieth vpon my aduersarie and those of his side out of this place invincibly and ineuitably to inforce Lay-Elders or to confesse that they cannot be proued out of the Scriptures Neither will it suffice him to say they may be here meant vnlesse he can necessarily proue and demonstrate that they are and must necessarily be meant in this place Otherwise I may graunt his maine conclusion without anie preiudice to our cause when the
CleruÌ„ which is translated inheritance the sacred companie Euen as we now also do call it that is to say the Clergie Which exposition if we follow then those presbyters to whoÌ„ Peter writeth prescribing vnto them how they should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is saith Caluin Episcopatu fungi exercise the office of a Bishop and noting their authority ouer the Clergie were such as we call bishops But of that by the way Now if the presbyters Act 20. were ministers and teachers as I haue proued and as all writers almost euen those that are parties in the cause do teach then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are to vnderstand the dutie of feeding which belongeth to pastors and teachers and wil neuer be proued to belong to Lay-Elders The refuter hauing with such successe as you see endeuored to maintaine that the presbyters Act. 20. were as wel Lay-Elders as ministers and that the duties both generall of attending to themselues the whole flocke and also special of feeding the Church were required as common to Ministers with lay-Lay-elders which assertions I haue confuted with euidence of truth in this exposition or opposition rather he doth so please himselfe as that hee doubteth not to retort my Syllogisme vpon me after this manner If the presbyters spoken of Acts 20 28 be not onely ministers but gouerning Elders also and the same with those 1. Tim 5.17 then the presbyters spoken of 1. Tim. 5.17 are not onely Ministers but gouerning Elders also But the presbyters spoken of Acts 20 28 are not onely ministers but gouerning elders also the same with those 1. Tim 5 17 Therefore the presbyters spoken of 1. Tim. 5.17 are not onely Ministers but gouerning Elders also Heere this great Logick-maister that taketh vpon him to teach and to comptroll mee in matters of Logicke bewrayeth himselfe to bee a Logicaster or smatterer in Logicke For an entire and a better Syllogisme concluding the same question as I noted before in his Analyzing of mine is here tumbled into the proposition the proposition and assumption therof not only idlely but with disaduantage to himself if he had meant to haue proued it repeated But because he hath bene at some paines with me this way to shew his own ignoraÌ„ce I will teach him to make his sillogis thus The Presbyters to whom Paul did speake Acts 20.28 were not ministers onely but Lay or gouerning Elders also The Presbyters of whom hee speaketh I. Tim. 5.17 were the Presbyters to whom he spake Acts. 20 28. Therefore the presbyters of whome hee speaketh Tim. 5.17 were not onely ministers but Lay or onely gouerning Elders also This propositioÌ„ which is but part of his own assumption wheÌ„ he shal be able to make good by any sound proofe I will subscribe to his Lay-Elders For whereas hee for want of better proofe saith that hee hath already iustified it by the ouerthrow of mine it is a most vaine bragge as I hope it doth sufficiently appeare to the reader For what one reason or shew of reason hath hee brought or can bring to proue that the Presbyters mentioned Acts. 20. were Lay or onely gouerning Elders CHAP. VI. Maintaining the third reason that Lay-Elders are not mentioned nor meant 1. Tim. 5.17 Serm. Sect. 5. pag. 11. And that hee speaketh not there of Lay or onely gouerning-Elders it may further be prooued by plaine euidence out of the text For seeing by honour in that place the Apostle vnderstandeth honourable maintenance which by their owne confession is not due to Lay-Elders it is therefore certaine that this place acknowledgeth none such Thus therfore I argue To all those Elders who are mentioned or meant in this place the honour of maintenance is due for their worke sake To the Lay-Elders the honour of maintenance is not due for their worke sake Therefore the Lay-Elders are not mentioned nor meant in this place c to pag. 13. THe refuter hauing neither learning enough to beare the weight of this argumeÌ„t nor wit enough to forbeare it in answearing therto he vttereth more gall then would well become an honest man The virus and poison of his libelling speeches I leaue to himselfe The virâ—s and force of his arguments and answeres I will take vpon me plainely to confute and both here and euery where else by the helpe of God to put him to silence First as his manner is though he dares not deny the proposition of my syllogisme to be most true and vndoubted yet he must needs cauill with it And because hee hath nothing to say against it hee hopeth with it to wound some of our side who among other interpretatioÌ„s of this place haue thought the former part of this Text might more probably be vnderstood of not preaching Ministers or Deacons c then of Lay-Elders And although I would bee loth to become a Proctor for vnlearned Ministers especially when learned may be had yet thus much I will say that if the Disciplinarians doe rightly ground vpon this place a distinction of Presbyters into two sorts that there be some preaching Presbyters some not then this text doth without coÌ„parison fauour the not preaching ministers more theÌ„ the Lay-elders Because it is a most certaine truth which I haue manifestly proued and which the refuter will neuer be able to disproue that by Presbyters ministers only are meant As for DeacoÌ„s I meane not your Lay Deacons D. B. hath better reasons to comprise them vnder Presbyters then your W. T. had vnder the name of Deacons to vnderstand your Lay-Elders though T.C. himselfe did subscribe to his opinion And wheras you challenge those reuerend men for seeking by warraÌ„t of this place to surcharge the Church with maintenance of vnpreaching Ministers and Deacons I answere they do not hold that in euery parish such ought to be maintained as you would haue your Presbyterie erected in euery parish but where better more sufficient Ministers cannot be had which was the case of many parishes in England at the beginning of Q. Elizabeths raigne c. But all his spite is against the assumption though hee spend his spite neither in disproouing it with force of argument nor in answering my proofes with any substaÌ„ce of reason but in sophistical cauilling odious wrangling For wheÌ„ he hath said what he was able I cannot tell whether he doth denie the assumption or graunt it onely hee cauilleth with my proofes of it My assumption was this To Lay-Elders the honour of maintenance is not due for their worke sake Hereunto I require a direct answere If hee say that the honour of maintenance yea double honor that is as not only Theodoreâ— but T. C. also expound 〈◊〉 plentifull maintenance is due vnto them he should haue brought sufficient proofes both to confute the iudgement of those learned Diuines who reformed as directors other Churches and condemne the practise of all reformed Churches which hauing those Presbyters doe not
must be giuen him as deseruing it whether he need or not For although it be a crying sinne and doe offend more against charitie to hold it from him if he need yet it offendeth as much against iustice to withhold the stipend from the workeman that is not in need The stipend which Paul appointeth to Presbyters in respect of their paines in edifying the Church which is the house of God is as due in iustice to them for their worke sake as the stipend is due to a Carpenter that buildeth an house And as it were iniustice ioyned with folly for a man not to thinke himselfe bound to giue the Carpenter his stipend vnlesse he be poore the like is to be conceiued of the stipend denied to Presbyters for their wealth which is due for their worke The rest of his speech is vttered in rancour and gall but the points be these First that it doth not become me c to call it a beggerly maintenance Secondly that it is more then is giuen to our Church-wardens that are crept into their roomes The third which is more plainely vttered in the abortiue booke that the like perhaps will not make D. D. rich In what sense I called it beggarly almes giuen onely in charitie opposing it to honourable stipend due in iustice I haue already explaned To the second I answere our Church-wardens hauing lesse trouble haue notwithstanding no lesse allowance then your Elders for they haue none at all And where you say our Church-wardens are crept into their roomes you must first proue that euer they had a roome in the Church For we will neuer grant that our Church-wardens be your Elders successours till you haue proued your Elders to haue beene their predecessors And whereas you make your selues merrie with my want of riches as you did before with my want of preferment I tell you plainely I had rather be poorer then M.D. is with a good conscience then to be as rich as some of you by maintaining a faction to be maintained by it Thus haue I maintained my assumption and the prosyllogisme thereof concerning their confession Now I will proue by another argument that the honour of maintenance is not by the word of God due to Lay-Elders and that the Lay-Eldership is not the ordinance of God nor hath any warrant in the scriptures We haue often heard great words that your Presbyterian discipline is an essential note of a true Church if not an article of your faith that it is to little purpose to receiue the doctrine vnlesse we also embrace the discipline of Christ meaning the pretended discipline that your discipline is the kingdome of Christ wherein your Presbyters hold as it were Christs scepter that to denie this discipline yet to professe Christ to be our King is with the souldiers that crucified him to put a Reede in his hand and a crowne of thornes on his head that in the second petition of the Lords prayer Let thy Kingdome come wee are to pray that your Discipline may be aduanced that the question betweene the BB. and you is about no lesse matter then this whether Iesus Christ shall bee King or no that in denying your discipline wee are the men that say Luke 19. Wee wll not haue this man to raigne ouer vs and to vs is applyed that terrible doome Those mine enemies that would not haue mee to raigne ouer them bring hither and slay them before mee and many such like speeches concerning the kingdome of Christ which being applied to your owne deuices are not farre from blasphemie These confident speeches considered a man would think that you haue most euident certaine and vndeniable grounds for your Presbyteries But when I come to examine your proofes to search the Scriptures and records of antiquitie I professe vnfainedly in the feare of God that I cannot sufficiently wonder that men of reading should approue men of sinceritie should vrge so confidently and maintaine so resolutely euen vnto silencing and depriuation such not onely humane deuices but meere nouelties as the sacred ordinances of Christ our Sauiour for which after all the search which hath beene made there cannot be produced any sound testimonie But to come to the point you say if you deny my aforesaid assumption that to Lay-Elders gouerning well double honour is due by the word of God for their worke sake I say the holie Ghost is so farre from assigning this double honour to them that neither their worke or office it selfe for which that honour should be due to them nor their qualities whereby they should bee qualified for that office nor themselues or their names wherby they should be knowne are once mentioned or intimated in the holy scriptures For first as touching their office it is by them assigned either to their Elders seuerally or to the Elder-ship iointly Their duty seuerally is to be watchmeÌ„ in the Church hauing their seuerall Wards or precincts appointed to them wherein they are to obserue the manners of men for auoiding offences and other occurrents for peruerting disorders The manners of men they are to enquire into and to prie into their faults that if they be secret or small they may admonish the offenders priuâ—ly if opeÌ„ or great they may informe the Consistory therof And for other occurreÌ„ts they are to looke that good orders be kept especially respecting the sacraments As they are to informe their pastor if there be any childe in their Warde to be baptized if there be any in their precinct lately come into the parish to acquaint the Minister before the Communion and at the Communion to keepe backe those whose religion and honestie is not knowne and whom the Ministers haue not dealt withall before Wherfore as in respect of manners they are by them coÌ„pared to the Censors of the Romanes so in respect of good orders they are as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Athenians The ioynt-office of the Elders is the office of the whole Presbyterie or Eldership Consistorie or sacred Senate which in the Assemblie of the Elders of the Church who by common counsell and authoritie do rule and gouerne the same For as Lacedemon had her Seignorie Athens her high court of the Areopagiâ—â—s Rome her Senate and euery kingdome their counsell so euery Church that is euery parish according to the new disciplinarians must haue her Presbyterie or sacred Senate vnto which Christ hath giuen the keyes of the kingdome of heauen whereby is meant all Ecclesiasticall power and authoritie This authoritie respecteth either the Officers of the Church or the offenders Officers as Pastors Doctors Elders Deacons Concerning whome the Eldership hath authoritie to elect ordaine depriue or depose them As touching offenders the Eldership hath authoritie to censure them either by reproofe suspension or excommunication Belieue mee if the word of God hath committed these things to the hands of the Elders then haue they an office of
great consequence indeed But if you remember their own positions that the Word of God doth perfectly describe all the lawfull offices of the Church and that no office or calling in the Church is lawfull but that which is directly warranted out of the Word yet it was the sinne for which Coreh Dathan and Abiram were punished in that they presumed though they were Leuites to take in haÌ„d that for which they had no warrant then can you not but expect most manifest pregnant proofes out of the Scripture directly warranting this whole office and all the branches thereof Or if you faile of your expectation you cannot but wonder at the extreme boldnes of them who holding these positions impose vpon the Church an office of such authority not as an humane pollicie but as the holie ordinance of Christ hauing no warrant in the Scriptures But what one pregnant testimonie of Scripture can they produce pursuing any one part of their lay-Lay-Elders office Vpon my credite not one For first a peculiar office either of spirituall watch-men the scriptures acknowledge none Besides Prophets and Priests or Ministers or of Censors of mens manners besides ministers and Magistrates and much lesse doe the scriptures appoint a peculiar officer to be the accuser of the bretheren Indeed it is the dutie of all good Christians mutuallie to exercise the duties of the Communion of Saints by instructing exhorting admonishing rebuking comforting one another And as the Apostle sâ—ith to consider or obserue onâ— another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes We may not be of Cains minde who said Am I my brothers keeper We are so farre to be keepers and obseruers of our brethren as by all good meanes to further and aduance the saluation one of another The Lord hath charged thee in the Law freely to rebuke thy brother and not suffer sinne to rest upon him And likewise in the Gospell If thy brother sinne against thee either committing an iniurie against thee or giuing thee offence by some sinne committed in thy knowledge laying by his euill example a scandall or stumbling blocke in thy way goe and reprous him privately betweene thee him alone If he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother But if he heare thee not take yet with thee one or two if he will not heare them tell the assemblie c. But a speciall Church-officer to prye into other mens faults such as S. Peter calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the scriptures do not appoynt and much lesse to informe against or to accuse priuate offenders such as we call Promâ—ters and the Grecians Sycophants As for their diuiding of Parishes into Wardes and awarding them to seuerall Elders as also all the rest of the offices and duties assigned to their Elders of acquainting the ministers who is to bee Baptized what new parishioners are come of helping at the Communion and repelling some there from they must and doe confesse they haue no scripture for them and yet all these duties must bee thought to be prescribed in Gods word To which purpose the arguments which some of their chiefe writers do vse are these First that although all these things be not specially expressed in scripture yet forasmuch as offences must bee auoided and those duties of Charitie and Communion of Saintes must bee performed as also those things which appertaine to good order prouided for and forasmuch as there are no other officers or Elders to whom the charge of these things should belong therefore satis vt opinor apparet haec ad Presbyterorum officium ex verbo Dei referenda esse I thinke it sufficieÌ„tly appeareth that these things by the word of God are to be referred to the office of Elders Their argument standeth thus All necessary duties which the Scripture hath not assigned to other officers or Elders it hath appointed to these Elders But the duties before spoken of are necessarie duties which the scripture hath not assigned to any other officers or Elders Therefore the duties before spoken of the scripture hath assigned to these Elders It seemeth by the proposition that the Lay-Elders haue begged a book of concealmeÌ„ts that they may be authorized to deale in all these causes for which other men haue not expresse coÌ„mission But first I denie that the Scipture hath graunted them any such concealements Nay I most confidently auow that they themselues are concealed in the Scriptures which doe not once mention them in anie place And therefore if there bee cases omitted that the Scripture hath not assigned to other Elders or officers We may thinke it hath referred them to the wisedome of the Church and authoritie of the Soueraigne râ—â—â—er then to them whom it neuer mentioneth Secondly I answere that there are many necessarie duties the performance whereof the holy Ghost hath not assigned to any publike Officers at all as though there should bee speciall offices appointed for them but are to be performed by euery Christian as the aforesaid duties which concerne the auoyding of scandales the duties of Charitie and Communion of Saints Likewise there are duties respecting outward order and decencie which the Scripture doth not prescribe in particular and much lesse assigne to any peculiar office But the determination of these particulars and the nomination of the functions or persons wherevnto they shal be assigned is left to the discretion of the Church and authoritie of the Soueraigne And to such purposes other Churches may appoint lay-Lay-Elders as well as ours doth Churchwardens so they doe not vrge them as the ordinance of Christ nor giue them commission to intermeddle with things aboue their reach as being peculiar either to the Ministers of the Word or the Ciuil Magistrate Their second Argument As for that part of their office of taking heede to offences who can doubt but that charge properly appertaineth vnto the Elders seeing they are said in the Scriptures to ouersee and to gouerne For this ouersight can haue but two parts onely wherof the first partaineth to doctrine religion the other to life and manners Seeing then that two sorts of Elders are expresly named by Saint Paule wherof the first sort are occupied in Preaching and Doctrine It is necessary that the other should haue charge of manners and conuersation for that onely remaineth This discourse containeth 2. Syllogismes the First All Presbyters who in the Scriptures are said to ouersee and gouerne hauing not that ouersight which respecteth doctrine and religion haue the ouersight of manners and care of auoyding offences for these are the two parts of ouersight The Lay-Elders are such Presbyters as in the Scriptures are said to ouersee gouerne hauing not that ouersight which respecteth doctrine and religion Therefore the Lay-Elders haue the ouersight of manners and care of auoyding offences The 2. If the Apostle expressely name 2. sorts of Elders distinguished according to the 2. parts of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ouersight viz
vpon vs as the holy discipline of Christ. And now had wee done with this place of the Epistle to Timothie sauing that the refuter looking backe to the â—enth page of my Sermon as being loath thus to leaue wrangling with my exposition of that text noted three things to be cauilled at in this one speech where I say that Ministers are especially to be honoured for their paines in preaching of the word that being in Pauls estimation the chiefe worke of the ministerie For first he would faine know of me why â—adde in Pauls estimation I answere because it was necessarie to be added for in such comparatiue sentences where one part seemeh to be preferred before all the rest we are not alwaies to vnderstand that part simply to be the chiefe but in the estimation of the speaker who in some respect preferreth it to the rest As for example if that you should say all good Ministers or Preachers are greatly to be honoured especially they who goe before their people in the example of a godly life I would expound your meaning as I did the Apostles to be this that whereas double honour is due to all Ministers or Preachers for the performance of their dutie in generall 〈◊〉 they are especially to be honoured for their godly life that being in your estimation the chiefe commendation of a Minister Or to vse the refuters owne example which before I explaned all logicians that reason well are to be well accounted of especially they that iudge well or are iudicious In this speech are to be noted not two sorts but two duties of logicians the one generall to reason well the other speciall to iudge well disposed in a comparatiue sentence wherein the duties of a logician are thus compared that whereas logicians are to be esteemed for the performance of their dutie in generall yet especially they are to be honoured for iudging well that being in the estimation of him that shall so speake the chiefe worke of a Logician I say in the estimâ—iâ—â— of him that shall so speake for another perhaps would say thus All logicians that reason well are to be well esteemed especially those that analise well another perhaps thus All good Logicians are to be honoured especially those that are methodicall another thus especially those that inuent well In like manner I explane the Apostles speech as hath beene shewed before I but saith he if this be true that those Ministers are especially worthy of double honour that labour in the word and doctrine then some poore Ministers that continually preach or would doe if they might be suffered are more especially to be honoured then some great prelates that seldome or neuer preach and it was the enuy of this illation which by saying in Pauls estimation you would deriue from your selfe to the â—â—â—stle Answ. The Apostles comparison is to be vnderstood of them which be of the same degree being Presbyters and no more Neither was it Pauls meaning writing to Timothie the Bishop that any of the Presbyters should haue more maintenance then he for that is the honour whereof hee speaketh though perhaps they were more painefull in preaching as hauing better opportunitie It is well knowne that in the primitiue Church when the reuenewes of â—ach Church were diuided into foure parts the Bishop alone had one fourth part and that was as much as all the Presbyters and all the rest of the clergie though perhaps there were an hundred of them had amongst them For all of them had but another fourth part a third fourth part went to the buildings and reparations and the fourth to the poore His second cauill that in other places viz. pag. 42.45.53 I haue through flatterie contradicted this assertion making gouerning a labour of greater honour then preaching Answ. In none of those places doe I compare preaching with gouerning but Bishops with Presbyters saying and prouing that Bishops are superiour to Presbyters in the power of ordination and iurisdiction and that the Bishops are the Apostles successors in the gouernement of the Church But doth it follow because Bishops are superiour to Presbyters that therefore preaching is a worke inferiour to gouernement I trust Bishops are equall at the least with Presbyters in the power of order as it respecteth the ministerie of the word and sacraments so that what can be said in commendation of the order of Presbyters in respect of the ministerie belongeth also to Bishops If therefore BB. being at the least equall with Presbyters in the power of order respecting the ministerie of the word and sacraments be aboue them not onely in the exercise of that power but also in the power of ordination and iurisdiction they may without disparagement to the ministerie of the word be said to be superiour to other Ministers To your third cauill I might answere as to the first that the Apostle speaketh to the Bishop of Presbyters not to a Presbyter as you doe of Bishops But indeed our Bishops as they ought all so the most of them as I trust doe thinke themselues bound to preach when they haue opportunitie and leysure in respect of their other weightie imployments in regard whereof I haue alwaies thought that one good Bishop though hee haue not opportunitie to preach very oft may doe more good in the Church of God then a dozen good Preachers So that in these three cauilles the refuter hath gained nothing but the manifestation of his owne malice which I pray God to forgiue him CHAP. VII 〈◊〉 Ambrosâ— in 1. Tim. 5. â— doth not giue testimonie to the Lay 〈…〉 that their exposition of Ambrose is vntrue Sâ—rm Sect. 6. pag. 13. I come now to Ambrose writing on the first verse of the same chapter 1. Tim. 5. where the Apostle exhorting Timothie not to rebuke an Elder or aged man Ambrose giueth this reason For among all nations old age is honourable and then addeth vnde synagoga postea ecclesia seniores habuit quorum sine coÌ„silio nihil agebatur in ecclesia Quod qua negligentia obsoleuerit nescio nisi forte doctorum desidia aut magis superbia dum soli volunt aliquid videri Whence it is that both the Synagogue and afterwards the Church had Seniors Without whose counsell nothing was done in the Church Which by what negligence it is growne out of vse I knowe not vnlesse perhaps by the slouthfulnes of the learned or Teachers or rather pride whiles they alone will seeme to be something Which words whosoeuer vnderstand as giuing testimonie to lay-Lay-Elders they wrong Ambrose c. 10. lines further IN this allegation the disciplinarians haue great confideÌ„ce For this testimonie of Ambrose saith T.C. is so cleare and open that he which doth not giue place vnto it must needs be thought as a Bat or an Owle or some other night-bird to delight in darkenesse And it is a world to see how the refuter thinking that his cause wil
be aduantaged by this testimonie of Ambrose taketh on like a beggar on horsebacke or a coward when he hath gotten his aduersarie at a supposed aduantage See you not how he braggeth and vanteth how he crakes and crowes and all for want as of a good spirit so of a sound iudgement presuming of aduantage where he hath none as the euent will proue Concerning this testimonie of Ambrose he findeth fault as well with my maner of alleaging as of discussing it At the allegation he hath three cauills First he repeateth his friuolous cauillation concerning the consequence of an argument which he bestoweth vpon me that if in this place of Ambrose there be no mention of Lay-Elders then there is none to be found in the fathers writings Which cauill I haue so clearely refuted before that I thinke I shall neuer heare of it more The second that I alleage this place not out of Ambrose himselfe which is a base slander for I had Ambrose lying before me but out of D. Bils because forsooth I cited the first words which are not so pertinent shewing the slender occasion whereupon Ambrose vttered this sentence in english as D. B. doth And yet his blind malice would not let him see that I cited the latter sentence in latine out of the Authour which D. B. alleageth in English Quod qua negligentia obsolouerit c. Which words if I had cited as a chiefe man of your side doth you would haue charged me either to haue alleaged a place which I had neuer seene or else notoriously depriued it Ambrose speaking of this office of the â—lders although saith he not vpon so good occasion thus 〈◊〉 saith whereupon the Synagogue and after the Church had Elders without whose counsel nothing was done in the Church Which Elders I know not by what negligence they are worne out c and againe his saying is that the Elders fell away by the ambition of the doctors Which allegation the rest which were but gleaners after him taking vpon his word haue vrged as if the Seniors themselues of whom Ambrose speaketh were ceassed before his time inferring thereupon that he meaneth Lay-Elders because the learned Presbyters still remained in the Church When Ambrose doth not say that the Seniors themselues were growne out of vse for he doth not say qui qua negligentia obâ—oleuerint but that themselues remayning their counsell was neglected If it be demanded why then doth he say habuit ecclesia the Church had I answere because the verbe was to haue reference both to the Church which had beene before his time and also to the Synagouge not because the Church had not Seniors still For Ierome Augustine and Gregorie are alleaged by the disciplinarians themselues that there were Seniors in the Church long after Ambrose his time Thirdly he cauilleth at the translation of the word docterum which I rendred learned or Teachers For which reading if he had a sound iudgement he would rather haue giuen me thankes In that translation as also in the exposition I intended to giue them satisfaction who as I thought were not satisfied with the iudgement of our learned men who by the word doctorum vnderstand Bishops onely For indeed if it be read Doctors or teachers a title in these times appropriated to Bishops the allegation out of Ambrose is as easily answered as alledged Ambrose his meaning being plainely this that whereas the Bishops in former times were wont to doe nothing of importance without the counsell and aduise of certaine ancient Ministers who were his assistants this was now growne out of vse either through the negligence or pride of the Bishops But because I thought it might be obiected that the word may signifie the learned as well as Teachers and so an opposition might be conceiued as well of the learned to the vnlearned Seniors as of the Doctors that is Bishops to the Presbyters who though they were learned were not called Doctors neither did vsually preach I therefore endeuoured so to expound it as that they who should so vnderstand this place might be satisfied shewing that although the word doctorum should signifie learned and although they would gather from thence that the Seniors which were excluded from consultation were vnlearned And consequently lay men yet notwithstanding that the speech of Ambrose needeth not to be vnderstood of Lay-Elders But seeing my aduersarie in the profundnesse of his iudgement reiecteth that reading as vnlearned and without example of which notwithstanding doctorum esto iudicium let the learned iudge I wil cleaue to that interpretation which by Doctorum vnderstandeth Doctors or Teachers as the best and keepe the other in store as a secondary exposition to satisfie them who by doctorum shall vnderstand the Learned and thereof inferre seeing the learned are blamed for excluding the Seniors that therefore the Seniors who were excluded were vnlearned And although my antagonist fighting Andabatarum more and as cowards vse to doe winking smote he saw not what nor cared what so as he might deale his blowes apace condemning me in that for which he had cause to thanke me notwithstanding I will acknowledge my thankefulnes to him for handling this matter so well that in this point he hath left our cause better then he found it For whereas there being two expositions of this place according to the two significations of the word doctorum the sentence hath almost no shew of probabilitie for Lay-Elders if doctorum be translated Doctors but seemeth very fauourable to them if doctorum signifie the Learned my aduersarie I thanke him hath freed me from the difficultie of the latter if his exceptions against it be good and hath permitted me to rest securely in the former The reader therefore is not to expect from me an ample defence of that latter sense against his exceptions which make for vs. For if his exceptions be good and that sense vntrue as he saith it is certaine and plaine that it is then will there be no difficultie at all in answering this testimonie of Ambrose that translation which seemed most to fauour Lay-Elders being reiected In discussing this testimonie of Ambrose because it seemeth to make for him he is content to spend 17. pages who if it were against him would scarce vouchsafe one line by way of answere I haue knowne when aboue a dozen testimonies of ancient writers directly testifying that Timothie was Bishop of Ephesus in which number Ambrose was one the chiefe patrone of the pretended discipline among vs hath refused so much as to examine the allegations as a thing vnworthy the turning of a leafe and in another place he shaketh off Ambrose thus As for Ambrose a child may see how violently he forceth the text c. And againe the errours and corrupt expounding of scriptures which are found in his workes declare that it had beene more safe for the Church if by studie of the scriptures he had first beene a
complaine of the want of such Elderships Now that Ambrose was such a one as I affirme in the assumption I will manifestly proue in answering the refuters cauills For hee as being ledde with a spirit of contradiction after his vsuall manner graunteth neither proposition nor assumption nor any one braunch of them to bee true Which course mee thinks should discredit him with all indifferent Readers who may discerne him to write not out of conscience but out of a resolution to cauill and contradict especallie if they consider that hitherto though he would scarcely graunt any thing to be true that I had saide yea in his preface auowed that I haue scarce vttered one true word yet he hath not bene able to proue any one thing which I deliuered to be false And such will his successe be in the rest That hee might fit this Argument to his owne strength he hath cast it as his manner is into a connexiue syllogisme For it is an easy thing to frame a connexion when he hath done to denie the consequence But yet belike this consequence was too strong for him to deale with whiles the Medium consisting of 3. branches was bound together therfore he dissolueth it taking euery branch by it selfe indeuouring like a grosse headed Sophister to perswade the Reader that because hee can bow euery twigge seuerally therefore the whole bundle or fagot is weake For the 3. branches being ioyned together as they are in the proposition the conscience of the Reader will I doubt not giue testimony to the manifest truth of the proposition vnderstood as I explaned it But though it be to no purpose if he can bend breake the branches seuerally yet we will trie his dealing that way and what he weakneth by dissoluing I will streÌ„gthen by vniting And first he saith this consequence is naught If Ambrose were a Diocesan Bishop vnderstand who magnified his own calling and could not abide that Bishops or Ministers should be subiected to the censures of Lay-men then would he not giue testimony to Lay-Elders he should haue said then would he not haue complained of the want of Lay-Elders who were neuer thought to be wanting where Bishops were thought to be lawfull And why because D. Whitgift was a Bishop yea an Archbishop and D. K. would be a Bishop and yet both giue testimonie to Lay-Elders Because D. Whitgifts graunt is oft laid in our dish the Reader is to know First that he denieth Lay-Elders could be proued out of the scriptures Secondly he graunteth they had bene in vse as Caluin others had testified taking it vpon their credit being loth either to contradict those famous learned men or to impeach the credit of those Churches where the Presbyteries were erected Which course of not contradicting them had still bin held if the Elders had not bene obtruded as Christs ordinance to extrude those who in respect of their first institution were ordained of God Thirdly B. Whitgift was so farre from complaining of the want of Layâ—Elders that he was a chiefe instrument of God vnder the Prince to keepe them out The testimony which D. K. giueth to your Lay-Elders appeareth by his Sermon where for confuting your Presbyteries you say hee spitteth out much poyson against these Elders and spendeth much gall vpon them God grant the poyson of Aspes be not vnder your lippes and that your selfe be not in the gall of bitternes who so virulently bitterly vse to raile on men of so good note in Gods Church But his testimonie concerning your Elders is so farre from complaining of the want of them as that he doth not onely say but also proue at large that there neuer were nor yet do need to be such Only you catch hold of his exposition of Ambrose his speech which as he saith may well be vnderstood of Elders in yeares experience and grauitie hauing some temporary coÌ„mission to assist in ordering the Church but not such as your lay-Lay-Elders It is very true that although Seniores or Presbyteri bee a name of order signifying Ministers and Priestes yet according to the originall signification therof it is vsed by Tertullian and heere by Ambrose as appeareth by the occasion of his words as opposed to the Iuniores of the Clergy And so not only Luther vnderstandeth the word as you heard before but Ambrose so speaketh else-where shewing that it was not needfull that the Iuniores the younger men of the Clergie should goe to the houses of Widowes and Virgins but onely to visit them hoc cum senioribus and that with the Seniors or elder sort of the Clergie that is with the Bishop or with the Presbyters if there be great cause Secondly he reiecteth this consequence if Ambrose did labour to magnifie the calling of Bishops then was it not his meaning c for saith he Suâ—tonius or Tacitus might magnifie the excellencie of the Monarchy and yet confesse that the state of Rome had beene democraticall or might they not complaine that the aduise of the Senators was not now regarded without whose counsell Tiberius in his fiue first yeares would doe little or nothing Yea did not Samuel magnifie the monarchicall gouernement vnder Saul and â—et testifie that they had beene otherwise gouerned yea and complaine that the forme was altered These examples vnlesse they had beene better fitted are to little purpose If he could haue said A Monarch labouring not onely to iustifie but to magnifie the royall calling and not enduring that Monarches and Princes should be subiected either to the Senate or people would notwithstanding complaine that the state is not either Aristocraticall or popular he had fitted the example though he had spoken vntruely For if Suetonius and Tacitus had beene Emperours and such as did magnifie the Monarchicall gouernement and could not abide either that the coÌ„mon-wealth should be ruled by the multitude or themselues ouer-ruled of the greater part of the senate then would they not complaine that the gouernement was not Democratical or Aristocratical But thus he might haue said both fitly and truely As a good king mislyking that some of his predecessors had managed all things without the aduise of their senatours might coÌ„plaine that through their pride or temeritie the aduise of the senators was neglected so Ambrose a good Bishop seeing the Bishops not to regard the aduise of their ancient Presbyters that is Ministers as it were their senatours without whose aduise nothing of importance was wont to be done in the Church might also complaine that their counsell and assistance was growne out of vse through the slouthfulnes or pride of the Bishops As for Samuel if either the state before was Monarchicall or if he had magnified the Monarchicall gouernement of the Iewes when Saul was set ouer them he had had little reason to complaine for the altering of that gouernement into a Monarchy But the state before had beene Monarchicall neither did Samuel magnifie
deeds consider his repelling of Theodosius the Emperour from entring into the Church vntill he had testified his repentance his not permitting him to remaine within the Chācell alledging that it was a place peculiar to the Clergie which fauour when Nectarius the Bishop of Cōstantinople would haue grāted to him Theodosius professed that he had with much a doe learned the differēce between an Emperour and a Bishop adding that he had scarce found a Teacher of the truth Ambrose is the onely man whom I know worthy the name of a Bishop his refusing to be tried in a cause of faith in the Emperours Consistorie when Valentinian the younger had sent for him contrarie to a law made by his Father Valentinian protesting that he would rather loose his life then by his yeelding the honour of Bishops should be diminished Non tanti est Ambrosius vt propter se deijciat sacerdotium non tanti est vnius vita quanti est dignit as omnium sacerdotum his refusall to deliuer vp the Churches to be possessed of Arians at the Emperour Valētinians commandement professing that the palaces pertained to the Emperour but the Churches to the Bishop His other doubt is whether I compare Ambrose with them of his owne time or with them that liued before or after c here was a knot sought in a bullrush seeing my meaning is euident that Ambrose laboured as much as any of the ancient approued Fathers And that he did so it is alreadie sufficiently manifested If that be so saith he then either all men thought it needfull for the Bishop to be aduised and directed as D. Bilson saith by the counsell and consent of Elders or else that Ambrose who thoght it needful as appeareth by this testimonie labored not to magnifie such a calling of Bishops as M.D. maintaineth Ambrose others thought it needful that a presbyterie of graue ancient ministers should with their coūsell aduise assist the Bishops in cases of doubt as D. Bilson saith of daunger and importance when as yet nether Synodes could assemble nor Christian Magistrates could be found to help and assist the Church But this as it doth nothing further the cause of lay-Lay-Elders so doth it no more detract from the dignitie of Bishops to vse the counsell of wise and learned men then it doth derogate from the Maiestie of Kings to vse the aduise of their wise faithfull Counsellors There remaineth the third branch Wherevnto besides his rayling against our Bishops for subiecting Ministers to their Chancellours Commissaries and Officialls which are but lay-men hee answereth onely That if adioyning Presbyters to the Byshop bee a subiecting him to them I doubt not but this testimony will prooue that Ambrose was not willing that Ministers should bee subiected to the Consistories of Lay-men There are two differences between that which Ambrose holdeth and our new Disciplinarians Ambrose speaketh of an assistance of ancient ministers they of Lay-Elders Ambrose of an assistance to aduise and direct such as is the aduise of Counsellers to a Prince they of an assistance to ouerrule as in the Romane Senate by plurality of voices giuing their Bishop not so much as one negatiue voice Ambrose therfore requireth an assistance of ministers subjected to the Bishop they an assistance of Lay-Elders subjecting the Bishops to them Neither should they of all men raile against the BB. for submitting ministers to Chancellors c. seeing it is not so vntollerable that ministers should be subjected to the censure of men wise and learned in the lawes and that so farre onely as the B. shall thinke fit as that they should not onely be ouerruled by such as the Lay-Elders must needs be in most countrey-parishes but also stand to the curtesie of them and their neighbours to be deposed and depriued at their pleasure Now how farre Ambrose was from subiecting BB or Ministers in causes Ecclesiasticall to the Consistories of Lay-men may appeare first by his sentence giuen against Palladius the Arfian Bishop in the Councell of Aquileia For when Palladius refused to answere but before some honourable persons of the Laytie who were at hand Ambrose answered Priests or BB. ought to iudge of Lay-men and not Lay-men of Priests And againe though hee bee found guiltie of manie impieties notwithstanding we are abashed that hee which challengeth Priesthood to himselfe should seeme to be condemned of Lay-men And therefore forasmuch as heerein hee is to be condemned who expecteth the sentence of Lay-men seeing rather priests ought to iudge of Laymen according to those things which to day wee haue heard Palladius professing and according to those things which he refused to condemne I pronounce him saith Ambrose vnworthie of Priest-hood But chiefly by his Epistle to Valentinian the young Emperour wherein hee refuseth to be tryed as his aduersary Auxentius desired in the Emperors Consistorie alleadging that his Father Valentinian had by Law prouided that in the cause of faith or of any Ecclesiasticall order hee ought to iudge qui nec munere impar sit nec iure dissimilis who is neiher in function vnequall nor in right vnlike that is Sacerdotes de Sacerdotibus voluit iudicare Hee would haue BB for them ordinarily hee meaneth by Sacerdotes to iudge of BB or Priests Yea moreouer saith hee if a Bishop were otherwise called into question and the cause of manners were to be examined euen this also would hee that is Valentinian the Father haue to belong to Episcopall iudgement When did you euer heare most gracious Emperor that Lay-men in a cause of faith iudged of BB Are wee therefore so bowed with flatterie that wee forget the right of BB And that I should thinke what God hath giuen mee is to bee committed to others If a Bishop must be taught of a Lay-man what to follow let the Lay-man dispute and let the Bishop heare let the B learne of the Lay-man But surely if wee call to minde either the tenor of holie Scriptures or ancient times who can denie but that in a cause of Faith In causa inquam fidei Episcopos solere de Imperatoribus Christianis non Imperatores de Episcopis judicare You shall one day if it please God come to ripe yeares and then you will be able to iudge Qualis ille Episcopus sit qui Laicis Sacerdotale substernut What a Bishop he is that subiecteth the right of Bishops to Lay-men Your Father beeing through Gods goodnes of ripe yeares said Meum non est I am not able For so Ambrose expoundeth him in the next Sentence Inhabilem se ponderi tanti putabat esse Iudicij to iudge among BB. doth your Grace now say I ought to iudge would Ambrose condemne such a Bishop as should subiect the right of BB. to Lay-men and would hee allow of such prerbyteries of Lay-men as intrude vpon the right of BB yea which are vrged to extrude BB could hee not indure that a B. or
minister should be iudged in causes Ecclesiasticall by the consistory of the Emperour because it consisted of Lay-men and would hee allow a B. or minister should be iudged yea deposed and depriued by a parishionall consistory or whole parish consisting of Lay-men doth he commend the good Emperour that said he was vnable to iudge among Bishops and would hee allow of priuate men vnlearned and vnacquainted with gouernement as competent Iudges in causes Ecclesiasticall And thus much of my denyall of their exposition of Ambrose made good by sufficient proofe CHAP. VIII The proofe of their Exposition of Ambrose disproued and the reasâ—os which I alleadged why the Counsell of the Seniors was neglected defended Serm. Sect. 7. Pag. 14. But let vs examine the force of their Argument Ambrose saith there were Elders in the Church as well as in the Synagogue Therefore say they there were Elders It followeth not c to learned Presbyters in the middle of pag. 16. THeir Argument is heere such as in this question of Lay-Elders perpetuallie they vse in all their proofes of Scriptures and Fathers that is from the genus to the species yea to a fancied or fained species affirmatiuely As if they should say hee is a Magistrate therefore a Constable an ancient Cittizen therefore an Alderman or rather thus It is a man therefore the man in the moone I see a shippe therefore it is Argo Like the wise man of Athens who standing in Pyraeo on the key there saide euery shippe he saw was his Sauing that he was somewhat wiser because he had a shippe at the Sea These mens shippe doth swimme in their owne braines So strong is their fancie as wee shall heare that when either Christ saith Tell the Church that is as themselues expound it the rulers of the Church they strongly conclude therefore tell lay-Lay-Elders or Luke that Paul and Barnabas ordayned Presbyters ergo Lay-Elders or Iames is any sicke let him send for the Presbyters ergo for Lay-Elders or Paul hee that ruleth Marke how he speaketh of a ruler therefore of a Lay-Elder God hath appointed gouernements therefore of Lay-Elders or Ignatius be subiect to the Presbyters as to the Apostles of Christ ergò to Lay-Elders or Tertullianus Certaine approued Seniors be presidents c ergo Lay Elders or Ierome wee haue a Senate of Presbyters Ergo of Lay-Elders And that no man should liue in feare of the great stroakes which this great champion hath threatned let him vnderstand that these be all the strokes that he will strike when his turne of striking commeth To this argument and all the rest I answere by denying the consequence which is so badde as the refuter is loath to Father it and yet neither in this nor in any other of their testimonies they haue or can make no better Well saith he Whatsoeuer the argument is the answere is well worse meaning as it seemeth the reason of the answere which was this for euen the Synagogue had Seniors of the Priests as well as of the people My reason may thus be explained If not onely the Church had Seniors that were ministers whose aduise was neglected in Ambrose his time but euen also the Sinagogue meaning Israell or the state of the Iewes had Seniors of the Priests then it followeth not that the Seniors of whom Ambrose speaketh were lay-Lay-Elders But the antecedent is true in both the parts of it Therefore the consequent The consequent of the proposition is necessarie for an argument from the genus to the species doth not hold affirmatiuely Genus saith Fabius ad probandum speciem minimuÌ„ valet plurimum ad refellendum the generall is of no force to proue the speciall affirmatiuely though it bee of great force to disproue it if you argue from it negatiuely As for example it followeth noâ— because it is a tree that therefore it is a plane tree It is not necessary saith the Philosopher that what is affirmed of the genus should also be affirmed of the species As touching the assumption the former part viz that the Church had seniors which were ministers I tooke for granted because either all those places of Scriptures and Fathers as I say or at least some as my aduersarie will confesse where Presbyters be named Ministers are vnderstood The second part I proue out of Ierem 19.1 where the Prophet is commanded to take with him some not onely of the Seniors of the people but also of the Seniors of the Priests that is men of authoritie as well of the Ecclesiasticall state as of ciuill Which words though the refuter vnderstand as I doe as prouing not that the Iewes had an Eccclesiasticall Senate consisting partly of the Priests and partly of the Elders of the people for of such a presbyterie though there be much talke yet there is no proofe but that in the Iewish state there were as well Seniors of the priests as Seniors of the people notwithstanding the seely Philosopher would faine make the Reader belieue that I confesse which most confidently I doe denie that in the Church of the Iewes there was an Ecclesiasticall Eldership consisting both of the priests and Seniors of the people and therevpon would inferre that this testimonie maketh mee Because forsooth Ambrose acknowledgeth that there was such an Eldership in the Church as had beene among the Iewes But among the Iewes there was as hee saith I confesse an Ecclesiasticall Senate consisting of the Priests and Elders of the people therefore Ambrose acknowledgeth such a Presbyterie to haue bene in the Church consisting of Ministers and lay-Lay-Elders First for Ambrose hee doth not speake of Eldership either among Iewes or Christians but sheweth that because both the Iewes and Christians had Seniors this is an Argument that age is honorable seeing that ancient men were of authoritie both among the Iewes who had Seniors as well in the Ecclesiasticall as ciuil state and also among Christians Now to inferre from hence that either the Iewes or Christians had an Ecclesiasticall senate consisting in part of Lay-Elders is a vaine collection For if by Synagogue is meant the state of the Iewes they might haue as indeed they had a Senate consisting of Priests and Leuites and chiefe of the people but that was not an Ecclesiasticall Senate as hereafter shall be shewed but their chiefe Counsell of state â—f by Synagogue you vnderstaÌ„d only the ecclesiasticall state of the Iews in that ther were no other seniors but of the Clergie of Israel And as for my confession I protest that I meant nothing lesse then that the Church of the Iewes had an Ecclesiasticall Senate consisting of the Seniors of the Priests and Elders of the people For I know it to be an idle conceit hauing no other warrant but the probabile est of a new writer a chiefe party in this cause But hereof more in my answer to his allegation out of Matth 18. Besides can any man that
quique seniores the approued Seniors be praesident Thirdly of Clement in his epistle to Iames translated by Rufinus cited by Gratian if any of the brethren haue Saints let them not be judged by secular Iudges sed apud Presbyteros Ecclesiae quicquid illud est dirimatur but before the Presbyters of the church let the cause be decided to their determination let the parties stand Fourthly of Ierome Presbyters saith hee meaning ministers whom he also calleth Preists and attributeth to them the ministery of the worde and Sacraments from the beginning were appointed Iudges of causes c. And to the same purpose the Authors of the centuries testifie that the Presbyters besides that they taught the people did also compound suites and controuersies Now that their aduise was much neglected and themselues but too much dejected by the Byshops in Ambrose his time appeareth not onely by his but also by Ieromes complaint Likewise by diuers Canons in the fourth councell of Carthage held about the yeare 401 wherein it was decreed that the Bishop without the assemblie of his clergie should not ordaine clerkes that in the ordination of a presbyter the Presbyters also which be present should with the Bishop impose their hands that the B should not determine any mans cause but in the presence of his Clergy that he might not alienate or sell the goods or possessions of the Church without the consent of his clergie that the Bishop though in the Church and in the assembly of the presbyters ought to sit in an higher place yet priuatly he should vse the presbyters as his Colleagues and sitting himselfe should not suffer a presbyter to stand that the Deacons should acknowledge themselues to be Ministers to the presbyters as well as to the Bishops that if the presbyters badde them they might sit in their presence which otherwise they might not doe All these things considered together with that which before hath bene alledged to proue that there were neuer any Lay-Elders doe necessarily euince that there is no reason to imagine if Doctorum signifie Doctors or Teachers Lay-Elders to be meant by Seniors in this place And so much of the exposition of this place according to the former sense of the word Doctorum signifying Doctors which with my aduersaries consent I doe much preferre before the other and therefore can be very well content to giue in the latter Notwithstanding because some perhaps will vnderstand the word Doctorum as being a common title both to Bishops and Presbyters signifying learned and will therefore imagine that the Elders whose counsell was neglected by them were Idiotae or Lay-men for their sakes therefore I will briefly shew that though this interpretation be admitted yet there is no necessitie that Seniors should signifie Lay-Elders for Doctorum being according to this interpretation a common title both to Bishops and Presbyters Ambrose his meaning may be conceiued to be this that the assistance and councell of ancient Ministers meant by Seniors who were wont to assist the Bishop was growne out of vse either by their owne negligeÌ„ce or the Bishops pride Whereunto after much froath of idle words he replyeth First that the Councell of Ministers was not growne out of vse in Ambrose his time and this he indeuoureth to proue by fiue testimonies First of Ierome saying that the Churches at the first were gouerned communi presbyterorum consilio by the common Councell of Presbyters Which testimonie maketh against him for Ierome speaketh of such Presbyters as Paul speaketh of who were Ministers and are there called Bishops If therefore the Church was at the first gouerned by common councell of Ministers and if Ambrose complaine that their councell in his time was neglected which at the first had beene vsed and whereby the Church had beene gouerned who seeth not that it was the neglect of the Ministers aduise wherof Ambrose complaineth 2. yea but Ierome saith we also in the Church haue senatum nostrum â—â—tum Presbyterorum our senate a company of Presbyters which testimonie is wont to be alleaged to proue that in Ieromes time there was a Presbyterie of lay-Lay-Elders But here my aduersarie presupposing that Lay-Elders were growne out of vse in Ambrose his time whom T C supposeth to haue continued diuers hundred yeares after Ambrose bringeth it to proue that in Ieromes time who was almost as ancient as Ambrose there was a Senate of Ministers which no man doubteth of For else-where he saith the Church hath a Senate a companie of Presbyters without whose Counsell the Monkes may doe nothing And not only in Ieromes time the Church had but in all Ages since euen to this day it hath such a Senate which in latter times hath called Capitulum the chapter Howbeit both in Ambrose his time and since the aduise and assistance thereof notwithstanding the Decree of the fourth counsell of Carthage hath beene though in some things eueÌ„ to this day vsed yet in the most things and for the most part neglected His third testimony which hee saith is plaine enough of the saide Ierome cited in the canon Law is also plaine against him For hauing saide as euen now I alledged him that the presbyters from the beginning had bene appointed to heare and iudge causes as the Bishops assistants hee prooueth it because they also in the scriptures are called Bishops howsoeuer now the Bishops enuied them that dignitie c. His 4. testimonie is the 23. canon of the councell of Carthage which euen now I cited which maketh against him rather then for him For seeing good lawes arise from bad manners it is to bee imagined that according to the complaint of Ambrose and Ierome who were somewhat before this councell the presence of the Clergie and assistance of the presbyters was neglected and that this neglect gaue occasion to the making of that canon His. 5. testimonie is of D. Bilson though hee name also another learned maÌ„ only to abuse him Howbeit D. Bilson vnderstandeth Ambrose as coÌ„plaining of the Bishops of his time who whiles they would seeme to rule alone had excluded or neglected the aid couÌ„sell of their bretheren of the Clergie who were wont to aduise and assist them as well in Doctrine as in Discipline And whereas in the second place he replieth that slothfulnesse and pride must needs be referred to the same persons and not slothfulnes to presbyters and pride to BB I answeare that if Doctorum be a common title to both as it is if it signifie learned and if the slothfulnes of the presbyters rather then of the BB. be as like almost to be the cause why their assistance grew out of vse as the pride of the BB then is there no necessitie that slothfulnesse and pride should both be attributed to the Bishops but rather it is very likely that slouthfulnes is imputed to
presbyters and pride to the Bishops But both the parts of the Antecedent is true therefore the consequent But let vs heare his Reasons The first If Ambrose had meant to ascribe slouthfulnes to the Seniors hee would haue saide that their assistance grew out of vse either by their owne slothfulnes or rather by the pryde of the BB. The second he would haue said not Doctorum but Ipforum desidiâm which reason is the latine of the first and the first the english of this Such iudgment heere is shewed in distinguishing of arguments But who knoweth not that the same sentence may very manie wayes bee varied in respect of the words the same sence remaining so that this exception might be made against any exposition almost If I should say As in Christs Colledge so in some others Elections were wont to bee caryed by the voyces of the iuniors as well as the Seniors which thing is now grown out of vse by what meanes I know not vnlesse perhaps by the remissenes of the fellowes or rather arrogancie whiles they would rule alone I might not vnfitly so speake ascribing remissnes to the iunior fellowes and arrogancie to the Seniors His third and fourth reasons are impertinent vnderstanding the word Doctorum of Doctors a title in those times peculiar to Bishops not of learned which is common to both For though the speciall title of Doctors according to the former interpretation which is ◠better be opposed to of the Seniors or presbyters who were not called Doctors yet to a common title neither of the specials to which it is common are to be opposed but both to be subiected The 5. that Ambrose chargeth both slothfulnes and pride vpon the same persons called Doctors c. But this should haue bene prooued and not begged especially seeing I disprooue it in the reason following For that which he pratteleth of amplifying the fault by rising from the lesse to the greater hath not so much as a shew of a good reason to dsproue my exposition seeing of the 2. causes Ambrose seemeth to make the slothfulnesse of the learned that is the Presbyters not so principall as the pride of the learned that is to say the BB. vnles perhaps saith he by the slothfulnes of the presbyters or rather pride of the BB. Lastly saith he If we make diuers sorts of teachers he should haue said learned Ambrose his speech were defectiue and somewhat must be added as either by the slothfulnes of the teachers or rather pride of the Bishops or some of them I answere if the word Learned be vsed being a title common both to the Seniors and the Doctors there needs no addition to make the sentence perfect but a distinct application of the common title to the speciall sorts according to their seuerall faultes by which they are to be distinguished Slothfulnesse beeing the fault of the one and pride of the other as before you heard in the example of fellowes But why should I spend time in answering such slieght Objections the which notwithstanding seeme of such weight with him that hee wondereth that all these worthie reasons considered I would vnderstand Doctorum signifying learned as a common title both to the Bishops and Seniors and that saith hee as if hee were another Pythagoras vpon his bareword I say his bare word for as yet he hath not vouchsafed vs one piece of a Reason This is one of the refuters poore shifts to make himselfe wrangling worke To take an Assertion of mine and hauing seuered it from the Reasons wherewith it was guarded to cauill with mee as if without alledging a Reason I would like an other Pythagoras bee belieued vppon my bare word Whereas in truth both heere and in other places where I am the Answerer I render more reasons then were needfull were it not that I sought to satisfie in hope that men will at the length be satisfied with reason As for example this place of Ambrose is objected as giuing testimonie to Lay-Elders I answere there is no necessitie this place should so bee vnderstood Here might I haue rested and put the opponents to inforce this testimonie which by them is barely propounded But being desirous to giue satisfaction I vrge it for them thus Ambrose saith there were Seniors in the primitiue Church whose councell was now neglected therefore he giueth testimonie to lay-Lay-Elders I denie the consequence giuing a reason because those Seniors were of the Clergie and not of the Laitie Against this answere I make them replie thus The Seniors aduise was neglected by the learned Therfore themselues were such as were not learned or of the Clergie To this I answere that if the word Doctorum signifie learned Notwithstanding this place may be vnderstood of the Seniors of the clergie onely If wee conceiue Doctorū signifying learned as a common title both to the BB Seniors and of this answeare I giue a reason by explaning this testimony of Ambrose And whereas I did foresee that it would be objected that Doctorum was to be vnderstood either of pastors of parishes alone according to the conceite of the new Disciplinarians or of BB. a lone according to the rest I therfore sought to preuent this obiection in those words for if you expound Doctorum for pastors c. Wherein a sufficient reason is concluded holding strongly against the parish B. his Elders And not contented with all this in desire to giue satisfaction I rendred the true causes besides arrogancy of BB. which I knewe was presupposed why the assistance of the ancient ministers called Seniors was growne out of vse and yet forsooth like another Pythagoras I looke that my bare word should be credited without reason Yea but saith hee that which is added in steed of a Reason hath no more reason in it but his owne blindnes saying that I cannot see how c. But is it not strange that hee who is so sharpe sighted to finde out Syllogismes where none were intended could see no reason heere Or shall we not thinke that he chose rather like a shifting sophister to take aduātage of that modest phrase thē to encoūter with the reason it selfe which may thus be cōcluded That which is a matter of great labour and paines to the vndertaker and ease to the relinquisher is not to be ascribed to slothfulnes in him that taketh it vpon him but rather in them who are eased But the taking of the whole burden and cumbersome imployment of hearing suites and managing all causes Ecclesiasticall vpon the BB is a matter of great labour and paines to them and ease to the Seniors Therefore the Bishops vnderaking the whole burden and cumbersome imployment of hearing suites and managing all causes Ecclesiasticall is not to be ascribed to slothfulnes in them but rather to the Seniors One of these premisses should haue bene denyed and the denyall made good if hee had bene able but in steed hereof he encountereth with the
answere that the reason which I vsed concludeth most strongly against the refuters exposition who by Doctorum will needs vnderstand parish Bishops Who if they should take the whole burden vpon them of Church-gouernement and deciding causes Ecclesiasticall without the aide or assistance of the Elders could not therefore be accused of idlenes for I hope the refuter will not say that they also had Chancellers or Comissaries vnder them to whom they might put off those cumbersome imployments It remaineth now that I should proceed to the causes which I rendred why the Councell of the Seniors in Ambrose his time was so much neglected by Bishops But that my aduersary after his accustomed maner will needs take occasion to shew his owne ignorance by taking vp a speech which as he saith I let drop by the way concerning Deanes and Chapters of our Cathedrall Churches as being a resemblance or remainder of the Presbyteries which were in the Primitiue Church For such is his reading that he doubteth not to deny that in Ambrose his times there were any Cathedrall Churches or that our Deanes and Chapters are so much as resemblances of the Presbyteries of those times For Cathedrall Churches you are to vnderstand that although in euery Diocesse there were many parish churches both in country and citie yet there was one chiefe church in the citie which was the Bishops Cathedra or seat wherein the Bishop most vsually performed the duties of the Episcopall and pastorall function whereunto a peculiar Clergie belonged consisting of Presbyters Deacons and other inferiour orders and whereto Episcopium the Bishops house was neare adioyning This church in those times was called sometimes Cathedra sc. Episcopi as Concil Carthag where it was decreed that no Bishop relicta cathedra leauing his Cathedrall Church should remoue his seate or See to any church in his Diocesse the Greeke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And likewise BB are forbidden to neglect any of those places which beloÌ„g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Matrix Matrix Cathedra as Conc. Carth. 3. c. 46. Episcopus qui matricom tenet Conc. Carth. graec c. 24 siue Affric c. 90. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If in the mother Churches that is to say the Cathedrall the Bishop shal be negligent c sometimes Ciuitatensis ecclesia sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the Councell of Neocaessaria Such a Church was that in Millaine whereunto Ambrose his house adioyned for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that house of salutation where Ambrose sate when Theodosius came to him to be absolued was not as T. C. imagined Ambrose his owne house before he was Bishop for it was intra septa Ecclesiae within the bounds of the Church Paulinus testifieth that Ambrose gaue away all when he was made Bishop and left himselfe nothing which here he might call his owne In that Church Ambrose vsually preached to that Church the Emperour himselfe resorted In the chancell whereof when Theodosius the Emperour would haue remained to receiue the communion Ambrose sent him word by his Archdeacon that that place was peculiar to the clergie which belonged to this Church consisting of the Arch-Presbyter and the other Presbyters of the Archdeacon and other Deacons and other inferior orders of the Clergie For albeit the name Decanus was not perhaps as yet in vse yet the office was and the Deane signified by other names For sometimes he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe or ruler of the Presbyters euen as Ambrose his Archdeacon in the place euen now cited is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a one was Chrysostome in Antioch a long time Eulogius at Edessa sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Peter was the Protopresbyter in the Church at Alexandria And Arsacius who succeeded Chrysostome in the Bishopricke of Constantinople the Protopresbyter there In latine most vsually Archipresbyter as histor tripat lib. 10. c. 10. and in the fourth Councell of Carthage where it was decreed that the Bishop should take care of widowes Orphans strangers not by himselfe but by his Archpresbyter or by his Archdeacon Ierome shewing that in each societie there is some one ruler saith singuli Ecclesiarum Episcopi singuli Archipresbyteri singuli Archdiaconi the Churches haue each of them one Bishop one Archpresbyter on Archdeacon In processe of time they were called decani Archipresbyteri a pluribus decani nuncupantur Archpresbyters of the most are called Deanes Neither were there onely Archpresbyters and Deanes of Cathedrall Churches which were called Archipresbyteri vrbani ciuitatenses of whom all these former testimonies are to be vnderstood but also rurall Deanes called sometimes Archipresbyteri decani as in the Councell of Towers and sometimes decani firsti Archipresbyteri parochiarum in the Councell of Agatha The chapter was wont to be called Presbyterium Placuit Presbyterium contrahi we thought good the Presbyterie should be gathered together saith Cornelius to Cyprian And Syricius the Bishop of Râ—me in an Epistle to Ambrose facto Presbyterio the Presbyterie being assembled somtimes seâ—atus caetus Presbyterorum the senate or assembly of Presbyters The Presbyters or Seniors themselues were called sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ciuitatenses Presbyteri the Presbyters of the citie seniores by Tertullian and Ambrose in the place alleaged The ancient Councell of Ancyra hauing pronounced it vnlawfull for the Chorepiscopi or countrey Bishops to ordaine Presbyters or Deacons addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither yet is it lawfull for the Presbyters of the citie whereby it may in part appeare what was the estimation of the Presbyters of the citie in comparison of the countrie Bishops But as the Archipresbyteri in latter times were called decani so these Presbyters of the citie were in processe of time called Canonici prebendarij and the company of them which had beene called Presbyterium was termed capitulum in english Chapter Caluin saith Presbyteri vrbani versi sunt in canonicos the Presbyters of the citie are turned into Canons or prebendaries And it is to be noted saith Duarenus that in euery citie there was a certaine College of these Presbyters which the Bishop gouerned such as is at this day canonicorum collegium the college of Canons who seeme to haue succeeded into their place and this companie of Presbyters Ierome calleth the senate of the church By all which it is more then euident that as in the ancient times they had Cathedrall churches as well as we and those endowed with great reuenewes as it is easie to proue so the Deanes and chapters of our Cathedrall Churches are the remainder of their Presbyteries our Deanes being those who were called Archpresbyters our Prebendaries those which were called Presbyteri vrbani our chapters those which they called Presbyteries Neither doth that hinder which our
refuter obiecteth that our BB haue not the like assistance of the Deane and chapter that the ancient BB had of their Presbyteries For Ambrose complaineth that euen in his time their counsell was neglected And yet in these times as the Bishop may vse their aduise if he please so in some cases their assistance is necessarily required the acts of the Bishop being void without their consent Besides sede vacante in the vacancy of the See the custodie of the Bishopricke Episcopall rights as also the election of the new Bishop is after a sort referred to them And as in times past so now the placing and displacing of the Presbyters of the citie whom we call Prebendaries appertaineth to the BB a few Churches onely among vs excepted And to conclude as Deanes and Chapters with vs are in a maner peculiar to Cathedrall Churches the seats of Bishops some collegiate Churches excepted so were the Presbyteries in the primitiue Church Insomuch that our new sect of disciplinarians might as well say there was in old time now should be a Deane chapter as a Presbyterie in euery parish If therefore they will sue for reformation according to the precedent of the primitiue Churches let them seeke and sue that the Bishops may vse the counsell and assistance of the Presbyterie of the citie which we call the Deane and Chapter and they may hope to preuaile if none of the reasons why their assistance is forborne be sufficient which now come to be examined Serm. Sect. 8. pag. 16. But howsoeuer Ambrose knew not what to say of this matter otherwise then by coniecture c to the end of the first point pag. 17. These reasons I added by way of surplusage or aduantage to giue satisfaction if it might be But nothing will satisfie them who set themselues to cauill for whereas I said I doubt not but the true causes c the refuter depraueth my speech as if the word I had beene vttered with an immodest Emphasis when as I meant no more by that speech then when we say proculdubio or dubium non est which kind of speech my aduersarie me thinkes should not so greatly mislike sithens their Lay-Elders which haue beene vrged with such heat haue no better warrant then dubium non est satis opinor constat probabile est as you shall heare when we come to their proofes They may say confidently there were Lay-Elders in the time of the Apostles yea from the time of Moses vntill Christ and that after the example of the Iewes who indeed neuer had such Presbyteries they are to be erected in euery parish and yet haue no better warrant for these things then their owne coniectures They may take vpon them to auow without reason that to haue beene done in the Apostles times whereunto neither scripture nor Father giueth testimonie and in me it is great immodestie to affirme that which but one of the Fathers seemed to doubt of though I alleage sufficient reason of my affirmation For in the first three hundred yeares after Christ when Christians neither had frequent Synodes to determine doubts nor Synodall constitutions to direct the Bishops nor the authoritie of the Christian Magistrate to rectifie what was amisse in the gouernement of the Church there was great necessitie that the Bishop should vse the aduise and counsell of other wise and learned men otherwise his will would haue seemed to stand for a law and his gouernement would haue beene subiect to ouersight in himselfe to remedilesse wrong towards the clergie and people and to the obloquy and scandall of all But when as prouinciall Synodes were frequently assembled to determine doubts to right the causes of them that were wronged to prescribe so many Caâ—ons and constitutions as to the BB assembling in Councell seemed sufficient for their direction wheÌ„ the authoritie of the christian Magistrate was helpefull to the Church then we may easily conceiue that as the Councell and assistance of the Presbyterie was not so needfull so both to the Presbyters desiring their ease and Scholasticall quietnesse and also to the Bishops desiring to rule alone it would seeme needlesse which reason I am well content it shall be put into the equall balance of the Readers iudgement against the cauills of the refuter wherewith he hath blotted more then a whole leafe It happened to the Presbyteries as after it did to the prouinciall Synodes For when by experience it was fouÌ„d to be very troublesome chargeable to the BB hurtfull to their churches tedious to suiters by reason of multitude of causes referred to Synodal audience that al the BB in euery couÌ„try should twice euery yeare for a long time be absent from their churches to be present at Synodes it was decreed both by the Emperours and BB that those causes wherewith prouinciall Synodes had vsually bene troubled should be referred to the audience and decisioÌ„ of the Archbishop or Metropolitan Euen so when it was found troublesome and tedious to the Presbyters and hurtfull to the Church that their time which might better be spent in studie of Diuinitie to furnish them for the publike Ministery should be taken vp in hearing brabbles and quarrels and also their assistance seemed not needfull to the Bishops for the causes aforesaid it is not to be maruelled that their assistance grew out of vse For whereas the refuter obiecteth and is the onely thing worth the mentioning which he obiecteth that the Presbyteries continued in Ambroses time and long after I answere that they continue to this day But as their assistance now in matters of gouernement is not much vsed so before Ambrose his time it began to be neglected And thus much concerning the testimonie of Ambrose which hauing cleared as well as that 1. Tim. 5.17 being the onely places of moment which vse to be produced in this cause I might safely conclude from all the premisses that therfore there were no Lay-Elders in the primitiue Church From whence besides the maine conclusion that therefore the primitiue Church was gouerned by Diocesan Bishops lay- the two particular assertions concluding against our new sect of disciplinarians will necessarily follow The first that therefore there were no parishionall Presbyteries the second that therefore parish Bishops or pastors were subiect to the Diocesan Bishops Against the former he obiecteth a speech of D. Bilson affirming that euery Church in the Apostles times had many Prophets Pastors and Teachers which as the refuter saith might make a Presbyterie But the Churches D. Bilson speaketh of were not in seuerall parishes but as he saith in populous cities such as that of Ephesus Act. 20 and those prouided not for any one parish but for the whole citie and countrey adioyning that is to say the Diocesse For when my aduersarie shall produce any one pregnant testimonie that in such congregations as we call parishes there was a Presbyterie of Ministers I will also grant
the best proofes as they are vrged by T. C. M. Caluin Beza and Dudley Fenner First therefore concerning Mat. 18.17 T. C. argueth thus By Church is meant either all the people or the Pastor alone or the Pastor with the ancients and Elders but neither the people nor Pastor alone therefore the Pastor with the ancients and Elders The disiunction is grounded vpon a supposition of the newfound parish discipline that there were no other Ecclesiasticall gouernours but parishionall which I shall hereafter by Gods helpe proue to be absurd In the meane time for the confutation of this disiunction it shall suffice to note that which all disciplinarians confesse that our Sauiour Christ speaketh according to the manner of those times either bidding them tell the assembly that is the Synedrion of the Iewes or at least that the partie offending is to be delated to the like assembly authorized for hearing of causes in the Church of Christ. Wherefore T. C. and our new disciplinarians must first proue these two things first that there was an Ecclesiasticall Presbyterie in euery Synagogue and secondly that what they had in euery Synagogue we ought to haue in euery parish before they may vrge the like in imitation of them to be erected in euery parish among vs. But they are so farre from prouing the latter of these assertions that they faile in the former T. C. professeth he cannot proue it out of the old testament but that it may be concluded out of the new he hopeth the Reader will iudge considering that the policie of the Church now was in this point taken from the Iewes Church As if he should say forasmuch as the Church which imitated the Iewes had in euery parish a Presbyterie which indeed is most notoriously false it is to be supposed that the Church of the Iewes had in euery Synagogue the like Where by a circular disputation the question which we denie is brought to proue his argument whereby notwithstanding he would seeme to proue the question For aide therefore he bringeth the custome of the moderne Iewes who if they had any such custome were no fit presedents for vs to follow But indeed they though they haue their Rabbi in euery Snagogue yet an Ecclesiasticall Presbyterie they neuer had for ought that I can find And whereas he and after him the author of the Counterpoison alleage Ierome to proue that they had their Elders in Euery Synagogue which should aswell admonish the polluted to abstaine from the assemblies as to reproue the Sabbath-breakers I cannot sufficiently wonder at the allegation for Ierome mentioneth that custome of the Iewes which he speaketh of as one of the worst of the Pharisaicall traditions which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which one saith he I will mētion to the shame of the whole nation and which I will not mention for modestie sake therfore we may be sure neither Christ transmitted nor Ierome commended it to the Church Secondly the gouernours of their Synogogues which Ierome speaketh of were such as were to iudge of cleane and vncleane a dutie peculiar to the Priests Neither doth he speake of admonishing the polluted from comming to the assemblie but onely of iudging betweene cleane and vncleane And thirdly that which T. C. addeth concerning the Sabbath is by Ierome mentioned as another tradition of the Pharisies hauing no affinitie with the former Yea but the new testament speaketh of them in diuerse places calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe of the Synagogues The archisynagogi were such as now they call their Rabbies as being the Scribes and Pharisies who were their Teachers sitting in the chaire of Moses as Sigonius witnesseth Bertram likewise saith those who at the first were called Prophets and afterwards Scribes and Doctors of the law at the last in the Synagogues were called Archisynagogi for those who were in the Temple were called scribae templi and of these in the greater Synagogues there were more then one Beza also seemeth to haue beene of the same minde Howbeit both he and Bertram who dedicateth his booke vnto him doe thinke that in the Synagogue of the cities these Rulers had Elders ioyned with them But it may be you expect their proofes Heare therefore the very foundation of the Presbyterie to wit that what was the order of the Church of the Iewes Christ translated and recommended to his Church But in the Church of the Iewes there were Elders ioyned to the Teachers to make vp an Ecclesiasticall Senate How the proposition will be made good I know not The assumption is proued thus There were Leuites in the Synagogues saith Beza in whose hands the spirituall administration was there being ioyned to them vt probabile est as it is probable some Citizens of note Hence is mention of the Archisynagogi who ruled the assemblies Those saith Bertram who had beene called Prophets and after Scribes as the last in the Synagogues were called Archisynagogi vnde verisimile est whence it is likely that those Archisynagogi did moderate the order of Seniors who were to enquire into mēs māners for the Synagogues also had their Ministers Luc. 4.20 So that belike the Minister or attendant to whom Christ gaue the book was one of these Seniors or ex illustrib ciuibus as Beza speaketh Well what was their office Horum proculdubio partes fuerunt their office no doubt was not to admit to the Synagogue them whom the Synedrion of Ierusalem had excluded from the Synagogues And what their office hath bene since in the Church you heard it proued before by Satis opinor constat I thinke it is euident enough So that the very foundation whereon the presbyterie of lay-Lay-Elders which with such vehemencie and violence hath bene vrged as the vndoubted ordinance of Christ is grounded is no better then the probable conjectures of some new writers who are parties in the cause probable I say in their owne conceipts For else there is not so much as probabilitie in their Assertions And so much of M. Cartwrights collection out of Matth 18.17 and what else is said of others in fauour of the presbyters in the Synagogues of the cities Now let vs see what Caluin Beza and others collect out of that place of Mathew When Christ biddeth them tell the Church Forasmuch as there was no Christian church established wherevnto they might repaire it were absurde to vnderstand Christ as propounding the iudgement of the Church which yet was not Therefore dubium non est it is not to be doubted but that Christ spake of such an assembly as was then in vse alluding to the order of the olde Church wherein after their returne from Babylon a select Councell was established which they called Sinhedrim in Greek Synedrion whervnto the censure of Doctrine and manners was committed Which Synedrion besides some Priests and Leuites consisted of the Elders of the people And although the
discipline was corrupted amongst the Iewes in our Sauiour Christs time and therefore it is not likely that our Sauiour would send his Disciples to their Assemblies to haue their causes heard yet dubium non est it is not to be doubted but that forme of discipline which had beene vnder the Law was by Christ transmitted to vs and that the forme of discipline which was in vse in the Church of Christ succeeded in the roome thereof The summe is What manner of presbyters were among the Iewes the like Christ ordained in his church when hee said Tell the Church But among the Iews there was an Ecclesiasticall presbyterie which besides the priests and Leuites consisted of the Elders of the people Therefore such an Ecclesiasticall presbyterie Christ ordained in his Church The proposition hath no other proofe but their owne testimonie signified in those asseuerations dubium non est neque ambigimus for that which is added by Beza the author of the counterpoison that the wordes which Christ vsed Let him be to thee as an Heathen or Publican to proue that he spake according to their custome doe in no sort prooue that hee translated their forme of gouernement into his church For if Christ did translate from the state of the Iewes any Consistories into his church then hee transmitted such as were either ordained of God or deuised by men If the former then such as God ordained for the gouernment of the people either in the Wildernes or in the Land of promise In the Wildernes by the aduise of Iethro and approbation of God there were Rulers set ouer thousands hundreds fifties and tens to iudge the people the deciding of more difficult causes beeing reserued to Moses But the multitude of these difficult causes increasing and Moses waxing weary of them the Lord ioyned to him a Senate of 70. Numb 11. Answereable to these the Lorde appointed Consistories or Senates for the gouernement of the people in the Land of promise To the former Deuteron 16.18 Iudges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Cities throughout all thy Tribes and they shall iudge the people with righteous iudgement To the latter Deut 17. If there arise a matter too harde for thee in Iudgement betweene blood blood betweene plea plea betweene plague and plague in the matters of controuersies within thy Gates then shalt thou arise and goe vp into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose and thou shalt come vnto the Priests and Leuites and the iudge that is Iudges saith Caluin that shall be in those dayes and aske and they shall shewe thee the sentence of iudgement This prescript the godly king Iosaphat followed exactly 2. Chron. 19. both in respect of the inferiour consistories in the cities placing iudges in the land throughout all the strong cities citie by citie and in Ierusalem did he set of the Leuites and of the Priests and of the chiefe of the families of Israel for the iudgement and cause of the Lord saying to them In euery cause that shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in the cities betweene blood and blood betweene law and precept statutes and iudgements you shall admonish them c. Besides these the Lord ordained no consistories or senates But none of these did Christ translate into his Church for none of them was Ecclesiasticall Neither did he translate those which were deuised by men whether by the Iewes as their Synedrion or Sanedriâ—n which was their chiefe counsell of state which Caluin saith after their returne from Babylon they did institute or by P. Gainius the Proconsul of Syria who ordained foure more Synedria of the like nature which some suppose to haue beene the cause why our Sauiour speaketh in the plurall number Matt. 10.17 Mar. 13.9 But of the counsell renewed by Iosaphat and the Synedrion ordained of the Iewes I shall haue occasion to say more in answere to the assumption But how little credit is to be giuen to that proposition may appeare by this dilemma for by Church Christ doth signifie either the consistories and assemblies of the Iewes or assemblies in the Church of Christ. If the former then was the direction which Christ giueth peculiar to those times and pertaineth not to the Church of Christ as D. Bilson sheweth in the fourth chapter of his booke whereunto I doe referre you If the latter then had he not so much as respect or reference to the Consistories of the Iewes so farre was he from translating them into his Church as shall appeare by this most plaine explication of the text according to the latter sense Our Sauiour Christ intreating of scandales and offences first teacheth vs that we be carefull to auoid offences and that we doe not in that respect seeme to disregard any of his little ones 2. Hee directeth vs what course wee are to take when wee are offended If thy brother that is one professing the same religion shall sinne against thee that is priuately either by injurie doing thee wrong or if ye will also by euill exaÌ„ple scandalizing or giuing thee offence by his sin committed in thy knowledge laying as it were a stuÌ„bling blocke in thy way thou must as the Lorde hath commaunded not suffer sinne to rest vpon him but in a desire to reclaim him thou must 1. vse priuate admonition brotherly reproofe goe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aâ—gue and redargue conuince reproue him between thee him alone If he harken to thee acknowledging his fault and testifying his repentance then hast thou wonne or gained thy brother and saued a soule from death But if he heare thee not suffer not sinne so to rest vpoÌ„ him but take with thee yet 1. or 2. witnesses set vpoÌ„ him iointly that either by the preseÌ„ce authority of so many together hee may be reclamed or at least a way be prepared to publicke triall that howsoeuer thy testimonie alone would bee reiected yet in the mouth of 2. or 3. witnesses the matter may be sufficiently testified And if hee will not heare them but remaine obstinate then tell the Church that is the assembly of them who in the church haue spirituall authoritie to censure offenders whether it be the Consistorie of one Citie or particular church or the Synode of a Prouince or Nation or an vniuersall Counsell according to the nature of the offence and the qualitie degree of the offender And if he will not heare the assembly but remaining obstinat draw vpon him their censure of excoÌ„munication wherby they shall bind the offender after a sort deliuer him to Satan then shalt thou hold him no more as a brother or thinke thy selfe bound to exercise the duties appertaining to the coÌ„munion of Saints but withdraw thy selfe from him abandon him and haue no more to doe with him then a Iew of this time would haue to doe with an heathen or
publican that by these meanes seeing himselfe auoided shunned hee may at length be ashamed and brought to repentance And least any man should lightly esteeme the iudgement of the Church that is of such spirituall gouernors as haue authoritie in the church to cēsure offenders Verily I say vnto you saith our Sauiour speaking to his Apostles and in them to all their successors to whom the keyes of heauen are committed Whatsoeuer you for you and such as you sitting in Consistory or Synode are they whom I meant by the Church or assembly whatsoeuer you shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Neither thinke when I mentioned the church I meant a great assembly only or the whole congregation for I say vnto you that where 2. or 3. are gathered together in my name I am there in the middes of them therfore if but 2. of you shal cōsent in asking any thing of God as namely pardon for the penitent sinner it shall be graunted vnto you If against this exposition it shal be obiected that the Churches hearing and censuring of offences would be prejudiciall to Magistrates I answere offences and offenders admitte diuers distinctions Of offences some are open notorious some are secrete priuate Some againe are grieuous and capital crimes which may not be cōcealed or left vnpunished other be offēces not so hainous or enormous but they may be concealed and pardoned where is hope of amendment For notorious and enormous crimes our Sauiour doth not prescribe this course but for the priuate and lesse offences Againe offenders are either in the iudgment of charity our brethren in Christ or the sonnes of Belial For the latter we may take the ciuile course of Iustice for the former we must take a spirituall course of Christian charitie that wee may winne our brother vnto Christ or recouer him beeing fallen which course our Sauiour heere prescribeth By Church therefore or assemblie our Sauiour meaneth neither the supposed Ecclesiasticall senate of the Iewes nor yet a Presbyterie of Christians answerable therto consisting for the most part of lay-Lay-elders Not the former for Christ speaketh of such as should meet in his name to whō he promiseth what they bind vpon earth shal be bound in heauē neither are we to think that our Sauior would send his disciples to the corrupt Consistories of the vnbelieuing Iewes as Caluin also saith It was a strange conceit therefore of Beza not only to imagine that the name Church is here attributed to the Iews but that the Archisynagogi assembled together were they who are meant by Church in this place Or if that were true how should this direction belong to vs seeing not only the imaginarie Ecclesiasticall Senate of the Iewes is vanished but also the true Synedrion is long since abolished and their whole policie abrogated Not the latter for our Sauiour by Church vnderstandeth such as should haue power to bind loose sinnes as appeareth by the words following Which power of the keyes of binding and loosing sinners of retaining and remitting sinnes our Sauiour Christ hath so peculiarly appropriated to the Apostles their successors in the ministerie of the word and Sacraments as nothing more Neither had the Iewes indeed such an ecclesiasticall Senate as they speake of mixed of the Priests and Leuites with the Elders of the people as I am now to shew in answering the assumption For if this be true that the Iewes had no such Presbyterie then what shew of trueth or probabilitie is in their argument taken from Matth 18.17 Caluin saith that the Iewes after their returne from captiuitie had a chosen counsell to which was cōmitted the censure of doctrine manners which they called Sinhedrin or Sanedrin in Greek Synedrion T.C. holdeth that the Synedrion was not then first instituted but restored which seemeth to be the truth Howbeit his reason as almost all the rest is but a meere colour For it would follow saith he that the Priests other Leuiticall teachers who were a part of that Bench had then their first institution when it is plaine that the Priests and Leuiticall teachers were instituted before the Synedrion and so might haue cōtinued their functiō though the Sanedrin had neuer bin Beza fetcheth the first institution of it from Moses the instauratiō therof whē it was decayed frō Iosaphat T. C. doubteth not to fetch the Eldership from Exod 4. With his Elders therefore as being the eldest in conceit I will beginne This order of Eldership saith hee was taken from the gouernement of the people of God before and vnder the Law Before the Law the Elders which Moses assembled Exod 4. were Ecclesiasticall officers for it is not likely that vnder such a Tyrant they should haue Magistrates of their owne I answere briefly the state of the Hebrews if you respect the whole people was neither a settled Church nor established common-wealth But if you respect the seuerall kinreds and Families they were ruled by the Elders of the people which were the heads of the Families who as alwayes from the beginning so at that time vntill the separation of the Tribe of Leui to the priestly function were both priests and magistrates to their seuerall kinreds and Families Wherefore let them who will needes haue these to be Lay-Elders tell vs who were then the priests whome these Elders did assist Vnder the Law he findeth these Elders in Elisha his house 2. King 6. and in Ezekiels house Ezek 8. because it is vnlike that in so corrupt a state the Prophets could haue the ciuill Gouernors to consult with is it not more vnlike that there should be approued Elders of an ecclesiasticall Senate either in the Apostoticall Church of Israell vnder Achab and Iehoram or in Mesopotamia whether Ezekiell and those Elders of Iuda were transported who could neuer be found vnder the most godly Kings at Ierusalem Againe hee findeth them standing on the right hand of Ezra and on the left Nehem 8. Being distinguished both from the teaching Leuites and from the people From the people because they stood by Ezra From the teaching Leuites because he speaketh of them after Therefore they must needs bee Lay-Elders as though either some of the Princes of the people might not stand with Ezra or that these might not haue beene priests or that all the Leuites were teachers or that there were no more teaching Priests or Leuites but those which are mentioned then and there to haue taught the people Hee that considereth what T. C. was able to say in a good cause must needs thinke this cause to be very badde which he was not able to make good by better arguments then those most vnlikely likely-hoods Beza holdeth that 2. sorts of councels or consistories were ordained by Moses which should be held both in Ierusalem the
place which God did choose in other cities whereof the one was ciuill the other ecclesiasticall consisting of the priests Leuits scribes or teachers also the seniors of the people But the reader shal easily vnderstand this latter to be a meere fiction if he consider that the Synedrion at Ierusalem which was the highest court chief councel of state hauing power of life death authority to deale in causes both ciuill ecclesiasticall coÌ„sisted of the high priest other priests and Leuites together with the Princes Seniors of the people being besides the High-priest 70. or 71. in number Of which that in Deut 17.8.9 is to bee vnderstood These were called Sanedrin and did sit in Gazith In which number those which were priests were called Seniores SacerdotuÌ„ and those which were Princes were called Seniores populi as Sigondus saith And likewise that the Sanedrioth or consistories in other cities consisted as well of the learned Leuits as of the seniors of the people Iosephus saith that to euery coÌ„sistory in the cities belonged 2. Leuites The reason heereof was because the lawes wherby that church coÌ„mon-wealth were gouerned were the lawes of God wherein the Priests Leuites Scribes were most skilfull and therefore best able to determine what was right according to the law And therfore another sort which should consist of Priests Leuits and elders of the people which should respoÌ„dere de iure as Beza imagineth this shuld was altogether needles But his proofs are as weake as his imagination was strong His only proofe for the 1. institution of the Ecclesiasticall senat is Leuit 10.10 where they were ordained saith he to shew the difference betweene holy profane betweene cleane vncleane to teach the law of God But no such thing can with any shew of probabilitie be gathered out of the text where the Lord speaking to Aaron coÌ„mandeth him his sonnes the priests by a perpetual law that they should not drink wine nor strong drink wheÌ„ they were to enter into the sanctuary whereby they might be hindered from exercising their function discreetly soberlie either in iudging betweene holie profane between cleane and vncleane or in teaching the people which duties were to be performed in the sanctuary by the priests as well seuerally as ioyntly no ecclesiasticall senate at all here instituted or if there were it should according to Bertrams conceit consist wholy of the Priests to whom alone this speech is directed As for Elders of the people they were not to intermeddle with these things The high Priest indeed if it pleased him might consult with other Priests and vse their assistance as Azariah did vse the aide of 80. 2. Chron. 26. But that there was a setled Presbyterie or senate Ecclesiasticall ordained by God we doe not read and that it should consist in part of Lay-men there is not the least semblance of likelihood His proofes that there were two diuerse Synedria instituted are these First because the number of the one is defined to be 70 the other left vncertaine Secondly because the second was not ordained at the same time with the former I answere there is neither number set downe nor time of that which neuer was His proofe for the instauration of two distinct Synedria is out of 2. Chron. 19. where he saith Iosaphat ordained two Synedria or counsells the one Ecclesiasticall for the causes of God ouer which the high Priest was chiefe the other ciuill for the causes of the King ouer which Zabadiah a Prince of Iuda was chiefe But it is euident by the text that it was one and the same high counsell of state which afterwards was called Sanedrin or Synedrion Hierosolymitaâ—uÌ„ coÌ„sisting of the Leuites and Priests and of the heads of the chiefe families in Israel ordained for the iudgements of God and controuersies of men which was to heare and determine all manner of causes that were brought vnto them from the iudgements or consistories of the inferior cities were to iudge betweene blood and blood that is slaughter and slaughter betweene the law and the precept betweene statutes and iudgements hauing among them in the causes of God Amarias the high Priest and in the causes of the King Zebadiah a Prince of Iuda as chiefe and that the Maisters or gouernours the Leuits were with them to instruct them in the law For whereas he would proue that Iosaphat ordained two distinct counsels at Ierusalem by these reasons because the dutie of the one was to deale in the causes of God the other of the King the one should determine de iure the other de facto the one had for the president the high Priest the other a Prince of Iuda none of these reasons doe proue that Iosaphat ordained any thing but that which before had beene appointed by God namely that the difficult controuersies which the iudges in the cities could not determine betweene blood and blood plea and plea plague and plague should be brought to the Synedâ—ion or counsell of the place which God shoulâ— choose the which is there noted to consist of the Priests Leuites and â—udge that is iudges saith Caluin as appeareth by the holy historie where it is declared that Iosaphat besides the Pâ—iâ—sts and Leuites chose the Princes of the families of Israel for the godly King would decline nâ—uer a whit from the rule of Gods law To this counsell the difficult causes afore said as weâ—l ciuill as Ecclesiasticall as well de facto as de iure were to be brought from other ciuill courts as appeareth both in Deut. 17.8 and also 2 Chron. 19.20 Besides it is ridiculous to imagine that the ciuill senate should determine onely de facto and that questions de iure should be brought to the Ecclesiasticall the rather because that counsell which was appointed by God Deut. 17. and renewed by Iosaphat did consist of the Priests and Leuits and Elders of the people and was to determine and to decide all questions of doubt and difficultie or if they were to seeke to an Ecclesiasticall senate it is absurd to imagine that Lay-Elders should be ioyned to the Priests and Leuits to answere de iure As for the causes of God which verse 8 are termed the iudgement and cause of the Lord and are particularized verse 10. and Deut. 17.8 betweene blood and blood betweene law and precept c. we are to vnderstand them to be not onely Ecclesiasticall but also ciuill so farre as either they were to be decided bâ— the lawes of God or concerned the obseruation or transgression of Gods law whereby that land was gouâ—rned in iudging whereof they also exercised Gods iudgement The causes of the King were such as belonged to the Kings house or his eschequer And it is fond to imagine that those causes which were to be decided by the iudicial and morâ—ll lawes of God were not the causes
the better gifts chiefly to follow after loue and to couet after spiritual gifts but amōg them to desire rather to prophecie that is to preach then to speak with tongues And whereas the holie Ghost doth marshall in order the gifts of God according to their worthines saying First second third if by helpes he should meane Deacons and by gouernments Elders then must we hold Deacons to be preferred before Elders which will not be granted If anie man doubt whether helps and gouernments are to be accounted gifts Chrysostome may resolue him who as of the former he saith that is in especial maner the gift of God so also of the latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be fitte to gouerne and to administer spirituall things and he addeth that our duties are called Gods gifts to teach vs that our abilitie in performance of our dutie is the gift of God So Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which also he calleth a gift though it require our labour also and industrie Nazianzen also reckoneth them among the graces of the spirit For the spirit saith he is one but the graces are not equall nor yet the receptacles of the spirit For to one by the spirite is giuen the word of Wisedome and contemplation to another the word of knowledge or reuelation to another firme vndoubted faith to another the inoperations of powers high wonders to another the gifts of healing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 helpes that is Presidencies or Patronages Gouernements that is Poedagogies of the flesh kindes of tongues interpretations of tongues I am not ignorant that some before our time haue vnderstood diuerse of these members to haue bene Ecclesiasticall functions But yet their exposition wholly agreeth with the gouernment of our Church not with the pretended discipline For by Apostles they vnderstand not only the 12. Apostles but their successors also in the gouernment of the Church that is to say the Byshops and by helps they vnderstand them who help the Bishops in the gouernment of the church as the Deanes and Archdeacons and by gouernements the gouernors or rectors of seuerall parishes These with 1. Tim 5.17 are the testimonies of Scripture which vsually be aleaged by the patrons of the presbyterie not one of them almost either omitting any of them or adding any other So that this Disputer might trulie cōclude that this is the strength and indeed all the strength they haue out of the Scriptures Which how strongly or strangely rather they haue concluded for the Lay-Elders it doth sufficiently appeare to them that haue not either a strong preiudice or a weake iudgement Assuredly if the Fathers be no stronger for them then the Scriptures then is the cause of the Lay-Elders very weake and languishing CHAP. XI Answering the Allegations out of the Fathers for Lay-Elders OF the Fathers he also braggeth as he did before of the Scriptures But in the vpshot all the force of his argumēts either out of Scriptures or Fathers relyeth vpon the authority of certaine new writers who are the most almost all of them parties in the cause Which is a kinde of arguing deuised to retaine the vnlearned in their former opinion that because so many late Diuines vnderstand the Scriptures and Fathers according to their receiued opinions they may be confirmed therein But is not this a strange kind of reasoning Ignatius Tertullian Cyprian Ambrose which are all the Fathers hee nameth but nameth as though with their names hee hoped to ouercome vs giue testimonie to Lay-Elders therefore Lay-Elders were in vse in the primitiue church when we quietly grant this consequence only desire them to proue the antecedent Is it not strange I say that this disputer should not produce the testimonies themselues endeuour by necessary euidence to demonstrate that they are to be vnderstood as speaking of lay-Lay-Elders but to bring in a sort of new writers the most wherof are parties to depose that these ancient Fathers say as they would haue them Did they heare them say so or did they read their writings If they read their testimonies are they the same which we haue in print or some speciall manuscripts which yet are not come to light if such why are they not produced If their testimonies be vpon publike record in print why should not we examine the records thēselues trust to our owne eyes and iudgmēts rather thē to the opinions of them who are partiall in the cause Or if these new writers had reasons to perswade vs that these Fathers doe speake for Lay-Elders why are not their reasons produced By your leaue I will produce their testimonies for you And because it pittyeth me the to see well-meaning people abused I had almost said guld with glorious shewes I will let them see that not any one testimonie which you doe vse to produce out of the Fathers doth conclude for Lay-Elders And first as touching Ignatius whom hee first nameth because his testimonies were belike too hot to be handled yet hee putteth him off fairely saying that hereafter he will shew how he is to be vnderstood when he commeth to answere my quotations out of him But I quote him not in the question of Elders but among my proofs for Bishops And if hee haue no stronger proofes out of Ignatius for elders then the selfe-same that I alledge for Bishops may you not think that he is very strōg for them The truth is he perceiued they were too weake to bee vrged by him as an opponent and therefore chose to speake to them as an answerer hoping to perswade the simple reader that Lay-Elders are sufficiently proued by Ignatius his testimonie if they be not disproued thereby as hereafter you shall heare T. C. and after him the author of the counterpoison the demonstrator of discipline almost who not cite this sentence of Ignatius There is no Church which can stand without her Eldership or counsell Vnto which H.I. addeth 2. more out of his epistles to them of Tarsus Smyrna In the 1. of these Epistles Ignatius saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be subiect to the Bishop as to the Lord a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Presbyters as to the Apostles of Iesus Christ our hope Of the Deacons in the next words he sath that they be ministers of the mysteries of Christ Iesus and not of meate and drinke A reason of the former speech he rendreth in these words the Byshop is the type of the Father of all the Presbyters are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Consistory of God and a band or Colledge of the Apostles of Christ. Then followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without these that is BB. Presbyters Deacons no elect Church is no holy congregation no assemblie of Saints This testimony proueth that as each Church had a Bishop and Deacons so also Presbyters and a presbyterie But what manner of presbyters they were it appeareth 1. by
it may bee demanded what is truly and properly a Church vpon earth Whereunto I answer by warrant of the word that euery company of men professing the true faith of Christ is both truly a Church and also a true Church So is the whole company of the faithfull vpon earth the true Church and spouse of Christ the piller and ground of truth So is the company of Christians professing the true faith of Christ in any Nation or part of the world to bee termed by the name of a Church For euen as the whole people of Israel professing the true religion were one Church though containing verie many particular Congregations or Synagogues which also were so many Churches euen so the whole people of England professing through Gods mercy the true Catholike and Apostolicke faith is to bee called the Church of England For whereas some alleage that the Church of the Iewes was one because it was vnder one high Priest who was a figure and therefore ceased it is euident that it was one Church because it was one people or commonwealth ruled by the same lawes professing the same religion both before there was one high Priest and after there were through corruption more then one Neither was the high Priest in respect of his preeminence and gouernment ouer the priests and people a type of Christ for then had he as well as Melchisedeck been a type of Christs gouernment and kingly office as well as of his priesthood and consequently Christ might haue bin a priest of the order of Aaron as well as of Melchisedeck but in respect of his sacrifice for the whole people and intercession for them and his entrance alone within the sanctuary bearing the names of the twelue Tribes for Christs gouernment appertaineth to his kingdome and not to his priesthood Likewise the Christian people of any Citie and Country adioyning whether that which wee call a prouince or diocesse though consisting of many particular congregations is rightly termed a Church as the Church of Ierusalem Antioch Ephesus Smyrna Sardes Philadelphia c. Jn like manner the Christian people of one Towne or Village containing but one congregation which we call a parish is truly called a church as perhaps that of Cenchreae And to conclude the company of faithfull in one familie doe deserue the name of a Church as hath bin shewed Indeed that any particular Chruch of a whole Nation Citie and Country Towne Parish or family family I say being alone and not a part of a congregation but as an entire Church or parish by itselfe may bee accounted a true visible Church there is required besides the profession of the true faith wherein the life and being of a Church consisteth the ministery of the word and sacraments and eutaxy or some good order of gouernment Not that all gouernours are to be placed in euery society or Church but that the effect and benefit of the gouernment is to redound to euery particular For as well might an high Councell of State or Parliament such as was the synedrion of the Iewes which was but one for the whole Nation be required in euery Citie and a Maior and Aldermen such as be in London and other chiefe Cities in euery village as a Bishop and Presbytery in euery parish All which J haue the rather noted because some hauing first strongly conceited that there is no true visible Church but a parish nor lawfull church-officers but parishionall haue haled the places of Scripture where Ecclesia is mentioned to the confirmation of their conceit and thereupon as their chiefe foundation haue built their newfound parish discipline Whereas in very truth scarce any one testimony of such a congregation of Christians as we call a parish can be alleaged out of the Scriptures Indeed at the very first conuersion of Cities the whole number of the people conuerted being sometimes not much greater then the number of the Presbyters placed among them were able to make but a small congregation But those Churches were in constituting they were not fully constituted vntill their number being increased they had their Bishoppe or Pastor their Presbytery and Deacons without which Ignatius saith there was no Church meaning no accomplished or fully constituted Church Neither was the Bishop and the Presbytery which at the first was placed in any Citie prouided onely for that set number which was already conuerted but they were there placed for the conuersion of the whole Citie and country thereto belonging their ministery being like to the leuen put into three pecks of meale which by degrees seasoneth the whole lumpe Neither was it meant that the whole number of Christians of each Citie and territory being much increased should continue but one particular ordinary congregation assembling in one place but that vpon the multiplication of Christians diuision should be made of the whole Church into diuers particular congregations which after happened in all Churches accordingly But vpon this diuision there was not to euery seuerall congregation allotted a Bishop and a Presbytery but only seuerall Presbyters assigned singuli singulis some of the Presbyters continuing with the Bishop The Bishop himselfe remaining as it was first intended and as the Church of God euery where throughout the world expounded that intent by their practise the Pastor or Superintendent of the whole Citie and country adioyning Neither are all the Disciplinarians in the world able to shew that there were or ought to haue been after the diuision of parishes and assignement of seuerall Presbyters vnto them any more then one Bishop and one Presbytery for a whole diocesse But of this more hereafter In the meane time hauing shewed that the vse of the word Ecclesia in the Scriptures doth not sauour their conceit who imagine there is no true Church but a parish the word signifying according to the vsuall phrase of the holy Ghost any company of Christians whether great or small I am now to declare the vse of the word Ecclesia paroecia dioecesis which are commonly translated Church parish diocesse in antient Writers Where I am to note that setting aside the general significatiō of the word Ecclesia signifying either the whole Church in general or the two maine parts of it in heauen and earth in which sense paroecia and dioecesis are not vsed as also the largest signification of dioecesis containing the whole circuit of a patriarchall and archiepiscopall iurisdiction as the diocesse of the Patriarch of Alexandria contained all Egypt Libya and Pentapolis the diocesse of Antioch the East Countries c. In which sense the word paroecia is not vsed setting aside I say these large significations of ecclesia and dioecesis otherwise these three words ecclesia paroecia and dioecesis are for the most part vsed as words of the same signification For as in the singular number commonly each of them doth signifie a diocesse excepting wherein the distribution of the diocesse paroecia is opposed
to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for then onely it signifieth the citie and suburbs and excepting where some addition restraineth the word paroecia or ecclesia to the signification of a parish as ecclesia or paroecia cui presbyter praest so in the plurall if they be referred to one diocesse they signifie parishes or some parts of the diocesse though with this difference that dioceses doe note Parishes onely in the Country but ecclesia and paroecia commonly as well those in the Citie as in the country but referred to whole Nations or larger parts of the world they signifie dioceses But I will speake of them seuerally beginning with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paroecia the rather because our Refuter and others of his feather finding in Eusebius the Churches of Ierusalem Alexandria Antioch c. to bee termed paroeciae straightwaies conclude that they were such Churches as we call parishes Which if they write as they thinke is a very vnlearned collection For whereas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is diuersly vsed sometimes with reference to a Bishoppe sometimes with relation to a Presbyter in the signification of a parish it is neuer vsed as the whole Church subiect to the Bishoppe but in that sense is either referred to one Presbyter as his proper charge or if it be referred to the Bishoppe it doth signifie but one parish among many belonging to his Bishopricke But most vsually and almost alwaies in antient Writers yea and many times both in those of the middle and also of the latter age it is taken either for the whole diocesse or for the citie and suburbs whereto as the Bishops see the rest of the diocesse doth appertaine And because my aduersary shall not say I speake without booke I will bring pregnant testimonies to make good my assertion First therefore whereas one of the ancient Canons called the Apostles forbiddeth a Bishop to leaue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his owne charge and to leape into another and whâ—reas Eusebius the author of the ecclesiasticall history being the Metropolitan Bishop of Caesarea and much importuned to remoue to Antioch which at that time was the seat of the third patriarch refused that offer Constantine the great doth greatly commend him for keeping 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostolikâ— canon Which canon the Council of Nice hath reference vnto when it saith that Bishops remouing from one City to another or as wee speake from one See to another did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrary to the Canon The meaning therefore of the Canon forbidding a Bishop to remoue from one paroecia to another was to forbidde him to remoue from one Diocesse to another The councill of Antioch speaking to the same purpose retayneth the same words forbidding a Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee translated from one paroecia to another Where it were absurd to vnderstand the councell as speaking of a parish because this councell being latter then the councell of Nice it is euident that at that time there were not onely Bishops of Dioceses and Metropolitanes ouer Prouinces but also patriarches diuiding among them the Christian world And to the same purpose the councill of Sardica noting the breach of these canons among other vnlawfull practises of the Arians expresseth it in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translations from lesse Cities to greater paroecias that is dioceses or Bishoprickes In the same Councell it is decreed that if any Bishoppe will ordaine in any degree of the clergy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of another paroecia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister belonging to another Bishop without the consent of his owne Bishop the ordination shall be voide The councels of Ancyra and Antioch speaking of Bishops the one not receiued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the paroecia or diocesse the other not accepting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the paroecia or bishopricke vnto which he was ordained most plainely by paroecia vnderstand the charge of a Diocesan Bishop Epiphanius excusing himself to Iohn the Bishop of Ierusalem who was offended with him for that he had as was supposed ordained a Presbyter in his diocesse answereth among other things that diuers Bishops had ordained in his diocesse without his offence Yea he had exhorted Philo Theoprobus two Bishops that in the Churches of Cyprus which were neer to them ad mea autem paroeciae videbaÌ„tur ecclesiaÌ„ pertinere eo quod grandis esset et lat a prouincia ordinareÌ„t presbyteros et Christs ecclesiae prouiderent but seemed faith he to belong to the Church of my paroecia that is Bishopricke they would because it was a great and large prouince ordaine Presbyters and prouide for the Church of Christ. Where it is testified that the Churches throughout a large Prouince were but part of his paroecia that is diocesse But I will descend to latter times wherein it was prouided that a Bishop of another City should not contrary to the canons inuade parochiam cuiuslibet episcopi the paroeciae mening diocesse of any other Bishop The third Councell of Toledo hath these words Si quid episcopi ecclesiis ad suaÌ„ parochiam pertinentibus dederint c. If Bishops shall giue any thing to Churches belonging to their paroecia that is Bishopricke Gregory the Great when he would signifie that the antient canons commanded that prouinciall synods should be held twice a yeere saith they had taken order de habendis per parochias concilijs The synod held in England An. 673. decreed that no Bishop should inuade the paroecia of another and that Bishops and other clergy men being strangers may not exercise any priestly function without the leaue of the Bishop in cuius paroecia in whose diocesse they are knowne to remaine In the Councell of Arles it was ordained that once a yeere euery Bishop should goe about parochiam suam that is his diocesse The Councell of Mentz appoint that euery Bishoppe in sua parochia that is in his owne diocesse should make diligent inquirie whether there were any Presbyters or Deacons therein that belonged to another Bishop that they might be returned to him In the Councell of Rhoan the Bishop is forbidden principalem cathedram sâ—ae parochia negligere to neglect the Cathedrall Church or chiefe seat of his paroecia that is Bishoprick To conclude the Councel held at Wormes forbiddeth Bishops quâ— parochias non habent which haue no charge of their owne to exercise their function or to ordaine in alterius parochia in the paroecia of another Bishop without the appointment of the Bishop in â—uius parochia in whose diocesse they be Whereby it doth euidently appeare that the word paroecia being attributed to a Bishop as his whole charge or circuit of his episcopall iurisdiction doth signifie a diocesse consisting of many parishes And that in Eusebius it is so to bee vnderstood it is most manifest
because hee calleth great Churches after the diuision of them into many parishes not onely in the Country but euen in the Cities by the name of Paroecia To which purpose let vs conferre a few places in Eusebius concerning the Church of Alexandria whereby his meaning when he speaketh of this argument wil easily appeare For hauing said lib. 6. cap. 1. that Laetus was the president of AlexaÌ„dria the rest of Aegypt he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Bishoprick of the paroecia or Churches there in Alexandria and Aegypt Demetrius had lately receiued In the eight chapter he saith that Demetrius was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the president or Bishop of the paroecia that is the Church there For so he explaneth himself chap. 26. calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop of the Church of the Alexandreans and what he meaneth by that speech he sheweth chap. 35. Where speaking of Dionysius his next successor but one hee vseth these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee taketh vpon him the Bishopricke or charge of being president of the Churches belonging to Alexandria So that when he saith Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the paroecia or church his meaning is all one as if hee had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of such a Bishopricke as contained many Churches And in the same sense he speaketh though in the plurall number when hee mentioneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the paroeciae or churches of Pontus the churches of Asia the paroecia of the holy catholike church Thus then wee see that in antient writers the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke and paroecia corruptly parochia in Latine is vsually taken for the whole diocesse consisting of many parishes when it betokeneth a Bishops whole charge § 8. Sometimes it signifieth but a part of the Bishoprick as wheÌ„ the whole diocesse is diuided into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the city or chiefe seate or see of the Bishop and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rest of the diocesse in the countrie or countries thereto belonging For manifestation whereof those two places mentioned in the sermon are sufficient The former is one of the ancient Canons called the Apostles in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Bishops of euery naÌ„tion it behoueth to agnize him that is Primate or first among them and to esteeme him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as their head or chief and to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing that exceedeth the bounds of their owne charge or iurisdiction without his consent and that euery one doe deale in those things alone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which belong to his owne Paroecia that is see or Church the couÌ„â—ries which be subiect onto it Neither may he that is the Metropolitan do any thing without the consent of all So shall there bee concorde and God shall bee glorified through the Lord in the Holy Ghost Which canon is renued and explained in the councill of Antioch the canons whereof were part of the ancient code or book of canons receiued in the ancient church recited some of them in the great councell of Chalcedon and ratified all of them in the generall councell of Constantinople held in Trullo the Emperours Palace The canon is this It behooueth the BB of euery Prouince to acknowledge the Metropolitane B. and that he taketh vpoÌ„ him the cure of the whole Prouince because there is a concourse of all men who haue businesse from all places vnto the Metropolis on mother Citie Wherefore it hath beene thought good or decreed that he should excell in honour and that without him the rest of the Bishops should doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing exceeding the bounds of their owne charge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the ancient receiued Canon of our Fathers meaning the afore cited Canon of the Apostles which it reciteth as you see word for word but those things alone which concerne his owne Paâ—oecia that is his owne See or Citie and the Countries which be vnder it For euery Bishop hath authoritie ouer his owne Paroecia and doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 administer according to the feare of God wherewith he is endued and hath a prouident care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole region or countrey which is vnder his Citie vsing the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Paroecia and Citie indifferently so that hee may ordaine Presbyters and Deacons and order all things with iudgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but beyond his bounds hee may doe nothing without the Bishop of the Mother Citie neither may he without â—he consent of the rest Then which testimonies nothing can bee alleged more pregnant either for the signification of the word or for the proofe of our assertion that the Churches or charges of Bishops were not parishes but dioceses Sometimes indeede the word Paroecia doth signifie that which we call a parish but then either it is vsed with such reference to a Bishop as it is plainely noted to bee but one among many belonging to his charge and is commonly vttered in the plurall number or else it is referred to a Presbyter as his proper charge To which purpose consider these testimonies The Councell of Carthage which is so much alleged by the Disciplinarians speaketh as of the Bishop of the diocesse so of a Presbyter qui Parochiae praeest who is set ouer a parish The Councell of Toledo speaketh of Presbyters ordained in parochijs per parochias Innocentius the first writing to Florentius a Bishop blameth him for vsurping a parish which belonged to the diocesse of Vrsus another Bishop And elsewhere he speaketh â—â— As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dioecesis I hope I shall not neede to prooue that it also signifieth a diocesse Neither do I greatlie neede to shew that in the signification of a diocesse it is giuen to Bishops seeing the sense of it being diuersified according to the varietie of the persons to whom it is attributed in the sense of a diocesse as we tearme it it is properly ascribed to Bishops The word indeede seemeth generally to signifie the circuit of any mans charge or administration who hath gouernment in the Church For as there is Ecclesia a Church of a Patriarch and of a Metropolitan of a Bishop and of a Presbyter so there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dioecesis of a Patriarch which we may call a Patriarchall diocesse of an Archbishop which we call a Prouince of a Bishop which we call a Diocesse and of a Presbyter which we call a Parish For the two first these few examples may suffice The Emperour Iustinian appointeth that a Clergy man should not be accused at the first before the
the Bishop in euery diocesse had for terme of life A few testimonies therfore shal suffice in this place In the Church of Rome there were many not onely Presbyters besides the one onely lawfull Bishop but also diuers parishes and titles soone after the Apostles times whereunto Presbyters were assigned seuerally the Bishop being the Superintendent ouer them all About the yeere 250. Cornelius being chosen Bishop of Rome Nonatianus a Presbyter of Rome discontented with the election by the instigation of Nonatus a fugitiue Bishop lately come out of Africke not only broached the heresie of the Nouatians or Catharists but procureâ—â— three simple B shops fetched from the vttermost parts of Italie to ordaine him Bâ—shop of Rome hauing also inueigled by his subtilties certaine famous men that had beene Confessours to bee of his partie and to ioine with him in the schisme against Cornelius Of this fact what was the iudgement of Cyprian of Cornelius and other Bâ—shops and finally of the Confessours themselues you shall in few words heare For when Nouatianus had sent his Messengers as to other chiefe Bâ—shops so to Carthage to procure the approbation of Cyprian hee disswadeth them from the schisme telling them that a Bâ—shop being ordained and approoued by the testimonie and iudgement of his fellow Bâ—shops and of the people another may not by any meanes be ordained And writing to some of those Confessours hee signifieth his great griefe because he vnderstood that they contrary to the order of the Church contrary to the law of the Gospell contrarie to the vnity of Catholike discipline had thought it meet that another B. should be made that is to say which is neither right nor lawfull to bee done that another Church should be erected the members of Christ dismembred c. Cornelius hauing called together diuers Bishops besides his owne Clergie deposed the Bishops who ordained Nouatianus and writing of these matters to Fabius the B. of Antioch he saith this Patron of the Gospell forsooth meaning Nouatian did not know that in a Catholike Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there ought to bee but one B. in which notwithstanding he could not be ignorant but that there are 46. Presbyters and 108. more of the Clergie The Confessors afterwards acknowledging their fault among other things in their submission confesse that as there is but one God and one Lord so in a Catholike Church there ought to be but one Bishop Now whereas Cornelius testifieth that there were besides the Bishop who ought to be but one 46. Presbyters in the Citie of Rome and 108. others of the Clergie if any man notwithstanding it bee also testified by diuers that there were diuers Churches in Rome whereunto seuerall Presbyters were assigned will needes hold that the whole Church of Rome was but one parish and that all these Presbyters and Clerkes attended but one particular ordinary congregation I cannot let him from being so absurd Howbeit this is certaine that in the next age in Optatus his time when there were in Rome aboue fortie parish Churches whereunto seuerall Presbyters were deputed there remained still but one only Bishop The like is to be said of Alexandria wherein as Epiphanius testifieth were before the time of Constantine many parish Churches all which at least so many as were Catholike were vnder one Archbishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ouer them seuerally are Presbyters placed for the ecclesiasticall necessities of the inhabitants who might each of them bee neere vnto their owne Church c. Now saith Epiphanius besides the Church called Caesaria which was burnt in Iulians time and reedified by Athanasius there are many others as the Church of Dionysius of Theonas of Pierius of Serapion of Persaea of Dizya of Mendidius of Amianus of Baucalis and others In one of these was Colluthus Presbyter in another Carpones in another Sarmatas and Arius in another namely that which is called Baucalis The same is testified by Nicetas Choniates affirming that in Alexandria there were of old many Churches subiect to the B. of Alexandria committed seuerally to Presbyters as that which is called Baucalis and those which haue their names from S. Dionysius Theonas c. and that Arius being the gouernor of the schoole in Alexandria was by Achilles the B. the predecessour of Alexander set ouer the Church called Baucalis And although there be not the like euidence for multitude of parishes in other Cities immediately after the Apostles times yet is it not to be doubted but that in euery City when the number of Christians was much increased the like diuision of parishes was made vnto which not BB. but seuerall Presbyters were appointed there remaining in each Citie but one Bishop as the practise of all Churches in the Christian world from the Apostles times to our age doth inuincibly prooue But now suppose that the Church of each Citie had beene but one parish which is most false yet forsomuch as to euery Citie there was as Caluin truly saith a certaine region allotted which belonged to the Bishops charge and was from the Presbyterie of the Citie to receiue their Ministers who seeth nor that the charge of a Bishop was not a parish but a diocesse And that is the second thing which J promised to prooue For Churches containing within their circuit not onely Cities with their Suburbs but also whole Countries subiect to them were dioceses But the Churches subiect to the ancient Bâ—shops in the Primitiue Church contained within their circuit not onely the Cities with their suburbs but also the whole Countries subiect to them Therefore they were dioceses The assumption is prooued by these reasons first The circuit of a Bishops charge was anciently diuided into these parts the Citie with the suburbs and Country subiect to it For proofe whereof you heard before two most plaine testimonies The former in one of the Canons of the Apostles so called charging the Bishop with his owne Paroecia and the Countries which be vnder it The other in the Councell of Antioch which reciting the same words addeth this reason For euery Bishop hath authoritie ouer his owne Paroecia and doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is performe the dutie of a Diocesan hauing a prouident care or superintendencie of the whole Countrey which is vnder his Citie so that he may ordaine Presbyters and Deacons and order all things with iudgement To the same purpose is the diuision of Churches subiect to each Bishop into the Church of the Citie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Nâ—trix Ecclesia and all other parish Churches within the diocesse called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hence ariseth the distinction of Presbyters subiect to the same Bishop that others were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters of the citie or as in some Latine Councels they are called Ciuitatenses others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Countrey Ministers or dioecesanâ— Ministers of the diocesse Secondly
the word of the Lord Iesus both Iewes and Gentiles Well Paul hauing placed many Presbyters among them and hauing continued among them for the space of three yeeres afterwards sendeth Timothy to be their Bishoppe who ordinarily continued among them vntill his death And that you should not thinke there was but that Church at Ephesus in Pauls time hee maketh mention of the Churches of Asia Saint Peter likewise had preached and by his preaching conuerted many in Asia to whom among others hee directeth his first Epistle After the death of Peter and Paul because those Churches were as Paul had foretold much annoled with heretikes Saint Iohn by the direction of the holy Ghost went into those parts preached the Gospell for many yeeres ordained Bishoppes and Presbyters where need was To the ministery of the Apostles adde the preaching of the Bishoppes and Presbyters ordained by them and disciples which they had instructed by whose ministerie not onely many particular Christians but some Churches were brought to the faith As that of Colossae which was in the confines of Phrygia bordering on this Asia in Pauls time planted by the ministerie of Epaphraâ— as their founder watered by the ministerie of Archippus as their Bishoppe Now I appeale to the conscience of euery indifferent Reader whether it bee not vnlikely that not in any one of these famous Churches no not in that of Ephesus there were in the whole citie and country belonging to it any more then one ordinary congregation after the preaching of such and so many for the space of forty fiue yeeres And so much for the first of his assertions the other two I will ioyne together For if there were but one Bishoppe for the Church both of the citie and country as there were but seuen in all these seuen Churches and but one Presbytery if the Churches both of the citie and country were subiect to the Bishoppe of the citie if the parishes both of citie and country had neither Bishoppe nor Presbytery but Presbyters seuerally assigned to them if the Presbyters of the country were ordained by the Bishoppe of the citie and not onely they but the rurall Bishoppes also were subiect to his authoritie all which I haue by most euident arguments and testimonies proued already then did the seuerall congregations and parishes which J haue also prooued were all but members of one body depend vpon the chiefe Church in the citie as the head which afterwards was called Matrix ecclesia cathedra episcopi or the cathedrall Church neither had the power of ecclesiasticall iurisdiction whereof they speake as I haue also proued before I come to the assumption wherewith hee cauilleth egregiously because I said that the Churches whereof the seuen Angels were Bishoppes were not onely the cities but the countries adioyning that is as I expressed my meaning in the syllogisme before that the circuit of euery one of these Churches contained both the citie and country which assumption I haue made good by necessary proofe But saith hee Who euer said that the Church of Ephesus was a great Citie Who knoweth not that the Citie is one thing and the Church another But this might serue M.D. turne to dazell the eies of the simple c. As touching this foule imputation that I may beginne with it J thanke God I am free both from desire and intent of dazâ—ling the eyes of the simple But as in my conscience I am cleerely resolued of the truth of these fiue points contained in the Sermon so I haue endeuoured with plaine euidence to vphold and maintaine the truth against the nouelty of your inuentions and the subtilties of your sophistications wherewith you haue too long both dazeled and seduced the simple So much of that by the way If hee discerned the speech which I vsed to bee improper had hee not so much neither Art I meane either Rhetoricke or Logicke nor grace I meane charity as either to conceiue me to haue spoken by a trope or to explane my speech by such an enunciation as the nature of the arguments doth require When it is said in my text the seuen starres are the Angels will he say who euer heard that starres were Angels Or when Christ saith This cup is my bloud that is shâ—d or the new Testament in my bloud will he say who euer heard that the cup is bloud or the Testament When I said the Churches are the cities and the country could he neither vnderstand me as speaking after that most vsuall metonymy of the Christian people in the citie and country nor yet explane my words as the nature of the argumeÌ„ts contained in the speech doth lead him If I should say a man is not onely body but soule also or the body is not one member alone but many you would vnderstand me thus Man consisteth of body and soule the body consisteth not of one member alone but of many Or thus Whole man containeth these two parts the bodie containeth not one member alone but many Euen so the Church or diocesse of Ephesus is that is containeth not only the City but the Country But is that so strange a thing with our learned Refuter that the name of the Citie should be giuen to the Church Let him looke backe to Apoc. 1.11 and hee shall finde that the seuen Churches were Ephesus Smyrna c. And so vsuall is it with good Authors speaking of BB. to say they were Bishops of such or such a Citie as I might fill a Volume with quotations to this purpose These few testimonies may suffice Eusebius saith that Euodius was the first Bishop of Antioch and that Ignatius was the second Bishop of Antioch c. The Councell of Nice writing to the Church of Alexandria maketh mention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Bishop of Alexandria Athanasius calleth Damasus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop of the great Citie Rome and Dionysius the B. of Alexandria The first Councell of Constantinople mentioneth the Bishop of Alexandria the Bishop of Constantinople and the Bishop of Rome And more plainely in the Councell held in Trullo Nectarius is said to haue beene the Bishop of the Citie of Constantinople Dionysius the Archbishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the great Citie of Alexandria Looke into the subscriptions of Bishops vnto Councels as to that of Nice subscribed Osius the Bishop of the Citie of Corduba Alexander Bishop of Alexandria c. to the Councell of Sardica Athanasius Bishop of the great Citie of Alexandria Alexander Bishop of the Citie of Mesenia and in like maner all the rest stiling themselues Bishops of the Cities Looke into the inscriptions of epistles written either by Bishops or vnto Bishops Ignatius stileth himselfe thus Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop of Antioch Leo in his Epistles stileth himselfe sometimes Bishop of Rome sometimes Vrbis Romae of the Citie of Rome Basil writeth to Eusebius
Such as are the French and Duch Churches here in England such were the Churches in the Apostles times But the French and Duch Churches here in England are not diocesan but distinct parishionall assemblies Therefore the Churches in the Apostles times were not diocesan but distinct parishionall assemblies First I denie the proposition not onely because the circuit of the Churches in the Apostles intention was not included within a Citie as of the French and Duch Churches with vs but chiefly because the French Church for example in London is but one Church among many professing the same religion being a certaine and set number hauing a Presbytery consisting for the most part of lay men placed among vs not with purpose to conuert either the City or Country to them but to attend them of their owne Church whereas contrariwise the Churches in the Apostles times before the diuision of parishes were not each of them one among many but were planted among heathen people hauing a Bishop and a Presbyterie of learned men placed among them as leauen is put into the lumpe with purpose to conuert the rest both in Citie and Country The Church which had the Bishop and Presbytery first placed in it was Matrix Ecclesia as after it was called begetting other Churches and spirituall Fathers for them which being begotten in Citie and Countrey were all euen when the whole Citie and Country were filled with her off-spring to bee subordinate and subiect to her as their mother But no such thing can be imagined of the Duch and French Churches among vs. As touching the assumption I say that the French and Duch Churches with vs are not properly parishes nor such as the ancient parishes were after the first diuision of them seeing the members thereof dwell in many distinct parishes either of them being endued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernement and not subordinate to another Church as members thereof but being entire bodies by themselues are models as it were of diocesan Churches hauing a Presbytery as the Church of Geneua hath to supply the want of a Bishop which once they had and still might haue in imitation of the ancient Christians who when the Citie where they dwelt was replenished and the Mother Church occupied with men of another faith as with Arians sometimes in Antioch and Alexandria as ours be with men of another Language had a Bishop of their owne in all respects like other Bishops sauing that they held not the Mother Church and therefore had neither the like Clergie nor the like reuenewes to maintaine them The second thing which hee opposeth is as I said a shew of regestion which he propoundeth with great confidence as if hee had mee at no small aduantage saying that I pull downe with one hand that I set vp with another If there were at that time no parishes how could there bee dioceses seeing euery diocesse consisteth of diuers distinct parishes Thus saith he the light will breake out though men shut their eies against it You see how bragge hee would seeme to bee But good sir what is this to my consequence If there were no parishes in the Apostles times then the Presbyteries were not appointed to parishes You answer If there were no parishes then there were no dioceses To what end is this spoken To denie my consequence or the maine conclusion Assume But you say there were no parishes therefore there were no dioceses which is the contradictorie to the maine conclusion But where doe I say there were no parishes Not in the proposition where it is only supposed but in the assumption for that which is supposed in the antecedent of the proposition is positiuely set downe in the assumption Therefore when he would seeme to deny the consequence of the proposition he doth not so much as touch it But by taking a supposed aduantage against the Assumption hee denieth the principall conclusion But let vs examine his argument If there were no parishes in the Apostles times there were no Dioceses This consequence I deny For the Diocesse was the same before the Parishes were diuided and after And the circuit of the spirituall iurisdiction intended the same before parishes were diuided with that it was after they were diuided that is answerable to the ciuill The same circuit belonging to the Church both in the intention before all were conuerted and in execution after all were conuerted which belonged to the ciuill state Yea but saith he euery Diocesse consisteth of distinct Parishes It is true after the distinction of Parishes but not before as a bach of bread consisteth of many distinct loaues after the distinction which before it contained vndistinguished in the lumpe A man consisteth of many distinct members after they are distinguished which at his first conception were not distinct The Proposition being thus recouered out of his hands J am now to rescue the Assumption Which saith that the Churches in the Apostles times were not diuided into parishes c. Which is to be vnderstood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as true of the most Churches Here I expect a direct answere were they diuided into parishes or were they not If they were as at Alexandria it seemeth to haue beene euen in the Apostles times then was not euery Church but one parish if they were not then the Presbyters were not assigned to seuerall parishes and so the assumption is true Nay rather then the assumption shall goe for currant we will deny each Church to haue beene but a parish Is it credible that any man should bee so transported with the spirit of contradiction as that hee should not care so hee may gainesay his aduersaries present assertion how shamefully hee contradicteth himselfe yet thus it fareth with our refuter In oppugning the proposition hee said and laboured to proue it that each church was but one parish the same he saith and saith againe in defending their obiections propounding his own only argumēt And yet here this assumptiō must be censured as hauing no truth in it for that it denieth Parishes to haue beene distinguished in the Apostles times and the Presbyters to haue beene assigned to their seuerall titles or cures They be his wordes in the conclusion of his answere to the assumptiō And the same he repeateth pag. 71. But let vs see what he obiecteth against the assumption First he findeth an errour in it before noted concerning the end of the Presbyters ordination which he saith is here repeated and therefore not of ignorance by him omitted in the proposition the which though hee call an errour yet I proued to be an euident truth and discouered the shallownes of their iudgement which do denie it Besides that errour he chargeth the maine points in the assumption as altogether void of truth The points are these 1. that parishes were not distinguished in the apostles times 2. that Presbyters were not then assigned to their seuerall titles or cures 3. that they were in
vnto you but now you haue the fewer enemies by reason of the multitude of Christians penè 〈◊〉 ciâ—ium being almost all citizens penè omnes ciues Christianos habendo by hauing almost al your Citizens Christians Let the Reader judge what the number of Christians were in those times whether Tertullian doth not speake chiefly of the city of Rome let him consider whether almost all the citizens of Rome of whom ordinarily there were diuers huÌ„dred thousands besides christian strangers seruants and the female sex were like to be the people of one parish The same author speaking to the same purpose in another place saith it may be sufficiently manifest vnto you that we deale according to the doctrine of diuine patience Seing we being so great a multitude of men euen the greatest part almost of euery city do cary our selues in silence modestie And so much concerning the multitude of the people Serm sect 7. p. 21. Ad to the multitude of the people the consideration of the times raging for the most part with persecution c. to the end of the 2. point As touching the times the refuter answereth that how furiously soeuer the times raged with persecution yet the christian people did vsually assemble together Whereof I doubt not But the question is whether in diuers congregations as I say as it is most euideÌ„t or altogether in one place which is altogether vncredible As for the places wherin the christians in the first 200. yeares vsed to assemble especially in time of persecution whereas I say they were priuate houses vaults and secret places not capable of such multitudes as haue bin spoken of for refuge he flieth to the vâ—lts holes as he calleth theÌ„ which he supposeth were capable of great multitudes but omitteth priuate houses and other small roomes turned to this vse And whereas J say they were not capable of such multitudes as were thâ— whole companies of Christians in the greatest cities proued before to haue bin in a manner innumerable hee onely saith great multitudes But what we are to coÌ„ceiue of this point let vs enquire of Hospinian a Protestant writer who hath trauelled in this argument He therefore saith in the time of the Apostles and some while after the places of meetings which Christians had were simple houses neither were they permitted by the cruelty of tyrants and rage of the people to build I say not magnificent but not meane Temples The places therefore of publike meetings in those times were base more like dens and secret corners then magnificall Temples as Eusebiusâ—estifieth â—estifieth And Tertullian plainly affirmeth that in his time the Christians had no other temples but simple houses Polydor Virgil testifieth that the Christians were so far from hauing any temple built in these times that all was secret their places of meeting were chapels and those hidden and for the most part vnder the ground rather then in open and publike places Bullinger likewise saith that the antient Christians vnder Constantine the Great were wont vnder the quire of the temples to build cryptaâ— vaults in memory of the persecutions whereby the Christians vnder the Emperors before Constantine were not suffered sometimes to come abroad and therfore they were forced to hold their assemblies and performe the sacred exercises in secret sometimes in dens and other priuy places But saith the Refuter Let them bee as little as he would make them yet it doth not follow hereof that the Churches in the Cities alone contained many particular congregations or parishes To which purpose againe he alleageth his chapels of ease for a meere euasion seeing himselfe is perswaded there was none such in those times And where he saith that although there were diuers places of meeting in those times yet all appertained to one congregation I confesse it to be true for euen after the distinction of parishes both in citie and country all of them belonged to one Church as meÌ„bers of the same body Yea but saith he if there were many particular congregations in euery city how chanceth it he told vs before that the parishes were not distinguished Distinguish the times and the answere is easie In the first hundred yeeres though Christians met in diuers places as they could yet neither were there in the most cities certaine set places of meeting nor certaine Presbyters assigned to them as to their perpetuall and peculiar charge But at the end of the first hundred yeeres Euaristus diuided to seuerall Presbyters in Rome titles that is the set places of meetings which we call parish Churches whereof they were entituled and called the Presbyters of such and such a title or parish And thus haue J maintained my arguments and answers against his cauils Now am I to defend my assertion against his proofes CHAP. VI. Answering the Refuters arguments ANd first because you shall know what he meaneth to conclude he propoundeth the question which is saith he whether in the Apostles times and the age following that is the first two hundred yeeres the visible Churches indued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernment were parishes or no. In which question seeing he his consorts restraine the times of the primitiue Church to the first two hundred yeeres the Reader will I hope expect that he should conclude that foâ— this whole terme at the least the churches were each of them but a parish and that in all this time there were no dioceses His argumentation containeth two ranckes of instances the former taken out of the scriptures the latter out of the Fathers The former he concludeth thus If the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch being visible Churches indued with power of ecclesiasticall government were each of them but one parish vnderstand for the whole terme of 200. yeeres then the other visible Churches 〈◊〉 with the like power were also each of them during the same terme but one parish But the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch being visible Churches endued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernment were each of them but one parish for the first 200. yeeres Therefore the other visible Churches endued with the like power were also for the like terme each of them but one parish The proposition I will be content to yeeld to my aduersarie so it may be lawfull for me to vse the like for then I would conclude thus If the Churches of Alexandria and Rome were not parishionall Churches in the first 200. yeeres neither were the Churches of other Cities But the antecedent is true therefore the consequent The consequence is the same with his and grounded on the same hypothesis viz. that all Churches endued with power of ecclesiasticall gouernment were at the first of the same nature and constitution The former part of the assumption concerning Alexandria I will manifestly prooue when I come to the third point concerning Diocesans viz. that it was not one parish but contained diuers parishes euen
Presbyter assigned to it this will prooâ—e that the mother Church of Corinth was diocesan as all Cathedrall Churches bee and that parishes distinguished from the Cathedrall as children from the mother were such as that of Cenchreae That which is testified for Ephesus Act. 20.28 is such as vpon like occasion might by all in his visitation be applied to aâ—â— the ministers of a diocesse that they should attend the stocke c. For must the word stocke which may be extended either to the vniuersall or nationall or prouinciall or diocesan Church must it needes signifie onely the congregation of a Parish yet he that breathes nothing but nouelties saith it is a new conceit to suppose a Diocesan flocke But this calumny of nouelty I haue by plentifull testimonies of antiquity before cited wiped cleane away As touching Act. 14.27 cited for Antioch where it is said that Paul and Barnabas gathered together the Church to relate vnto them what God had done by them since they had laid their hands vpon them and had commended them to the grace of God it is apparant that not all the Church consisting of husbands and wiues their children and seruants but some of the chiefe and principall perhappes not many perhappes not any besides those of the Clergy were called to that meeting These were his proofes out of the Scripture His other testimonies are out of Eusebius Ignatius and some of our owne Writers all which testimonies are scarse worth the mentioning Eusebius calleth the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the ancient vse of this word sometimes signifying the whole Diocesse sometimes the whole City and Suburbes I haue spoken sufficiently heretofore as also of that which hee obiecteth concerning the Parish in Ephesus Wherto I adde that Eusebius as he vsed the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the same purpose Ignatius writing to the Church of Ephesus the multitude whereof hee calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he had of purpose noted it to be a Church consisting of many multitudes or congregations exhorteth them as one might in like manner the faithfull in London though diuided into many congregations to come oft together to giue thanks and glory to God for when you come oft together into one place the power of Satan is weakened c. His other testimony out of Ignatius is out of his Epistle to Hero where he calleth the Church of Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Synagogue that is the church or congregation of the Lord. The word being vsed in the same signification with Ecclesia whereof I spake before But whether Ignatius were Bishop onely of one Congregation or parish let his own words testifie Remember me saith he in his Epistle to the Magnesians in your praiers and the Church which is in Syria whereof I am not worthy to be called the Bishop And in the Epistle to the Romanes towardes the latter end Remember in your praier the Church in Syria the which in stead of me hath the Lord to bee her pastor who saith I am the good shepheard Or if these words bee not plaine inough hee calleth himselfe in the same Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop of Syria Now let my aduersarie tell mee what maner of Parish Syria was And let me heare also what he can obiect against these two Epistles of Ignatius to the Magnesians and Romanes For euen they which suspect his Epistle to Herâ— which the refuter citeth and foure others acknowledge these two to bee no bastards Eusebius mentioneth both And that to the Romans he not onely mentioneth but also citeth a good part thereof Thus leauing that most pregnant and authentique euidence of Ignatius to my aduersary to muse vpon J come to his testimonies of our new writers all which excepting two testimonies of Tindall he most childishly alleadgeth to proue that the Churches of Ephesus and of other the like Cities were each of them but a Parish because they call a Church a Congregation vsing the word Congregation in as ample sense as before I proued the word Ecclesia whereof that is the English to bee vsed The auncient English Bibles neuer almost vse the word church but in stead thereof doe vse the word congregation not onely where is mention of particular Churches but of the vniuersall or catholicke Church As Mat. 16. Vpon this rocke I will build my congregation Eph. 1. Hee hath made him head of the Congregation which is his body Eph. 5. Yee husbands loue your wiues as Christ loued the congregation And so in the Communion Booke both in the Praiers translation there vsed As in the Praier for the King before the Epistle haue mercy on the whole congregation In the solemnization of Matrimony out of Ephes. 5. I speake of Christ and the Congregation But you shall heare his particulars First Tindall translateth the word Ecclesia by congregation thus to the angell of the congregation of Ephesus c. 2. Iohn Bale translateth and expoundeth the word Candlesticke and Church by Congregation The reasons why the first Translaters of the Bible into English in these latter times did auoid the name Church and insteed thereof vsed Congregation doe seeme to haue been these two The first because Church or Kyrk being deriued from the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth more properly signifie the place of meeting then the congregation it selfe which is meant by ecclesia and therefore the word Congregation thought to be the fitter translation The second because the Papists had abused the word Church whether it were generally vsed to signifie the Romish Church or particularly to import the Romish clergy So saieth Tindal Because the clergy had appropriated to themselues the name Church therefore I translated the word Ecclesia by this word Congregation For when the people vnderstood that by Church was meant the company of men professing the faith of Christ the name Church is euery where vsed as the translation of ecclesia Thirdly Yea but D. Fulke iustifying the translation of Ecclesia Eph. 5.23 by congregation argueth plainely that he held the Church of Ephesus to consist but of one particular congregation onely Which allegation sheweth extreame want either of iudgement or honesty for what church or congregation is there mentioned the Church of Ephesus or the vniuersall Church of Christ when it is said as Christ is the head of the Church Vpon which words when the Rhemists had noted it as a corruption of the first English Bibles which did not vse the word Church but congregation in stead thereof D. Fulke answereth that the Translator rather vsed the word Congregation then Church to auoide ambiguity because this word Church is commonly taken for the house of the assembly of Christians and that the people might know that the Church is a gathering together of al the
meÌ„bers into one body which in the name of church doth not appeare But after the people were taught to distinguish of the word Church and to vnderstand it for the mysticall body of Christ the latter translations vsed that terme not that the other was any corruption or the latter any correction but to declare that both is one Is it not plaine that he by congregation vnderstandeth the vniuersall Church which is a gathering together of all the members into one body but of the Church of Ephesus speaketh neuer a word In the 4. place the notes of M. Perkins sermons on the Apocalypse taken from his mouth are alleadged wherein it is said that the seuen Churches were particular congregations meaning thereby that which I doe not deny particular churches and that euery particular congregation is a Church and hath priuiledges of a Church belonging to it which is also true Fiftly the great Church Bible readeth thus Iohn to the seuen Congregations Lastly D. Bilson saith that the church is neuer taken in the old or new Testament for the Priests alone but for the congregation of the faithfull From which allegations to inferre that each church is but one particular congregation is as I said most childish But those 2. out of Tindall the one that a Bishop was the gouernour but of one congregation the other that hee was the ouerseer but of a Parish to preach the word to a parish was not a childish mistaking but a wilfull misalleadging of the Author who in the former place hath no such thing Or if hee haue any where he vseth the word Congregation in as large a sense as Ecclesia wherof it is the translation In the latter speaking of such a Bishop as is described 1. Tim. 3. that is of such a one as in his conceit was but a Presbyter hee saith by the authority of the gospell they that preach the word of God in euery Parish and performe other necessary ministeries haue right to challenge an honest liuing Neither is the Refuter content once to haue falsified the testimony of this holy Martyr but againe in the end of his booke hee alleadgeth him to the same purpose After hee hath thus doughtily proued his Assumption concerning these 3. Churches he bringeth a new supply of testimonies out of Ignatius Tertullian and Eusebius concerning others Ignatius exhorteth the Magnesians that they would all come together into one place to praier all as with vs that belonged to the same congregation And perswading the Philadelphians to vnity exhorteth them that they would vse one faith one preaching one eucharist because the body of Christ is one and his bloud one one cup and one bread one Altar for the whole Church and one Bishop with the Presbytery and Deacons for there is but one God the Father c. one faith one baptisme and one Church which the Apostles haue founded from one end of the world to another c. In which words none fauoureth the Refuters conceit but that of one altar seruing for the whole Church the word Altar being expounded for the Communion Table which is not likely and too much sauoureth of popery But by one altar is meant Christ who sanctifieth all our sacrifices or oblations and maketh them acceptable to God as Ignatius expoundeth himselfe in his Epistle to the Magnesians all as one runne together into the Temple of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto one Iesus Christ as it were vnto one altar But that which he alleageth out of the same Epistle that they were to gather themselues together into one place to chuse their Bishop if it were rightly alleaged would proue not their ordinary and parishionall but extraordinary and panegyricall meeting to such an end but this needed not their Bishop at this time was come to Ignatius in his iourny towards Rome as appeareth by the beginning of the Epistle as it were vpon an honourable ambassage from the Church as were the BB. of other Churches But he saith it becometh you as being a Church of God to doe as other Churches haue done that is as he sheweth in the words following to appoint a Bishop that he may 〈◊〉 Antioch performe the â—mbassage of God that it may be granted to them being gathered together into one place to glorifie the name of God From whence also the Reâ—uter gathereth that a Bishop is Gods Ambassador to a people that are together in one place Which is true so oft as he preacheth But Ignatius meaneth nothing lesse then that they should appoint the Bishop of Antioch but onely willeth them to send a Bishop as it were vpon ambassage thither His meaning is more plainly expressed in his Epistle to the Sâ—yrneans where he writeth to the same purpose that seeing the Church of Antioch after his departure had some peace the persecutors contenting themselues to haue taken him who was their ringleader from among them he exhorteth them to ordaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacred Ambassador who when he should come into Syria should reioice with them because they had peace Tertullâ—â—â— also is made to speake for them as though he said the Christian Churches were all one body and came all together into a company and congregation By which testimony if it were truely alledged all Christian Churches as they are one body of Christ so all should meet together to make one parish His words be these I will now set forth the practises of the Christian party That hauing refuted the euils obiected I may declare the good We are a body consenting in the knowledge of religion in the truth of discipline or doctrine and the couenant of hope We come together into a company and coÌ„gregation Which words may be verified of the Christians of these times which in euery Church are diuided into seuerall congregations Out of Eusebius hee hath nothing to alledge but that which before I came to his arguments I sufficiently answered that he calleth the Church of Ierusalem the parish of Ierusalem the Church of Alexandria the parish of Alexandria c. To which J answere that Eusebius indeed calleth each of the Churches by the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he calleth none of them a parish as we vnderstand the word parish In the place which hee quoteth concerning Ierusalem Eusebius saith that after the martyrdome of Iames who no doubt from an Apostle had been preferred to bee a parish Bishop because he was Christs kinsman the Apostles and disciples of Christ which yet remained did from all places come together with those who were of Christs kinred to consult whom they might thinke worthy to bee Iames his successor and that with one consent they made chuce of Simeon the sonne of Cleophas as worthy the throne of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Church because he also was our Sauiours kinsman All this was done no doubt in a parish meeting to set a parish B.
in his throne In which throne of Iames reserued as Eusebius saith till his time the BB. of Ierusalem hauing the honour of Patriarches did succeed As touching Alexandria it is euident by that which before hath been shewed that Eusebius speaking of the Bishop there calleth him sometime the Bishop of the Church or paroecia sometimes of the Churches or paroeciae belonging to Alexandria and all in one and the same sense which plainely sheweth that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee doth not meane that which we call a parish Which wil then better appeare when I shall proue that from Saint Marks time there were more Churches or parishes there and yet but one Church and one Bishop But suppose it were granted him that each of the Churches for a time did not exceed for their number the proportion of an ordinary congregation yet this would not proue them to haue been parishes as hath been shewed Thus and thus weakely to vse his owne words the Disputer hauing prooued his cause notwithstanding concludeth with a stout brag Now let any man iudge whether M.D. hath better proued that the Churches in those times were dioceses or I that they were parishes So say I let any man now iudge who is of iudgement and if there be any comparison betweene the plaine euidence which I haue brought and his slender proofes let me be taken for a man of no iudgement Yea but saith hee the worst is still behinde for his cause indeed but to mine aduantage For if there were not onely diocesan but also prouinciall Churches and that within the first two hundred yeeres then is it absurd to imagine that there were no Churches but parishional Neither did or doth the being of prouinciall Churches hinder dioceses or diocesan BB. These be the shallow conceipts of this disputer and his fellow challengers of disputation First that euery visible Church hath a sufficient and independent authority immediately deriued from Christ for the gouerâ—â—ent of it selfe in al causes ecclesiasticall Secondly that euery parish is or ought to be such a Church From the former of these this disputer seemeth to inferre that if diocesan Churches and BB. be subordinate to the prouinciall Churches and BB that then the prouinciall be the onely Churches And by the same reason when the prouinces were subiect to the Patriarches none but patriarchall Chuches as that of Rome Constantinople Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem were to be esteemed Churches But let vs heare the disputer Admit the Churches were then diocesan what is that to vs who haue none such in these daies if G.P. say true And how is this proued because he saith the BB. of either prouince in England are Suffraganes or rather Curates to the two Arch-bishoppes in their seuerall prouinces euen their deputies exercising ecclesiastical iurisdiction from and vnder them It shall not be amisse therefore for M.D. to confute him the next time he writeth In the meane time you should haue answered for your selues and not put off the confutation of his reioynder to others But though you cannot confute him yet you can abuse him as by reuiling and scornefull termes in other places of your booke so here by notorious falsifying of his words For where doth he say that our Bishops bee but Suffraganes or Curates to the two Arch-bishoppes as you without shame or conscience doe belie him saith hee or meaneth he any more but this that during the time of the Archiepiscopal visitation wherby the iurisdiction of the Ordinary is suspended that ecclesiasticall iurisdiction which he practiseth he doth exercise from and vnder the Archbishop as his deputy And what is this to our purpose Yea but If we may iudge saith our Disputer by the outward practise we haue onely two Churches and they are prouinciall the one of Canterbury the other of Yorke vnsubordinate either to other or to any other ecclesiasticall power and so entire Churches such as hee would haue euery parish to be Heere by the way let the Reader iudge with what conscience the Refuter hath so oft obiected against our Bishoppes that they be petite popes hauing sole and supreme authority seeing now himselfe confesseth that according to the order and discipline of our Church they are subiect to the Metropolitanes But to the point none of these things which hee obiecteth doe hinder the being of dioceses or diocesan Bishoppes no not though they had been by G.P. called the Archbishoppes Suffraganes For whereas the Bishoppes haue been by authors which haue written within these nine hundred yeeres called Suffraganes to the Archbishoppes they meane thereby comprouinciall Bishoppes who in the election of the Metropolitanes and in the prouinciall synods held by the Metropolitanes did giue their suffrages with them not that they bee such as commonly we call Suffraganes but are as absolute Bishoppes as haue been since the first appointment of Metropolitanes and they were actually acknowledged as they were at the first intended so soone as the diuers cities of one prouince had their Bishops In all which as there was consociation among themselues as being all of one body so also subordination to the Bishop of the Metropolis or mother Citie as being their head Thus was it prouided in the canons which for their antiquity are called the Apostles canons that the Bishops of euery nation must acknowledge him that in the first or primate among them and esteeme him as the head and that they should doe nothing exceeding the bounds of their owne iurisdiction without his consent And that euery one may doe those things alone which belong to his owne Church and the Countries which bee vnder it Neither may hee meaning the Primate doe any thing without the consent of all The same is repeated and explaned as yee heard before in the Councell of Antioch calling the Primate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishoppe which gouerneth in the mother Citie appointing him to haue the care of the whole prouince because there is concourse of men who haue businesse from all parts of the country to the mother Citie And although they forbad Bishoppes to attempt any thing beyond their compasse without his consent according to the antient canon yet they say Euery Bishoppe hath power or authority of his owne diocesse to administer or gouerne the same according to his conscience and to haue prouident care of the whole Country subiect to his Citie and to ordaine Presbyters and Deacons and to dispose of all things with iudgement It is apparant then that the being of prouinciall Churches doth not hinder the diocesan nor the authority of Metropolitanes take away the iurisdiction of diocesan Bishops Neither is any Church in the world more agreeable to the forme and gouernment of the most antient and Apostolicall Churches then this of England For at the first Metropolitanes were not subordinate to any superiour Bishoppes but were as Balsaâ—â— saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heads by themselues of their prouinces being Bishoppes of
yeeld there be prouinciall Churches then I must confesse there be no diocesan or if I will needes hold there be diocesan Churches then I ouerthrow the prouinciall So that what may soeuer we looke saith he I see nothing against vs but all for vs. Thus hath he brought himselfe into a fooles paradise where I leaue him to feed vpon his owne fancies and to solace himselfe with the conceit of his imagined conquest CHAP. VII Prouing the third point of the Sermon that the Bishops of the primitiue Church were Diocesan Bishops Serm. sect 1. Now these Presbyteries in the Apostles times as the Presbyterians confesse had c. ad lin a fine 4. THe Refuter hath acquitted himselfe in his owne conceit so valiantly and victoriously in subuerting my former assertion concerning dioceses which he supposeth to be the foundation of my building that as he lookes for no strength in the rest of the building to resist his forces the foundation it selfe being so weake and tottering so he promiseth to himself assured successe in ouerthrowing the rest But if my building be founded as it were on a rocke against which his maine forces could not preuaile at al but like the waues and billowes of the sea though they beate against it with great noise returne backe with froth and fome as I hope it appeareth to euery indifferent and iudicious Reader then may I promise to my selfe the like successe in withstanding his future assaults And the better hope J doe conceiue hereof because he seemeth to confesse that if I can demonstrate that the ancient Churches were dioceses that then the other points will follow of their owne accord But that I haue so demonstrated that I neuer expect any sound answere thereto As for this point which now I haue in hand it is not onely demonstrated already in the proof of the former but is also by necessary consequence deduced therefrom My purpose therefore is to bee as briefe in propugning this truth as hee is in oppugning the same J will therefore omit his friuolous cauill which now the fourth time he repeateth for my not concluding what he according to his forced Analysis would haue concluded because the Reader cannot but discerne that I directly conclude what before was propounded viz. that the Angels or Pastors of the primitiue Church were diocesan Bishoppes which I proue in the Sermon by degrees first seuerally before the diuision of parishes and after the distribution of them both in the city and in the country then iointly both before and after For hauing concluded the former point with these words that the Churches contained many particular congregations vnto all which there was but one Presbytery or Colledge of Presbyters assigned and hauing here signified that by the confession of the most learned Disciplinarians each Presbytery had a President which S. Iohn calleth the Angell of the Church and the Fathers a Bishop I proue from that which hath already been proued that the President of the Presbytery the Angell of the B. of the Church was not a parishionall but a diocesan Bishop But before I come to the proofe contained in this section I am to note how those last words of the former part which are very materiall are by this refuter passed ouer in silence For it would be knowne whether there were in Cities where were many congregations yea in whole dioceses any more Presbyteries or Colledges of Presbyters then that one belonging to the mother Church in the Citie If to shew either his ignorance or want of good conscience he shall say there were as indeed that is their assersion that in euery parish both in citie and country there ought to bee a Presbytery or senate of ruling Elders let him giue but one approued instance to proue his assertion in the first foure hundred yeeres and I will yeeld that where was a parish Presbytery there was a parish Bishop If Calum and the reformers of other Churches according to the pretended discipline had been of that iudgement they would not haue appointed one onely Presbytery for many parishes If he shall confesse that in a whole circuit which wee call a diocesse there was but one colledge or senate of Presbyters consisting of those who were called the Presbyters of the citie which is a most certaine and vndeniable truth then must he confesse his platforme of parish discipline to be a meere nouelty and an vndisgested fancy hauing no warrant of scriptures nor testimony of antiquity and contrary wise that there was but one Presbytery and one Bishop set ouer a whole diocesse Hee that catcheth at euery word yea at the least letter whereat hee hopeth to haue the least aduantage as at the terme pagani in this passage and at the little letters in the word Cretians would not swallow vp in silence such pregnant arguments if silence were not his best answere But though he would not see that argument yet in my propounding of the question here to bee concluded hee hath spied a syllogisme which I did not intend out of that which I propounded in axiomaticall disposition as taking it for granted But the Refuter maketh me reason thus The presidents of the Presbyteries were diocesan BB. The Angels of the seauen Churches were presidents of the Presbyteries Therefore the Angels of the seauen Churches were diocesan BB. Which is the hansomest syllogisme he hath bestowed on me as yet neither wil I refuse to maintaine any one part of it if he will be pleased to take notice of that which euen now was proued that there was but one Presbytery for a whole diocesse So the proposition will be manifest that the presidents of Presbyteries which were prouided for whole dioceses whom the fathers call BB. were diocesan BB. for so much might haue been added to the proposition out of my words The assumption I haue made good before by the confessions of Caluin and Beza But he beginneth with the assumption saying that he hath good cause to doubt of it and that I doe but threapen kindnesse on them when I talke of their Confessions For plentifull proofe whereof I referre you to that which before hath been alledged out of Caluin and Beza But what will not this Refuter quarrell with for if the Churches had been such as he conceipteth that is to say parishes hauing euery one a Bishop and a Presbytery of gouerning Elders would any man doubt either that the Bishop was called the Angell of the Church or that he was president of the Presbytery Now to the proposition saith the Refuter for answere whereto in one word I say it is false let vs examine the proofe of it and then frameth a syllogisme the conclusion whereof is this therefore the Bishop who was set ouer a whole diocesse and who was President of the Presbytery allotted to a whole diocesse was vndoubtedly a diocesan Bishop Was this the proposition which he denied or was he so vnreasonable to deny it What
that they were of ancient assigned to seuerall Presbyters all of them which were Catholique or orthodoxall beeing vnder the Bishop Neither should this seeme strange that the Churches in Alexandria were subiect to the Bishop seeing the rest in Aegypt were vnder his iurisdiction Neither was this a thing peculiar to the Bishop of Alexandria but commoÌ„ to others especially who were Bishops of mother Cities Ignatius was Bishop not onely of Antioch but of Syria as you heard testified by himselfe Irenaeus the Bishop of Lyons was Bishop of the Churches in France And to omitte others as Diodorus the Bishop of Tarsus to whose charge was committed the nation of the Cilicians Amphilochius who gouerned the whole nation of the Lycaonians Photinus Bishop of the Churches in Illyricum Agapetus Bishop of the Churches which were vnder Synada c Eusebius testifieth of Titus and in the next age after of Philippe that hee was B. of the Churches in Creet Theodoret saith the like and of Timothe that hee was Bishop of the Asians whose metropolis was Ephesus It is manifest saith Chrysostom that to Timothy was committed the rest of the Church or that whole nation of Asia To these testimonies of Eusebius and Theodoret I name so many as were cited in the sermon the refuter answers First that Eusebius liued 230. yeares after Timothy and Titus and Theodoret 330. What then the question is not whether the witnesses liued in the first 200. yeares but whether within that time there were diocesan Bishops It is a very vncharitable and vnlearned part that I say no worse to imagine that Eusebius and Theodoret would of their owne heads testifie these things and not by the relation of those which liued in former ages especially seeing Eusebius saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is recorded in histories But suppose the testimonies of these 2. were not sufficieÌ„t what will he say to that cloud of the ancient most autheÌ„tick witnesses which with one coÌ„seÌ„t do testifie that Timothy was B. of Ephesus those parts of Asia and that Titus was B. of Creet But of this more heereafter In the meane time let it bee acknowledged as a point of intollerable impudency that in a matter of fact so agreeable with the scriptures I meane especially the Epistles to Timothy and Titus written to them as to Bishops any of vs should deny credit to the constant generall and perpetuall consent of the ancient writers whereof some liued 13 or 1400 yeares before vs. 2. Yea but if these testimonies be true Titus and Timothy were Archbishops So is Titus called in the subscriptioÌ„ of that Epistle And that they were Metropolitanes appeareth by all their successors who were Bishops of Gortynae and Ephesiuâ— the one Metropolis of Creet the other of Asia How D. Bilson denieth this let the reader see page 409. of his book the other which the refuter citeth beeing misalledged where he citeth Chrysostome and Ierome testifying that to Titus was committed a whole Iland and the iudgement of so many Bishops Theodoret that to Timothe Paul committed the charge of Asia Now if there were Metropolitan Bishops in the Apostles times who besides their own peculiar diocesse had the ouersight also of other Dioceses Bishops it should not seeme strange that there were Diocesan Bishops who besides their cathedrall churches had manie parishes and Presbyters subordinate to them To which purpose Epiphanius also was alledged who saith that each Bishop had diuers churches vnder them to whom many other might be added as that of Optatâ—â— that in the city of Rome where was but one onely Bishop were aboue forty Churches the Epistle of Constantine to Eusebius mentioning those diuers Churches which were vnder him and signifying as the multitude of Christians did encrease so the number of Churches was to be multiplied the testimony of Theodoret the Bishop of Cyrus who affirmeth that it was his lotte to be pastor of 800. Churches for so many parishes saith hee hath Cyrus Yea but Epiphanius was 390. yeares after Christ. Will any wise man therefore inferre that in the first two hundred yeares it was so Good sir sauing your wisedome you shall seldome reade in ancient records of enlarging of dioceses but of the contracting of them by erecting new Bishopricks very oft It was testified before that the circuits of dioceses were from the beginning of the Churches and therefore what circuit was of any Bishopricke in Epiphanius his time the same ordinarily if not greater was in the first 200. yeares Serm. sect 3. page 24. As touching countrey townes they were indeed conuerted after the cities c. to page 25. ad lin 8. In this section I proue the latter part of the former assumption concerning country parishes viz. that the Bishop of the citie was ouer them also which I proue by this Enthymeme The B. and the Presbytery of the City in all places acknowledged tâ—em to belong to their charge Therefore the Bishop was ouer them as being part of his Diocesse The antecedent I proue by their care ouer them both before they were conuerted and after Before because they labored their conuersion after because the Bishop out of his Presbytery assigned to each of theÌ„ a Presbyter not a Presbytery or a B. 2. Where the diocesse was large he substituted a Chorepiscopus or country B. Of these points the last our refuter wery conscionably concealeth all the former very learnedly he denieth He denieth I say 1. That the Bishop and Presbytery of the city acknowledged the country to belong long to their charge Which as it is a most ignorant conceit as hath beene proued before so would it haue beene most precious to the church of God if the BB. and Presbyof those times had so conceiued Now that both they and the country churches so conceiued as J said the vniuersall perpetuall practise of the church of Christ subiecting in al places the country parishes to the Bishop of the city doth ineuitably proue 2. That they did not labour their conuersion by vertue of their office but were to attend those who were conuerted As if the Bishop and presbytery had beene ordained onely for those fewe that were at the first conuerted and were not rather as leauen put into the meale to season the whole lump I would gladly know therefore who after the death of the Apostles and apostolicall men which laboured in the cities were appointed or prouided for the conuersion of the country towns If it were not the office of the Bishop and Presbytery of the city to which they were subiect much lesse was it the office of others who being neither Apostles nor Euangelists were tied to their own charges might not by the most ancient canons of the church exercise any mysteriall function out of their owne bounds Besides the bounds of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction followed the ciuill ordinarily so that those countries were
will you also heare what T. C. gathereth out of these words of Ierome Godly 〈◊〉 mâ—slikâ—d this order of giuing the name Bishoppe to one in a Church and by all likelihood broke it which Ieromes words do apparently import This custome was in the Church of Alexandria from Saint Marke vntill Heraclas and Dionysius for vnlesse there were some change then why should hee not rather haue said From Saint Marke to his time First to his assertion I say it is vntrue that godly men misliked the giuing of the name Bishoppe to one in Church neither was there any reason why they should mislike it For first as the name of Angels being common to all Ministers is by the holy Ghost appropriated to Bishops in such sort as though euery Minister be an Angell yet onely one is the Angell of the Church so by the same reason Episcopi being in the scriptures a title common to al Ministers is so appropriated to one in euery Church that whereas all Ministers are Bishops in a generall sense one onely is the Bishop of that Church neither was it arrogancy but modesty rather in Bishops who assumed this name For whereas in the Scriptures they are called sometimes the Angels of the Churches sometimes the Apostles of the Churches sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers sometime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes episcopi they contented themselues with the title of least honour and left the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importing the honour of the Ministery in generall to other Ministers Neither is there any more reason as D Raynolds also saith why the appropriating of the name Bishop to the Angels of the Churches should be misliked then of giuing the name Minister to Presbyters which is common to Bishops Presbyters and Deacons Besides it is most certaine that in the writings of Ignatius and others who liued in or neere the Apostles times the name episcopus was appropriated to the Angel of ech Church Ierome plainly testifieth that from S. Markâ— time who was the first Bishop whom three other succeeded in the Apostles times one who was set in a superior degree was called Bishop But that the custome of giuing this name to one in the Church which from S. Marks time had continued should begin to be misliked in the time of Heraclus and Dionysius is against reason vnlesse it may be thought that the estimation of Bishops then decreased which ill agreeth with H I. conceit What antient Writer mentioning Dionysius doth not cal him Bishop of Alexandria Eusebius so termeth him Athanasius who was one of his successors doth not only cal him Bishop ofteÌ„times but also acknowledgeth him to haue bin a Metropolitan B. or rather Patriarch For when as the Bishops of Pentapolis began to fauor the heresie of Sabâ—llicus Dionysius to whose charge those Churches did appertaine sought to reform them You haue heard T. C. assertion His reason is this some change there was therefore in the name Bishop How weake a reason this is I shal not need to note seeing I haue shewed wherein the change was there being lesse likelihood of alceration in this kind then in any other For could any man at that time mislike that the Bishop of Alexandria should be called a Bishop seeing at that time he was without the mislike of any a Metropolitan Bishop yea a Patriarch But to returne to H. I. who saith his Diocesan L. Bishop ruling alone who was not established in Ambrose Ierome and Augustines time tooke place soone after And how is this proued He saith hee doubts not of it though he be not able to shew neither where nor when nor by whom nor how the Bishops authority was increased after Augustines times What if in Augustines time the authority and preheminence of Bishops was abated and restrained namely in the fourth Councell of Carthage more then euer before For whereas the antient Canons referre the power both of ordination and iurisdiction to the Bishop without mentioning the assistance of the Presbytery And whereas Bishoppes before such as were peaceable and well disposed did voluntarily vse the aduice and assistance of their clergy by that Councell the assistance of the clergy both in ordination and iurisdiction in the Churches of Africk became necessary Neither doe I know any reason why the authority of diocesan Bishops after Augustines time should bee thought to haue increased For as by the lawfull authority of Christian Kings Princes to whom they were subordinate in regard of the coÌ„mon good of the kingdom whereof they were meÌ„bers so much more by yâ— vsurped supremacy of the B. of Rome after the yeer 607. yâ— authority of bishops was lessened impaired We are to come to his fift step which is of patriarchal BB. but he hath cleane marred the staires that the refuter and his consorts vse to talke of whereby the Bishoppes of Rome from being as they say a parish Bishop did arise to the papacy partly by denying such BB. as he esteemeth ours to be to haue been till after Augustines time and partly by out-skipping the Metropolitanes For it cannot be denied but that there were diocesan Bishoppes such as ours be before there were Metropolitanes or Primates actually and there were Metropolitanes before there were Patriarches Now it would be knowne when Patriarches begun In the Councel of Nice held about the yeere three hundred twentie foure it is acknowledged to haue been an antient custome which there was ratified that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue authority of Egypt Libya and Pentapolis and the like custome for the Bishop of Rome in the West and of Antioch in the East is mentioned and the antient priuiledges to each Church espcially to each Metropolis reserued To say nothing of Rome whereof the Papists say too much it is plaine by that testimony of the Nicene Councell of Epiphanius before alleaged of Athanasius euen now cited that the Bishops of Alexandria had of old long before their time patriarchall authority For that of Antioch the testimony of Ignatius added to the authority of the Nicene Councell is sufficient calling himselfe the Bishop of Syria whereby we cannot conceiue him to haue been lesse then an Archbishop Now if I should aske H.I. or this Refuter when Metropolitanes first began they would not be able truly to assigne their originall after the Apostles times And therefore cunningly were they omitted by H. I. though I cannot accuse him of any great skill in making a doubt whether Caesarea in the Councell of Nice be reckoned as one of the foure seats of the Patriarches For expresse mention is made of Aeliâ— which was the new name giuen by Adrian to Ierusalem to which according to antient custom the next place of honor after Antioch was granted the proper dignity notwithstanding to the Metropolis which indeed was Caesarea being reserued But if Metropolitanes had not their beginning after the Apostles times as no man is able to
ecclesiasticall gouernement to haue beene dioceses as hath beene shewed I say then which also I prooued afterwards by the testimonies of Cyprian and Ierome whereto the authoritie of Basil may bee added that the vnitie of each Church meaning a diocesse dependeth of the vnitie of the Bishoppe and the setting vp of a second vnlesse it were by way of coadiutorshippe hath euer been esteemed the making of a schisme in the Church But of this more anon § 2. But let vs heare if it bee worth the hearing what more particularly hee obiecteth against these three points And first he trifleth to no purpose when he asketh If there bee not as much vnity in a parish vnder one Pastor as in a diocesse vnder a Bishoppe For though ech parish if it were according to the new conceit an entire body within it selfe vnsubordinate to any other may perhappes haue vnitie within it selfe yet in the Church of the diocesse or prouince that may happen which Ierome affirmeth is like to happen where is no Bishoppe that there shall bee as many schismes as parishes And surely what man of iudgement and moderation can without horrour thinke of those manifold schismes and diuisions which would ensue if euery parish should haue according to the newe conceit sufficient authoritie within it selfe vnsubordinate and independent for the gouernment of it selfe in all causes ecclesiasticall Yea but saith he If there bee not as great vnitie of the Church in a parish vnder one Pastor as in a diocesse vnder one Bishoppe then the more Churches are vnder one gouernement the greater is the vnitie But the consequent is false therefore the antecedent The consequence of the proposition is true being not extended without the limits of the question The more particular Churches in any one visible Church are subordinate to one Bishoppe the greater is the vnitie But by one visible Church I meane the Christian people of one diocesse or of one prouince or at the most of one Nation For the Christian people liuing vnder diuers lawes as they be diuers Nations so are they diuers visible Churches though the faithfull in them all are members of one and the same Catholike Church Let vs heare how he prooueth the assumption If the more Churches are vnder one gouernment the greater vnitie then welfare the Pope who if this be true maketh vnitie of all Churches in the world As who should say all the Churches in the world are vnder the Popes gouernment so that whiles hee denieth the superiority of Bishoppes hee seemeth else there is no sense in his speech to hold the Popes supremacie If any man shall say that as the vnity of ech Church dependeth on the singular preeminence of the Bishoppe so the vnity of the whole Catholicke Church by the same reason shall depend of the Popes supremacy which seemeth to haue beene the Refuters meaning who desireth as much as may bee that the superioritie of Bishoppes and supremacy of the Pope may seeme to bee of one tenure I answere that the vnitie of the whole Church standeth in this that it is one body vnder one head Christ. And as in a diocesse to set vp a second head is to set vp an Antibishoppe and to make a schisme from the true Bishoppe so in the whole Church to acknowledge a second head is to set vp Antichrist and to make an apostasie from Christ. Neither was it euer the meaning of our Sauiour that as euery particular Church should be vnder one Pastor so the whole Church should be vnder one visible head or earthly Monarch For then would not he haue furnished his twelue Apostles with equall power and authority as I haue said before As touching the second he confesseth all that I said namely that from the power of ordination the perpetuity of the Church dependeth and yet cauilleth with mee as if either I had said there could bee no ordination at all without a Bishoppe or that the Bishop had the sole power thereof Thus being resolued to wrangle if he finde not matter to cauill at he will faine it I did not say there could be no ordination without a Bishoppe but that euer since the Apostles times to our age it hath been the receiued opinion in the Church of God that the right of ordination of Presbyters and Deacons is such a peculiar prerogatiue of BB. as that ordinarily and regularly there could be no lawfull ordination but by a Bishop otherwise I doe confesse in the sermon that extraordinarily and in case of necessity Presbyters may ordaine in the want of a Bishop Concerning the third he saith it is enough to preserue good order in Churches if iurisdiction be in the ministers and Presbyters Hee meaneth in the seuerall parishes which may after a fashion be gouerned where the supreame ecclesiasticall officer◠I meane the parish minister assisted with such a senate as ech parish is like to afford hath the reines of gouernment in all causes ecclesiasticall committed to them But I pray you how shall there be any good order in the gouernment of the Churches of a diocesse or prouince when euery parish is so according to the new conceipt an entire body of it selfe indeed a member by Schisme rent from the the rest as it hath neither consociation with nor subordination to others For they are not gouerned by consociation who deny the definitiue power of synods as our new Disciplinarians do neither do they acknowledge any subordination for their Pastor forsooth is the supreme ecclesiasticall officer and the power of ech parish is independent immediatly deriued from Christ. Now how is it possible there should be good order in the gouernment of so many parishes in a Kingdome where is no subordination no superiours nor inferiours but all equall But this is enough for our Disciplinarians if they might be subiect to no superiors but that each of them might be the supreme ecclesiasticall officer in euery Church Serm. sect 4. pag. 32. As touching the first whereas there were many Presbyters in one Citie c. to pag. 36. l. a fine 8. Jn this section I proue that the Bishops of the primitiue Church were superior to other Ministers in singularity of preeminence for terme of life Which is a point very materiall prouing both against the new Disciplinarians that the BB. were diocesan there being but one for ech diocesse as hath been touched before and against the elder that the BB. were not such as their Presidents of the Presbytery or Moderators of assemblies among them whose preeminence is but a priority of order and but for a short time and against both disprouing the parity of Ministers which is the other maine piller of the pretended discipline Here therefore it behoued the Refuter if his cause were such as indeed he could maintaine with soundnes of learning and euidence of truth both to haue disproued this superiority of BB. and to haue proued his parity of Ministers But he passeth by in
as they being but for matters of lesse importance vicegerents in the Country to the Bishop of the diocesse whose seat was in the Citie being after the maner of the seuenty disciples Presbyters rather then BB. did incroach vpon the Bishoppes rights and prerogatiues not knowing their owne measure therefore they were restrained as in other matters of importance so in ordinations to doe nothing without the leaue of the Bishop Thus the ancient Councill of Ancyra determined That it was not lawfull that Countrie Bishops should ordaine Presbyters or Deacons vnlesse they had leaue granted vnto them by the Bishop with his letters for so Theod. Balsam expoundeth that Canon the Fathers of this Synode determine that the Countrie Bishop may not ordaine Presbyters or Deacons without the letters of the Bishop The Councill of Antioch thus It seemeth good to the holy Synode that those which are placed in villages and countrey Townes called Countrey-Bishops although they haue receiued the ordination of BB. should know their owne measures and administer the Churches subiect to them and content themselues with the charge and care of them and to ordaine Readers Subdeacons and Exorcists and to content themselues with preferring of them But that they should not presume to ordaine a Presbyter or a Deacon without the Bishop in the citie whereunto both himselfe and his countrey is subiect If any shall dare to transgresse this definition he shall be deposed from that honour which he hath and that the countrie Bishop should be made of the B. in the citie wherto he is subiect Which last clause as I suppose was added to take from them that colourable pretence whereupon they had presumed before to ordaine Presbyters and Deacons viz. because they had Episcopall ordination by the Metropolitane and two or three other BB. To preuent this the Councill decreeth that from that time forward they should be ordained not as other BB. by the Metropolitane and two or three other Bishops but as other Presbyters by the Bishop of the citie and so hauing not so much as an Episcopall ordination to make them as they were before titular Bishops they might acknowledge themselues to haue no right of ordination of Presbyters and Deacons Harmenopulus in his abridgement of the Canons setteth this downe as the summe of both these Canons 13. Ancyr and 10. Antioch Let not a Countrey Bishop ordaine a Presbyter or Deacon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the licence of the Bishop To the like purpose the Councill of Laodicea determined that Bishops may not be ordained in villages and Countrey townes but visiters and that those which were before ordained may do nothing without the consent of the Bishop in the citie By these two Councils therefore as Episcopall ordination for the time to come was denied to the Countrey Bishops so also power of ordaining Presbyters and Deacons To the same purpose I quoted Damasus and Leo who proue that Chorepiscopi were not indeed Bishops but Presbyters and therefore had no right to ordaine Presbyters and Deacons Chorepiscopi saith Leo according to the Canons of Neocaesaria and decrees of other Fathers are the same with Presbyters bearing the figure of the sonnes of Aaron and being after the maner of the 70. Disciples And although in respect of the ministerie they haue a common dispensation with Bishops notwithstanding some things are forbidden them by the authoritie of the old law some of the new and by Ecclesiasticall Canons as the consecration of Presbyters and Deacons c. And to his sentence the Councill of Hispalis subscribed Basil likewise plainely signified to the Chorepiscopi that if any without his appointment were receiued into the ministerie he should bee held for a lay man These testimonies plainely euince that in the primitiue Church the power of ordination was so in Bishops as that either themselues did ordaine or if this power were communicated to others it was by leaue and permission from them And little reason had the refuter so lightly to esteeme these testimonies as being vnder age For vnlesse he be able to shew that in the first 200. yeares the Presbyters either had de iure the power to ordaine or that de facto they did vse to ordaine which he will neuer be able to shew the worst of these testimonies for the Bishops is of more worth then all that he shall be able to say against them Let him produce if he can any one testimony of Scripture any one sentence out of Councils Histories or Fathers prouing that Presbyters without a Bishop had right to ordaine and I will yeeld to him But he doth not goe about by sound learning and euidence of truth to refell my assertions which indeed he cannot doe but by vnlearned shifts and sophistiall cauillations to elude them as he can either not doubting but such refutations would serue his turne to reteine the people in their preconceiued alienation from Bishops or else hoping that J would not vouchsafe him an answere But to returne to my proofes For one there remaineth yet out of the Councils shewing that in ancient times they were so far from permitting Presbyters without a Bishop to ordaine that when as a certaine Bishop in the ordination of one Presbyter and two Deacons vsed only the help of a Presbyter to reade the words of consecration and to blesse them himself laying on his hands but being not able for the paine of his eies to reade the Councill of Hispalis reuersed the ordination as vnlawfull This is the Councill which the refuter judged to deserue neither imitation nor approbation by which censure of this one though he durst not giue it of any of the forenamed Councils yet it being indefinitely propounded he discrediteth the rest with the vnlearned who are not able to distinguish But let vs heare more particularly his graue censure of this Councill What a toy was it for the Councill of Ciuill in Spaine to reuerse the ordination c. What a boy is this might these Fathers say that presumeth thus to censure vs was not Isidor the Archbishop of Ciuill the president of this Councill and author of these Canons one of the most learned writers which haue beene in the Church within this 1000. yeares with whom this Refuter for learning is not to be named the same day was not this Council held against the Heretickes called Acephali did it not learnedly and judiciously confute them did these graue fathers toy when by graue censures they sought to preserue the discipline and canons of the Church to maintaine the lawfull authoritie of BB. and to preuent the presumptuous vsurpation of Presbyters contrarie to the Canons of the Church had not the ancient councill of Orenge decreed That if any Bishop should by any infirmitie or weaknesse either fall into the dulnesse of his senses as this Bishop did or loose the facultie of speech he should not suffer
which themselues doe bring to proue them and also that by such an answere the superiority of Bishops is sufficiently auoided But to conclude this point whiles the Refuter goeth about to proue that Antioch which was the Metropolis of Syria and the chiefe Citie of all the East was but a parish Church and the Bishop of Antioch who was also as Ignatius testifieth of himselfe the Bishop of Syria and as Theodoret saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe or prâ—â—ate of all the Bishops in in the East to haue been but a Parson of a parish Church the Reader will hereby learne what conceit to haue of his learning and iudgement and what credit to giue to his new-â—angled opinions Serm. sect 11. pag. 47. Now the Presbyters were subiect to their B. both as their ruler to be guided c. to page 50. med Hauing in generall shewed the Bishops superiority in iurisdiction ouer the Presbyters euen those of the Citie in this section J proue it more particularly by the parts of gouernment which are both to rule and direct as also to censure and correct I shew therefore that the Presbyters of the Citie were subiect to the Bishoppe both as their ruler to be guided and dâ—rected by him and also as their Iudge to be censured and corrected of him Where the Refuter if he would needs be analysing and syllogising should haue framed this argument To whom the Presbyters were subiect both as to their ruler to be guided and directed by him and as to their Iudge to be censured and corrected of him he was superior to them in the power of iurisdiction and maiority of rule To the B. the Presbyters were subiect both as to their ruler to be guided and directed by him and as to their Iudge to be censured and corrected of him Therefore the B. was superiour to the Presbyters in power of iurisdiction and maiority of rule The proposition of this syllogisme is of euident vndeniable truth The assumption consisteth of two parts the former concerning the rule of direction the latter concerning the power of correction which I doe in order proue by euident testimonies whereunto he opposeth nothing but cauilling shifts and euasions By way of analysis he saith thus The former proofe of the assumption touching the Bishops maiority of rule was generall concerning diocesan and parishionall Presbyters Now follow the reasons for each of them in particular and first for the Bishoppes iurisdiction ouer the diocesan in regard of direction Where I desire him to tell vs what he meaneth by diocesan Presbyters whether such as assisted the Bishop in the diocesan gouernment If yea hee dreameth of that hee cannot proue To omit the commendation of his skill in analysing which is not great his resutation heere is as you plainely see not onely a dreame but the dreame of a dreame He saith I dreame of diocesan Presbyters when himselfe belike did dreame so Where speake I one word of diocesan Presbyters where doe I once name them Is the Refuters conscience no better then still to father vpon mee vntruths for his owne aduantage doth he not thereby bewray what a cause he maintaineth which cannot be vpheld but by forgeries Neither if J had spoken of diocesan Presbyters would I haue vsed the word in that sense For as parts of the diocesse in the country are sometimes in the Councels called dioceses so are Country Ministers called dioecesani qui per dioeceses ecclesias regunt which in the Councell of Neocaesaria are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Country Ministers and are opposed to the Presbyters of the Citie who are there called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and else where ciuitatenses Presbyteri Of whom it may bee truly said that the Colledge or company of them was the Presbytery which being not assigned to any one parish was prouided to assist the Bishoppe in the feeding and gouernment of the diocesse as I haue prooued before and in that sense might be called dioecesani But let vs see his reason saith the Refuter If the 40. Canon of the Apostles saith he I said the ancient Canon if the Councels of Arles and Ancyra Tertullian Cyprian and Ignatius affirme that BB. had maiority of rule for direction ouer Diocesan Presbyters then they had such maiority But all these affirme so therefore they had so The former part of my aforesaid Assumption that the Presbyters of the City were subiect to the B. as their ruler to be directed by him I proue first in generall because they might doe nothing of importance without his direction or consent then particularly in respect of those things which did belong to the power of their order For as touching the former if the Presbyters might doe nothing without the B. nothing without his appointment or consent then were they subiect to him as their ruler to be guided and directed by him But the former I proue by these testimonies whereto more may be added therefore the latter cannot be denied Of the Syllogisme which he framed hee denieth first the Consequence of the proposition not shaming to affirme that although the ancient Canon called the Apostles though the auncient Councels of Ancyra and Arles though Tertullian Cyprian and Ignatius doe all testifie the maiority of rule in BB yet it would not follow that they had it It will follow then that the ancientest Councels and Fathers deserue no credit which whosoeuer shall affirme doth much more without comparison deserue not onely no credit but no audience nay no sufferance he is not to bee endured But what pretence hath hee to discredite their authorities forsooth none of them excepting Tertullian and Ignatius liued in the first 200. yeares As if all truth were confined within that periode or as if some of the Fathers which succeeded as Cyprian by name deserued not as much credite as they As for Cyprian hee came 40. or 50. yeares after and the Councell of Ancyry some 50. or 60. yeares after him No doubt but great alteration in discipline and Church-gouernement was or could be pretended to haue been in the Church before Constatines time whiles it was vnder the Crosse. But let the Refuter esteeme of these authorities as hee pleaseth there is no modest or moderate Christian but will preferre the affirmation of any of these especially in a matter of fact before the negation of a thousand such as the libelling refuter After he hath thus eleuated their authority hee cauilleth with their testimonies denying also the assumption And first to the ancient Canon forbidding Presbyters Deacons to doe anything 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the appointment and consent of the Bishoppe hee frameth such an answere as euery word whereof almost doth argue extreame either vnconscionablenesse or ignorance Hee saith It doth not proue they had maiority of rule or sole soueraignty ouer them Sole soueraignity O defiled conscience which ceasest not to ascribe such
odious and absurd assertions to me But why is not the maiority of rule in the Bishoppe hence proued and the subiection of Presbyters to him as to their ruler to bee guided and directed by him seeing they are charged to doe nothing without his direction and warrant what can bee more plaine forsooth the like Phrase is vsed Can. 35. and Conc. Antioch c. 9. where BB. are enioyned to doe nothing without the sentence of the Archbishoppe nor he in their Parishes without the sentence or appointment of them all If therefore the Maiority of rule in BB. may be proued from this Canon then in like manner from the other two Canons the maiority of rule not onely in Archbishops in those dayes ouer BB. but also of Bishops in their Parishes ouer the Archbishop But the consequent is false in both the parts of it the former for there were no Archbishops in those dayes the latter because BB. had not authority ouer Archbishoppes therefore the Antecedent also is vntrue Here the refuter vnder some shew of learning hath bewraied much ignorance For first as touching the proposition his reason is vnlike and his allegation out of the 34. Canon is vntrue The Bishoppe of euery natioÌ„ mâ—st agnize him that is the first or Primate among them and esteeme him as the chiefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not said as in the Canon by me cited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply as the refuter citeth it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is there no difference betweene these two speeches to doe nothing simply and to do nothing more or exceeding their own bounds For that this is the meaning of the Canon the words following doe plainely declare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that they doe onely those things which appertaine to their own See and the countries vnder it But more plainely in the Councel of Antioch that the rest of the Bishops doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing more then those things onely which concerne euery mans owne Church and Countries which bee vnder it And that you should not vnderstand them as the Refuter doth without vnderstanding they adde for euery Bishoppe hath authority of his owne City both to gouern according to the feare of God which hee hath and to haue care of all the Country as also to ordaine Presbyters and Deacons and to administer euerything with iudgement And yet I doe not deny but that the Metropolitanes are superior to their Comprouinciall Bishoppes in the power of Iurisdiction although all Bishops whatsoeuer are equall in the power of order Neither should the Bishops by the like reason be superiour to the Archbishops in their parishes as he ignorantly addeth For the Canon doth not speake of the seuerall Bishops in their Dioceses which hee absurdly calleth Parishes but of the whole Company of them assembled in a Prouinciall Synode saying that he must doe nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the consent of them all Howsoeuer therefore either the Metropolitane or any other of the Bishoppes in their owne seuerall Dioceses might doe those things which concerned their owne proper charge yet prouinciall businesses which exceeded the bounds of any one mans charge were to be dispatched in Prouinciall Councels wherein the Metropolitane was to be acknowledged as the chiefe and President thereof who called them together and moderated the assembly but so as the Bishops might doe nothing without him seuerally so he might doe nothing without them all iointly and as hee was superiour to them seuerally so was hee inferiour to them all iointly that is to the Synode The Assumption likewise in the former part of it is false and the reason of it also For there were Metropolitanes in the first two hundred yeares and they were superiour in the power of iurisdiction to their Bishops But before he will let this testimony passe hee hath one point of ignorance more to shew and that is because Archbishoppes are mentioned c. 35 alias 34. therefore these Canons were none of the Apostles nor any others aboue an hundred he will not say whatsoeuer hee thinkes two hundred yeares after them For Archbishops were not hatched so reuerentlie he speaketh a long time after all men being iudge The antiquitie of these Canons I haue touched before shewing that within little more then two hundred yeares after the Apostles time they were then accounted auncient Canons But to the point If hee speake of the name Archbishoppe it is not mentioned in the Canons called the Apostles if of the office of a Metropolitane which is meant in the aforesaid Canon I haue proued before that it hath beene euer since the Apostles times Those learned men which hold Archbishops to be of a latter edition by that name vnderstand Patriarches and those of 2. sorts being either so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Patriarches of Rome Constantinople Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem or such as are more vsually called Archbishops or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gouernors of large prouinces beeing in a degree betweene Metropolitanes and Patriarches which seeme to haue beene ordained in the first Councell of Constantinople as Socrates witnesseth Hence it is that Isidor saith Ordo Episcoporum quadripartitus est i. in Patriarchis Archiepiscopis Metropolitis atque Episcopis and the same distinction is noted in the Councill of Chalcedon and in the Code and constitutions of Iustinian and in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made by Leo the Emperour c. To the same purpose I alledged the ancient Councell of Arles that Presbyters may doe nothing without the knowledge and consent of their BB. and of Ancyra the most ancient approued Councill that is extant Non licere Presbyteris ciuitatis sine Episcopi praecepto amplius aliquid imperare nec sine authoritate literarum eius in vnaquaque parochia aliquid agere That it is not lawfull for the Presbyters of the citie to doe any thing of importance without the Bishops appointment noâ— to do any thing in any parish without the authoritie of his letters To these J adde the first Councill of Toledo Sine conscientia Episcopi nihil pâ—nitâ—â— Presbyteri agere praesummunt Let the Presbyters presumâ— to doe nothing at all without the knowledge and consent of the Bishop And forasmuch as for a poore euasion he alledgeth that these Councils by me cited though the ancientest that are extant are vnder age which ill becommeth him to object who hath no witnesses to the contrarie before this present age I will therfore produce one or two more who liued in the Apostles times and conuersed with them Ignatius therefore in an Epistle which the Refuter hath before cited saith that neither Presbyter nor Deacon ought to doe any thing without the B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither let any thing seeme reasonable vnto you which is done without his warrant To him I will adioyne a testimony of Clement wishing the Reader to credit it
no further then he seeth cause He therefore reporteth it as a doctrine of Peter that no Presbyter ought to doe any thing in any Bishoppes parish or diocesse without his permission and that all Presbyters ought without delay to be obedient to their BB. in all things § 14. But as I prooued that Presbyters might doe nothing without the Bishoppes appointment or consent so I noted especially those things which belong to their power of order as the actions of their ministery to baptize to celebrate the Communion to preach to say the publike Liturgy or diuine seruice As touching Baptisme I alleaged Tertullian testifying that the Bishoppe hath the right to giue Baptisme then the Presbyters and the Deaconâ— but yet not without the authority of the Bishoppe for the honour of the Church that is the honour due vnto him in the Church which being safe peace is safe Where note in Tertullians time within the first two hundred yeeres the Bishoppe was so greatly honoured that the peace of the Church was supposed to depend on the honour of the Bishoppe as Ierome also speaketh that the ordinary right of baptizing was primarily in the Bishop secondarily in the Presbyters Deacons but not to be exercised by them without his authority whereas extraordinarily and in case of necessitie lay men in his iudgement might baptize To this the Refuter giueth fiue answeres but neuer a good one As first that Tertullian speaketh not of their iuresdiction in the Apostles times or afâ—er by authority from them Hee speaketh nor de facto but de iure noting what right Bishops had and hee sheweth the ordinary right of baptizing which the Presbyters had was not without the Bishops authority 2. That the preeminence he giueth them was for the honor of the Church and preseruation of peace What then was this peculiar to his time Were they not as carefull of the honour of the Church and preseruation of peace in the Apostles times as after 3. Neither doth he speake of the authority of the Bishop in generall but of an honour giuen him in one particular And for one particular belonging to the power of order did I alleage it that hauing prooued this point in generall I might also shew it in the particulars which cannot otherwise be done but sigillation one by one Yea but this honour no one particular might well bee in a titular Bishoppe that had no such iurisdiction Titular Bishops in the primitue Church were such as had the name and title but not the authority of a Bishop granted to them Such a one was Meletius who by the censure of the Councell of Nice was not to haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the authority but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bars name of a Bishop And such were Nouatian Bishops returning to the Church permitted to be if the Catholike Bishop would gratifie them with the name and title of a Bishop I reade of Eustathius the Metropolitan B. of Pamphylia who being desirous to leade a more quiet and solitary life gaue vp his Bishopricke whereupon Theodorus was chosen in his roome For it was not meet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Church should continue a widow and that the flockes â—f our Sauiour should remaine without a gouernour But he afterwards repenting him of the abdication of his Bishopricke putteth vp a petition to the Councell of Ephesus that hee might at the least retaine the name and honour of a Bishop At his request the Councell writeth to the Synod of Pamphylia that he might haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name the honour and communion of a Bishop but yet so as that neither he doe ordaine nor taking vpon him the charge of the Church should performe sacred actions by his owne authority Thus we see who were titular Bishops in the primitiue Church such as were gratified with the name but wanted the office and authority of a Bishoppe As for those who had the office of a Bishoppe of whom Tertullian speaketh they had also vigorem episcopatus the vigor of the episcopall office whereof Cyprian so oft speaketh and the sway of authority ecclesiasticall was in their hands insomuch that Presbyters and Deacons who by the power of their order had right to baptitize might not euen in Tertullians time exercise that power but by authority from the Bishop In the fourth place the Refuter obiecteth that these Presbyters were not ordinary Ministers of the word and Sacraments but such as he and his fellowes dreame of because Tertullian in the very next words affirmeth alioquin etiamlaicis iut est otherwise lay men also might baptize That the Presbyters were Ministers I haue manifestly proued before and I haue noted already that Tertullian signifieth the ordinary right of baptizing to be in the Bishop Presbyters Deacons that yet extraordinarily and in the case of necessity lay men might baptize And so Ierome seemeth to exhound Tertullians meaning Hence it is that without Chrisme which the Presbyters of the seuerall parishes were to fetch from their B. and without the commandement of the Bishop neither Presbyter nor Deacon haue right to baptize Which notwithstanding wee know to be oft times lawfull for lay men to doe si tamen necessitas cogit but yet so if necessity doe compell But nothing is more euident then that the Presbyters were Ministers by that which hath heretofore been deliuered Whereunto this helpeth somewhat that Tertullian opposeth Presbyters and Deacons to laymen This obiection the Refuter thought to preuent by saying that the gouerning Elders and Deacons were accounted among the Clergy Which also is an vnlearned assertion For to omit the arguments which before were brought to prooue that the Presbyters and Deacons were degrees of the sacred Ministery it is plaine that the clergy of each diocesse was a company of such as were trained vp in learning it being the seminary of the whole diocesse And as they profited in yeeres learning and pietie so they were preferred to bee Readers then Exorcists then Acolythi then Sub-deacons after that Deacons then Presbyters out of whom ordinarily was chosen the Bishoppe And moreouer the Presbyters and Deacons with the rest of the Clergy had all their maintenance according to their place and degree in the Church And therefore our disciplinarians if they will haue such Presbyters and Deacons as were in the primitiue Church they must fetch them from the Vniuersitie and schooles of learning as we doe and maintaine them by the charges of the Church as well though not with so large allowance as the Bishop His last euasion for none of his answers is better is that the lower Tertullian speaketh of might well be and was on a parish Bishop the Presbyters being subiect to him as his assistants for that one Church But parish Bishoppes such as they speake of and lay elders be of one edition neuer heard of before our age For the more manifest proofe whereof I referre
haue published in print in most glorious and vaunting manner fiue times that I know of arguing nothing but their gerat malice small iudgement I haue answered before to their shame How oft must they bee told that wee neither make our Bishops supreme gouernours as they doe their parish Bishop nor sole as theirs would bee if they had not the assistance of their Presbyters And who knoweth not that it is the supremacy that maketh a Pope and supremacy they giue to their parish Bishop The other part of the assumption which saith they had not assistants in the parish to restraine them he denieth But before he wil examine my reasoÌ„ which I broght to proue it his grauity thoght good to cauil with the phrase which saith he soundeth very strangely in our eares Assistants are for his helpe whom they assist not to hinder in the execution of his office so doe the Iustices of peace assist the Iudges at the assises Therefore he should either not haue called them assistants or forborne the terme of restraining Where were so many eares as he speaketh of there were more heads then one that ioined in this work as I vnderstand there did But where so many heads were it is strange there was no more iudgement Are your Presbyteries assisting your parish Bishop to be compared to the Iustices of peace at the assises who haue no right of suffrage or giuing sentence or not rather to the Iudges assisting the chiefe Iudge in euery Court haue not all in your Presbyteries or consistories equal right of suffrage and are not all things carried by plurality of voice Is it not plaine that the Iudges in the Kings bench or common plees who are assistants to the L. chiefe iustices are ioyned to either of them as to heâ—lpe him in giuing right iudgment so to restraine him that he iudge not alone according to his own pleasure Is it not euident when more are ioyned in one commission that they are ioyned as well to restraine him that is the cheefe that he shall doe nothing alone as to helpe him in the execution thereof What a shallow conceit then was this that assitants might not be said to restraine seeing their office is as to helpe him whom they assist to doe right so to restraine him that hee doe no wrong Let vs now heare what hee can say to the reason which is this If the pastors of euery parish had assistants then Presbyteries either of lay-presbyters or of Ministers But they had not presbyteries to assist them neither of lay-presbyters nor of ministers Therefore they had none assistants The Proposition is grounded vpon this hypothesis which I tooke for granted that all assistants or coassessours ioined with the Bishop or pastor in the gouernment of the Church that are any wheres noted to haue been in the primitiue Church were Presbyters For that which againe he addeth concerning the whole congregation is a very fond conceit Whoeuer heard that the whole congregation assisted the pastor in the gouernement of it selfe assuredlie they which attribute authority to the whole congregation ascribe vnto it the chiefe authority as in popular states which the refuter hath before acknowledged saying that they subiect both the pastors elders to the whole congregation turning the world vpside down and making the flock to rule their pastor And yet how this standeth with their other position that the pastor is the supreme ecclesiasticall officer in euery Church J cannot sell vnlesse they meane the highest vnder the Church it selfe Which if it be so then is not the Church according to their conceit assistant to the Pastor but the Pastor is the Churches deputy and lieuetenant for the gouernement of it selfe in which gouernement of the Church the Presbyters bee his assistants But whatsoeuer might be added to the proposition according to the vnstayed fancies of certaine innouators which I respected not the proposition is necessary according to the practise of the primitiue Church wherof only J spâ—ke But he denyeth the assumptioÌ„ also saying that they had other Presbyters which were not ministers But I hope he wil vnsay that saying when he shall haue read what before hath beene deliuered concerning their onely-gouerning Elders Besides against their parish-presbyters I alledged the practise of the Churches in Scotland and Geneua For in Scotland they had not a Presbytery or consistory in euery parish but in such circuits as are answerable to our deanries And whereas he saith that neither I nor hee 〈…〉 truely what the practise of Geneua is but by uncertaine reports hee should haue spoken for himselfe For what I report concerning Geneua I haue read as in other Authors so in Beza himselfe shewing that they haue but one Ecclesiasticall presbyterie or consistorie for all the parishes both in the city and territory thereto belonging consisting of eighteene seniors whereof 6. are Ministers constant and 12. chosen euery yeare out of their 3. councils of state viz. 6. out of the councill of 200 4 out of that of 60 and 2. out of the 25. as I haue noted before But where he saith that Geneua may well be taken for one parish seeing it hath no diocesan Bishop it seemeth he doth not greatly care what he saith Belike there is but one parish church and all the rest beeing aboue 20. be chapels of ease and who then is the pastor of the whole Church of Geneua and what be they that are set ouer the Churches if they bee not the pastors of them Againe it is not long since Geneua was vnder a Bishop and then was it a Diocese and is it now come to bee but a parish or shall we not rather say that as the Bishop in his time was Diocesan so the presbyterie now is not a parishionall but a Diocesan presbyterie and that the whole Church of Geneua consisting of many parishes is as well a Diocese now as it was before It remaineth therefore as I said in the sermon that the ministers of seuerall parishes were subiect to the Bishop whose pastoral care extended it selfe to al euen theremotest parishes in his Diocese c. CHAP. VI Titles of honour giuen to BB. Serm. sect 13. pag. 52. Thus haue you heard that the Angels or BB. of the Primitiue Church were for the substance of their calling such as ours be c. to the end of the fourth point HEere I thanke him he compareth me to such as be called Iuglers because as they can perswade men they see what they doe not see so I would perswade my hearers that they heard which they did not heare Whether of vs doth vse more plaine euidence of truth and whether of vs tricks of legerdemaine I appeale to the conscience of the Reader though it bee the refuter himselfe But good sir though it was not in me to perswade euery one that did heare yet me thinks I might without offence say they had heard that which they did heare whether it were
cheife burden must lye vpon Mat. 18. dic Ecclesiae which hath bin before examined Beza making mention of one Morellius who pleaded in like manner for the popular gouernment giueth him this stile Democraticus quidam fanaticus shewing that these who plead that cause are lead with a phantasticall fanaticall spirit For is it not a phrensy to vrge the peoples supremacy in Church-gouernment is there any shew in scripture or in reason that the sheepe should rule their Shepheard or the flocke their Pastor But for the confutation of them I referre them to other Disciplinarians from whom they had their first grounds seing by this fancy they seeke to ouerturne as well those Churches where the Geneua discipline is established as ours The third dreame is that the lawes of Church-gouernment prescribed in the Epistles to Timothie and Titus were prouided for the democraticall state of the Church So that when Paul saith lay not thou hands on no man hastily you must vnderstand the speech directed not to Timothie to vvhom the Epistle was written but to the people that they should not suffer their lay-Lay-elders when their minister is dead to be hasty in laying hands on a new And vvhen hee saith doe not thou receiue an accusation c. it must be vnderstood of the people and Presbyterie After two or three admonitions doe thou auoid an hereticke or excommunicate him that is thou people What of Creet belike the whole Iland of Creet was a Parish too The next fancy is that the popular state of the seuerall Churches did first degenerate into an Aristocraty and after into a Monarchie But it is as cleare as the light that the seuerall Churches were at the first gouerned by the Apostles or Apostolicall men seuerally and that either perpetually as by Iames Marke c. or but for a time as by Peter Paul c. and that when the Apostles left the Churches they committed them to other Apostolicall men such as Timothie Titus Evodius Simon the sonne of Cleophas Linus Clemens c. communicating vnto them the same authority both for the worke of the ministery and for the power of ordination and iurisdiction which themselues had in those seuerall Churches and what authoritie each of them had their successors in the seuerall Churches had the same Neither haue our BB. at this day greater authority in menaging Church causes then Timothie and Titus and other the first Bishops had Who was to ordaine ministers in Creet and to gouerne that Church did not Paul commit these things to Titus without mentioning either of Presbytery or people are not all his precepts for ordination and Church-gouernment directed onely to Titus for Creet to Timothie for Ephesus and doth not this euidently shew that howsoeuer they might vse either the presence and consent of the people or the Counsell and aduise of the Presbyters in causes of greatest moment as Princes also doe in common-wealthes yet the sway of the Ecclesiasticall gouernment was in them It is therefore most plaine that in the Epistles to Timothie and Titus it is presupposed that they had Episcopall authority and that the rules and directions giuen to them are precedents for Bishops and patternes vnto them for the exercise of their Episcopall function And this I proue againe in my Sermon by another argument which the refuter hath framed thus Those things which were written to informe not Timothie and Titus alone as extraordinarie persons but them and their successors to the end of the world were written to informe Diocesan Bishops But those Epistles were written to informe not Timothie and Titus alone as extraordinarie persons but them and their successors to the end of the world Therefore they were written to informe Diocesan BB. The assumption for with that the refuter beginneth I proued by testimony and by reason And first by the testimony of Paul straightly charging Timothie that the commandements and directions which he gaue him should be kept inuiolable vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ therfore by such as should haue the like authority to the end Hereof Caluin saith thus nomine mandati significat quae hactenus de officio Timothie disseruit Vnder the name of the commandement he signifieth those things whereof hitherto he had discoursed concerning the office of Timothie And againe omnino ceriè ad ministerium Timothie refero I doe wholy referre it to the ministerie of Timothie For Paul wrot to this end to giue direction to Timothie how he should behaue himselfe in the Church which is the house of the liuing God Which directions he chargeth him Chap. 6. to obserue inuiolable vntill the comming of Christ which could not be performed in the person of Timothie who was not to continue to the end but in a succession of them who should haue the like authority vntill the end T. C. and other Disciplinarians hauing fancied that the Apostles had giuen direction in that Epistle for onely-gouerning Elders hereupon conclude that they are to be continued vntill the comming of Christ So that they can conclude vpon that charge the continuance of an office not once mentioned in that Epistle but they cannot or will not see how the continuance of that office which Timothie did beare for the execution whereof all these directions are giuen is concluded vpon the same ground The second testimonie was of Ambrose writing on those vvords of Paul saying that Paul is so circumspect not because he doubted of Timothie his care but in regard of his successors that they after the example of Timothie might continue the well ordering of the Church The reason whereby I proued that Paul giueth direction not to Timothie and Titus onely as to extraordinary persons but to them and their successors vntill the end of the world was because the authority which was committed to them for the execution whereof the Apostle giueth his directions is perpetually necessary without the which the Church neither can be gouerned as without iurisdiction neither yet continued as without ordination therefore not peculiar to extraordinary persons but by an ordinary deriuation to be continued in those who are the successors of Timothie and Titus The effect of the refuters answere is that he could be content to graunt this assumption were it not that he is resolued to deny the conclusion which followeth thereupon For first hee granteth Pauls purpose to instruct those that should succeed Timothie and Titus in the authoritie which they had but not in their office And that this authoritie was not nor was to be in the hands of any one particular man but the right of it was in the whole congregation the execution in the Presbytery So that the power of ordination and iurisdiction might be continued without Bishops c. It is sufficient for the truth of the assumption which the refuter granteth that what Paul did write to Timothie Titus he wrote not to
Alexandrinus and Eusebius Finally that the Apostles committed the Church which is in euery place to Bishops whom they ordayned leauing them their successours testified by Irenaeus and Tertullian who saith that as Smyrna had Polycarpe from S. Iohn and Rome Clement by the appointment of Peter so the rest of the Churches can shew quos ab Apostolis in Episcopatum constitutos Apostoliâ—i seminis traduces habent what Bishops they haue ordayned by the Apostles the deriuers of the Apostolicall seed To all this he hath nothing to answere but that which heretofore hath beene fully refuted that these Bishops were but ordinary Pastors of particular congregations c. saâ—ing that he taketh also exception against their assertion who said that Bishops be the successors of the Apostles But not onely Irenaeus and Tertullian haue auouched so much but diuers others of the Fathers as Cyprian Ierome and Augustine Cyprian saith praepositi that is Bishops Apostolis vicaria ordinatione succedunt succeed the Apostles as being ordained in their steed And Ierome saith omnes Episcopi Apostolorum successores sunt all Bishops are the successors of the Apostles And againe he saith Episcopâ—s Apostolis succedere And Theodoret calleth the gouernment of Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And likewise Basill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the presidency of Apostles who haue deliuered to Bishops as Irenaeus saith their owne place of gouernment in the seuerall Churches And this is that which both Ierome and Augustine expounding those words of the 45. Psalme pro patribus nati tibi sunt filij haue deliuered that insteed of the Apostles Bishops were ordayned gouernours of the Church in all parts of the world Which point is duely to be considered For hereby it is manifest that the Bishops haue receiued and deriued their authority from the Apostles whose successors they are not onely in respect of doctrine as all other true ministers but also in the gouernment of the seuerall Churches And when the Disciplinarians can shew the like warrant for their Presbyteryes especially of lay-Lay-elders or our refuter and his good friends the Brownists for the cheife authority of the people we will harken to them Once it is euident that Christ committed the authority and gouernment of his Church to his Apostles who were to deriue the same to others Wherefore who haue any ordinary right they haue receiued the same from the Apostles So Timothie and Titus receiued their authority from Paul Linus from Peter and Paul Policarpus from Iohn c. And all other the first Bishops from the Apostles from whom by a perpetuall succession it hath beene deriued to the Bishops which are at this day But where is any euidence of the like deriuation from the Apostles of authority to the people of Lay-elders I know not Thus haue I made good my former proofes that the Episcopall function is of Apostolicall institution The V. CHAPTER Answering the allegations out of Ierome Serm. Sect. 11. pag. 87. Against all this that hath beene said to proue that the Episcopall function is of Apostolicall institution the authoritie of Ierome is obiected c. to page 89. AGainst the testimonies of men saith the refuter what is fitter to be obiected then the authority of such a man as of set purpose disputing the question determineth the contrary to that which was so commonly anouched Which speech if it be duely examined iust exception may be taken against euery branch thereof For first hee would insinuate that nothing hath beene brought to iustifie the calling of Bishops besides the testimonies of men when besides the testimonies of men I haue brought good euidence of sound reason and besides that better proofe out of the scriptures to warrant the Episcopall function then euer was or will be brought for the Presbyterian discipline Againe it were fitter and to better purpose against the testimonies of men if I had produced no other proofe to haue brought either testimonies of scripture or sound reasons or for want of them the testimonie of so many and so approued authors to counterpoise the weight of their authorities who haue beene alledged on the contrary part But scriptures failing reasons wanting testimonies of other Fathers being to seeke Ierome alone must be faine to beare the whole burden of this cause For though some latter writers may be alledged to the like purpose yet all is but Ierome Whose not onely iudgement they follow but reteyne his words Neither doth Ierome so oft dispute this question or determine the contrary as the refuter in his shallow conceipt imagineth Or if any wheres he doth determine the contrary against that which was commonly auouched both by himselfe and others his determination deliuered in heat of disputation ought not to be of so great weight as what he hath deliuered not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heat of contention but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dogmatically or historically For Ierome was but a Presbyter and there were two things in his time which might prouoke him by way of contention to say more in the behalfe of his degree then doth exactly agree with the truth The one was that the Bishops of those times did too much depresse the Presbyters For they might not onely in their presence not preach nor baptize nor administer the Communion but also in some places they might not preach at all nor any where baptize vnlesse they fetched their Chrisme from the Bishop against which practises of the Bishops Ierome in some places of his works doth inueigh But that which troubled him most was that the Deacons in his time especially at Rome because they had more wealth as the fashion of the world is thought themselues better men then the Presbyters For the confutation of whom he seeketh to aduance the Presbyters aboue the Deacons as much as he can and may seeme to match them more then truth would permit with the Bishops For which the onely ground which he hath is this because the name Bishop and Presbyter were for a while in the Apostles times confounded Which God knoweth is a weak ground and easily out of his owne writings ouerturned But let vs examine the particulars First it is alledged out of Ierome that vntill factions did arise in the Church some saying I am of Paul I am of Apollo c. the Churches were gouerned by the common counsell of the Presbyters but when they began to draw Disciples after them namely such as themselues had baptised it was agreed in the whole world that one being chosen from among the Presbyters should be set ouer the rest to whom the whole care of the Church should belong and that the seede of schismes might be taken away Whereunto I answered first that this speech in respect of the Church of Ierusalem is vntrue which was first gouerned by the Apostles in common and after committed to Iames in particular before we read of any Presbyters
authority and consent of the Apostles This generall decree was made in the Apostles times Therefore not without their authority and consent The assumption I proue thus This generall decree in the whole world was made either in the Apostles times or neare their times But not neare their times for there could no such generall decree be made without a generall Councill And there was no generall councill before the councill of Nice before which councill there were not onely Diocesan and Metropolitane Bishops but also Patriarches The Refuter answereth that Ieromes words deceiue mee For though Ierome saith it was decreed yet he doth not meane that it was decreed but that it came from custome and that paulatim by little and little The Refuters answere therefore maketh Ierome to contradict himselfe whose speeches notwithstanding are thus reconciled For that which hee there calleth custome in another place hee termeth an Apostolicall tradition and the Apostolicall tradition is that vniuersall decree which hee speaketh of And vvhere Ierome saith by little and little that the rootes of discension might be plucked vp the whole care was committed to one that is to be vnderstood thus that although it were agreed vpon at once and decreed to be put in practise in the vvhole vvorld yet it vvas not practised at once in the whole world but first in one Church as at Ierusalem after in Antioch then in Rome after in Alexandria in all which Churches not onely the first Bishops were ordayned in the Apostles times but their successours also and that by the testimonie of Ierome himselfe as followeth in the next proofe For hauing thus shewed in generall both the time and place out of Ierome when and where Bishops were ordayned that is to say in the Apostles times in the whole world and consequently that they were ordayned by the Apostles in the next place I declare more particularly out of Ierome that by the Apostles Bishops were first ordayned noting also the persons whom and the places where and the time when they ordayned Bishops Doth not Ierome plainely testifie that Iames was by the Apostles ordayned Bishop of Ierusalem before their departure thence that when hee had gouerned that Church 30. yeares Simon his brother or kinsman succeeded him in the Bishopricke who liuing vntill he was 120. yeares old was crucified vnder Traiane Doth not he witnesse that Ignatius was the third Bishop of Antioch in the Apostles times that Marke was the first Bishop of Alexandria and that he dying at Alexandria in the eight of Nero that is foure or fiue yeares before the death of Peter and Paul Anianus succâ—eded him Doth he not say that Clâ—mens was the fourth Bishop of Rome after Peter For saith he Linus was the second Anacletus the third all in the Apostles times Doth hee not expresly testifie that Polycarpus was S. Iohns Disciple and by him ordayned Bishop of Smyrna and is it not testified in the same Catalogue that Timothie was of blessed Paul ordayned B. of the Ephesians and that Titus was B. of Creet Hereunto the Refuter maketh an answere like himselfe that hee hath often told me that Iames Marke and Timothie neither were nor might be Bishops And I haue often tolde him of his poore shifts whereof this is one For the question being here not whether these men simply were Bishops or not but whether Ierome saith so or no I hauing alledged plaine testimonies of Ierome auerring that they were Bishops he in steed of maintayning his assertion which was that Ierome testifieth Bishops not to haue beene ordayned vntill after the Apostles times giueth Ierome the lye but answereth not to the point For if Ierome testifie that these men were Bishops in the Apostles times how is not he ashamed to say that in Ieromes opinion there were no Bishops in the Apostles times And where he saith that Polycarpe and the like no doubt would say of Linus and Clemens and Ignatius c. was the ordinarie Pastor of that one congregation at Smyrna and no Diocesan Bishop which euasion I haue heretofore auoided I desire this answere may be compared with the next which he maketh concerning the end The end saith Ierome was to auoid Schisme and acknowledgeth that for the same end they are to be retayned professing that the safety of the Church dependeth vpon the dignitie of the Bishop to whom if a peerelesse power and eminent aboue all be not yeelded there would be as many Schismes in the Churches as Priests The Refuter answereth that some say the remedy was almost worse then the disease But first what is this to the purpose that the Refuter had rather there should be a Schisme in euery Parish then a Bishop of the Diocese it was Ieromes iudgement that I opposed to their allegation out of Ierome And if Ierome testifie that in the Apostles times Bishops vvere ordayned to auoyd Schisme and that this was a necessarie remedie insomuch that he doubteth not to say that the safety of the Church dependeth vpon it it was as much as in this place either I intended or could by the aduersarie be required Secondly where Ierome saith that Bishops were ordayned for auoyding of Schisme hee meaneth such Schisme as the Presbyters vvhom hee calleth Sacerdotes Priests would make if there were not one in euery Church set ouer them to vvhom the care of that vvhole Church should belong Novv applie the Refuters answere concerning Polycarpus which is his ordinarie answere that the first BB. were but ordinarie Pastors of one congregation such as wee call Rectors or Pastors of seuerall parishes Were such ordained to auoide schisme among priests or were not such the priests whose schisme was to be auoided by setting one B. in euery diocese ouer them or could the refuter thinke that the ordaining of such ordinarie pastors was a remedie worse then the disease is it not therefore cleare that the Bishops whom Ierome acknowledgeth to haue beene in the Apostles times were not ordinarie Pastors of seuerall congregations or parishes equall to other Presbyters but one in euery diocese set in a superiour degree aboue the rest to preserue them in vnitie and to keepe them from schisme Thirdly where to the iudgement of Ierome he opposeth the testimonie of others who say the remedie was almost worse then the disease because this superioritie of BB. did breed the Papacy this sheweth that great and sound Dâ—uines sometimes let fall especiallie when they write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnsound speeches grounded on weake proofes For how is it prouâ—â— that the superioritie of Bishops did breed the supremacie of the Pope Because as at the first one Presbyter was before the rest and made a Bishop so afterwards one B. was preferred aboue the rest so this custome bred the Pope and his Monarchy By which reason all superioritie should be condemned as the originall of the Popes supremacie For might not a man
q Act. 18. r Actionâ— s Iuâ— graecevom pag. 90. §. 12. That some of the seuen Churches were mother Cities t Plin. l. 5. c. 29 et 30. u Actio 6. x Iur. gracorom pag. 90. y Actio 3. z Iur. graecoraÌ„ 88. a Page 90. b page 94. c page 100. Ad pag. 54. Mat. 13.53 Act. 20 1â—.31 Iohn 10. Acts 1â— 10 Ad. Pag. 5◠§. 4. c Alasco §. 6. Ad pag. 59. § 7. Act. 20.28 Ioh. 10.16 Act. 20.28 Mat. 1.21 Sup. cap. 1. Ad pag. 60. Ad page â—◠§. 2. His consequence denied § 3. The Church of each citie not one parishionall congregation onlâ— He should haue added and the towns about Ad. Pag. 62. T. C. H.I. § 4. Of the number of Christians in one Citie Ad pag. 63. Act. 2.41 Act 4 4. Act. 6.1.7 2. Tim. 1.15 §. 5. Pag. 57. 63. Whether all in Asia made an apostasie from the faith in Pauls time 2. Tim. 4.16 Chrys. in 2. Tim. 1. hom 3. §. 6. Of the number of Christians at Ierusalem Ad pag. 64. §. 7. He retorteth my argumeÌ„t Act. â— 1 Rom. 9.10.11 After which time the BB of Ierusalem were of the Gentiles who till then had beene of the circumcision § 8. The church of Ierusalem not parishionall Conc. Nic. c. 7. Act. 1.5 §. 9. My Instance from the City of Rome Ennead 7. l. 4. De vitiâ— R. poÌ„tif in Euaristo De vitis poÌ„tif Will. Harison Prebendary of Windsore §. 10. Ad. Pag. 65. Iust. Marâ— Apolog 2. §. 11. Plat. de vit pontif in Dionysio Presbyteris ecclesiâ— et coemiteria in vrbe Roma statim diuisit Dionys. epist. ad SeueriÌ„ De episcopat et titul c. §. 12. The testimony of Cornelius Euseb. l. 6. c. 43 The testimony of Tertullian Tertul. apol c. 37. Ad Scapulam § 13 The time and place De origin templor c. 6. Lib. 5. de inuent c. 6. De orig errâ—rum lib. 1. c. 21. Ad pag. 66. The Refuters first argumeÌ„t § 2. Whether the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch were each of them but a parish Page 60. § 3. Whether the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Antioch were each but one congregation His proofe out of Scripture In respect of Antioch hee might haue said 45. Corinth was situated in Isthmo betweene two seas hauing on either side a port the one Cenchreae seruing more properly for Asia the other Lechaeum seruing for Italie and other parts of Europe Strab. l. 8. Ad pag. 67. § 4. His testimonies out of humane writings a Ignat. ad Eph. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Epist. ad Magnes d Igna. ad Ro. e Ad Rom. f Pâ—rk problem g Euseb. l. 3. c. 35.36 Tindal pag. 250. D. Fulk in Eph. 5. â— 2. Ad pag. 68. Tindal pag. 135.250 Vid. infr lib. 4. c. 7. § 9. § 5. His second rancke of instances Ignat. ad Magnes Ad Philadelph Ignat. ad Magnes Ad Philadelph Ignat. ad Sâ—yrn Tertull. apolog c. 39. Eusebius Eus. l. 3. c. 11. § 6. The Refuter obiecteth that we haue no diocesan because we haue two prouinciall Churches Ad page 69. C. Antioch c. 10. The councell of Sardica calleth the metropolitan the gouernor of the prouince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 7. Of Metropolitanes when they began In Conc. Constant 1. c. 2. Conc. Nic. c. 6. De gradib c. 24. De. grad c. 20. Euseb. l. 5. c. 23 Ex Balsam in Conc. Ephes. c 8. exemplar suggest de Cypri Episcopis ex Decreto Conc. Ephes. post aduentum Episcoporum Cypri Can. Apost 35. Conc. Nâ—c c. 5.6 Constant. 1. c. 2 Trodus Sabinus Epiphanius qui ante Illos sanctissimi Episcopi quia sanctis Apostolis erant omnes orthodoxi ab his qui in Cypro Constituti sunt § 8. Metropolitan Churches are proofs rather then disproofs of Diocesan Ad page 70. §. 2. This third point deduced from the second Lib. 1. cap. 2. §. 16. Ad pag. 71. §. 3. The analysis of this section and that which followeth Ad pag. 72. 73. Tit. 1.12 That the Bishops had the charge of all the parishes in the city after they were diuided or set out Ad page 74. a By T. C. pa. nusquam Euse. l. 2. c. 15 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d Euse. l. 5. c. 9 e Lib. 5. c. 2â— f Lib. 6. c. 1. g Lib. 6. c. 35. h Socra l. 2. c. 6 i Euseb. l 9. c. 6 k Ruf. l. 1. c. 19 l Socr. l. 4 c. 13. m Epiphan haeres 69. n Epist. ad Râ— o Eus. l. 5. c. 23 p Theo. l. 5. c. 4. q Li 4. c. 11. r Socr. l. 2 c 18 s Soc. l. 7. c. 3. t Euseb. l. 3. c 4 u Lib. 4. c. 21. * Theodor. in 1. Tim. 3. x in 1. Tim. 5.19 y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad pag. 75. The refuters answere to these testimonies a Hâ—mil 1. in Tit. b De script ecâ—les in Titâ— c Praefat. in 1. ad Tim. d Epist. ad Ioâ—n Hieros apud Hieronyâ— â— 2. e Lib. 2. couâ—r Parâ—en f Euseb. in vita Const. Theod. l. 1. c. 19 g In epist. ad Leon. M. h Ex Cont. Ephesin Et Asrit c. §. 6. That the B. had the charge of the parishes in the country §. 7. That the B. of the city assigned seuerall Presbyters to the countrie parishes Ad pag. 77. a Page 57. Theod. l. 2. c. 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Balsans c. 54. graec §. 8. The refuters instances of parish Bishops answered h Eus. l. 5 c. 16. i An. 205.27 k Euseb. l. 5. c. 18. l Lib. 4. c. 25. m 1. Pet. 5.1 n T.C. l. 2. pag. 519. o L. 5. c. 4. Apud Hier. tom 1. Fortè BaieÌ„sit Conc. Carth. graec c. 54. et 57. et 101. Afric c. 20. et 23. et 65. Leo epist. 87. ad Episcopos Afric c. 2. Socrat. l. 4. c. 26. Iur. graecorom in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag 88. Greg. epist. 42. et 65 Caes. Baron an 366. num 10. § 9. Why the heathen are called Pagani Master Hooker is of the same iudgement l. 5. Pagani quasi ex eodem fonte bibâ—ntes De Corona militis §. 10. Ad. Pag. 78. BB. both before after the diuision of Parishes were diocesans Can. Apost 34. Conc. Antioch c. 9. C. 35. C. Antioch c. 22. §. 11. Of the Canons called the Apostles * As the last of all which leaueth out the Apocalypse and reckoneth Clements Epistles and Constitutions as canonicall For the CouÌ„cell in Trullo which receiueth the 85 Canons notwithstanding reiecteth Clements constitutions a de orthod fid l. 4. c. 18. in fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b vid gloss c Praefat. in coÌ„ cil vid. dist 16. c. 4. d Conc. Const. in Trullo c. 2. e Tilius his Edition being here defectiue is out of the manuscript copies thus to be supplied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f Ex Conc. Nic. c. 15
question which wee haue in hand concerning parish Bishops For surely if there were any parishionall Bishops in the Countrey then the Countrey Bishops were such but they were not such for they were set ouer diuers parishes Againe if the Chorepiscopi were subiect to the Bishop of the Citie and the Countrey whereof they were Bishops was part of the diocesse belonging to the Bishop of the Citie then much more the Presbyters of parishes who were inferiour and in some things subiect to the Chorepiscopi as the Bishops substitutes were subiect to the Bishop and their parishes being but a part of the Country whereof the Chorepiscopi were called Bishops were but a part of the diocesse So farre were either the parish Presbyters from being Bishops or their parishes from being entire Churches endued with the power of ecclesiasticall gouernement But the former is true as hath beene proued therefore the latter That the Chorepiscopi were superiour to them it is apparant because not onely they had some iurisdiction ouer diuers parishes but for a time had episcopall ordination and had authoritie to ordaine Subdeacons and to place Readers in parishes as also they might send Formatas or Canonicall Epistles which the Presbyters might not doe Likewise when Bishops were at any time conuerted from heresie though they were not permitted to be Bishops of the City yet they were gratified with the name and authoritie of Chorepiscopi In the time of Theodosius and Valentinian a certaine Bishop had beene ordained by two Bishops only but this ordination the Councell of Rhegium pronounced void and censured the ordainers As for the partie ordained because hee had of himselfe renounced the Bishopricke they thought good to follow the example of the Councell of Nice and to gratifie him with the name and title of a Chorepiscopus but so as that hee should not ordaine nor exercise any other episcopall function but only confirme Nouices and consecrate Virgins and in all things behaue himselfe as inferiour to a Bishop and as superiour to a Presbyter And this was my second argument whereby I haue prooued that Countrey parishes had no Bishops Neither had each of them a Presbyterie but seuerall Presbyters assigned to them as sufficient for such a charge as was determined by the Councell of Sardica and by the iudgement of Leo Yea not Presbyters only did seuerallie gouerne parishes as with vs but sometimes Deacons also were by themselues set ouer charges You heard before diuers testimonies of the Presbyters of parishes as namely that of the Councel of Carthage Presbyter qui Paroeciae praest c. the Presbyter which gouerneth the parish The like is presupposed of Deacons in the Councell of Eliberis which is supposed to be as ancient as the Councell of Nice If any Deacon ruling a people shall without a Bishop or Presbyter baptize any c. Againe if parishes besides their Presbyter or Pastor had a presbytery then was it either of the Ministery or of the Laitie But Presbyteries of Ministers were only in Cities and Cathedrall Churches and not any examples can bee alleged of Presbyteries in the Country no not to assist the Chorepiscopi much lesse to assist the Presbyters of parishes and Presbyteries of Lay men were neuer heard of till this last age Therefore the seuerall parishes had not Presbyteries Moreouer Churches endued with power ecclesiasticall sufficient for the gouernment of themselues hauing also a Bishop and Presbyterie had the power of ordination as themselues also teach But Countrey parishes had not the power of ordination Therefore Countrey parishes were not indued with power ecclesiasticall neither had they a Bishop or Presbyterie of their owne For the Assumption let the Refuter consider with mee what course was taken in Countrey parishes when their Minister was departed Among themselues they had ordinarily none or if by chance they had they could not ordaine him but were as sometimes it happened in Cities to offer him to the Bishop to be ordained Vniuersities they had none from whence to fetch a learned Minister out of other dioceses they were not to bee supplied vnlesse first it did appeare that their owne Bishop was not able out of his Clergie to furnish them To the Bishop of the Citie therefore they did resort who out of the Clergie belonging to the Cathedrall Church wherein as the Nurserie of the diocesse diuers were brought vp in the studie of diuinitie did supply their want assigning some one of his Clergie vnto them But if there were none fit as sometimes their store was drawne drie by supplying the wants of many they might not ordaine a Minister of another diocesse whom they called another Bishops Clerke without his leaue and dimissorie letters for that in the Canons was condemned as a great wrong and such ordinations were to be disanulled If therefore the Bishop neither had of his owne nor knew not readily where to be supplied out of a neighbour diocesse with the consent of his neighbour Bishop he sent to the Metropolitan who either out of his owne Clergie or some other in the Prouince was to supplie them And this as it is euident to them who haue read any thing concerning the state of the ancient Churches so is it confessed by Caluin Each City saith he had a College of Presbyters who were Pastors and Teachers for both did they all discharge the office of teaching c. to the people and also that they might leaue seede behinde them they were diligently imploied in instructing the younger sort of the Clergie To euery Citie a certaine region was attributed which should receiue their Ministers from thence and be accounted of the body of that Church It is therefore euident that Countrey parishes had not each of them a Bishop and Presbyterie nor that power of ecclesiasticall gouernment which they talke of And much lesse had the parishes in the Cities For it was neuer almost heard of that there were at any time more Bishops so properly called then one in a City where notwithstanding were many Presbyters when schisme or heresie was not the cause of setting vp a second or third against the one only lawfull Bishop excepting that in the same Church sometimes a second either hath beene permitted the title of a Bishop without episcopall authoritie or else ordained as a coadiutor to the first And when there haue beene more then one by schisme or heresie yet neither the orthodoxall and Catholike Bishop nor yet the schismaticall or hereticall Bishop was a parishionall Bishop but each of them was Bishop of all that were of the same faith with them in the Citie and Countrey adioining there hauing beene diuers times in the Cities onely more parishes then one not onely of the true Christians but also of the heretikes and schismatickes as before was noted concerning Antioch I shall haue occasion to speake more of this point when I shall intreat of the singularitie of preheminence which
question seeing it is confessed that Nazianzens father was B. of that diocesse These bee all the instances which T.C. bringeth in this cause excepting one more out of the canon law which our refuter thought not worth the obiecting But his inference hereupon is worth the obseruing Al this M.D. could not choose but know if he had read but somuch as M. Cartw. 2. reply with as good a mind as hee did D. Bilson Whereto I answere that I read with resolution to yeeld to the trueth whersoeuer I find it But God hath giuen me so much iudgment as not to be perswaded by meere colours such as I signified in my preface T. C. arguments in this cause to bee and such as in this treatise I haue prooued many of them to bee and so will the rest if the Refuter shall vrge them or take vpon him to maintaine them Hauing so substantially answered the substance of my argument hee taketh occasion to shewe his learning in giuing a more learned reason why the heathen are of Christians called Pagani then I did I said and I am sure haue read it in some learned author that they are so called because the people who liued in the country villages which are properly called pagani a pag◠and that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Pomp. Festus saith quia eadem aqua vterentur remained for the most part heathenish after the cities for the most part were conuerted to Christianity Hee thinketh the heathen were called pagani because they are not Christs Souldiers induced so to thinke because Tertullian saith Apud hunc tam miles est paganus fidelis quam paganus est miles infidelis Which hee englisheth thus as well a faithfull Souldier as an vnbeleeuing souldier is a pagan Which if it were Tertullians meaning as well Christians as infidels should be called Paganes But Tertullian is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 darke and writeth as it seemeth aboue some mens capacity With Christ saith Tertullian as well a belieuing pagan is a souldier as an vnbeleeuing souldier is a pagan meaning by Pagan according to the vse of the Romanes him that is not a Souldier Whereas therefore among the Romanes and all warlike nations those who were Souldiers were greately honoured as the vse of the word miles and armiger with vs doth shew and contrariwise those who were not Souldiers were of base esteeme called Pagani perhaps in some such sense as Villani with vs that is to say villaines clownes boores Tertullian disswading Christians from going to warre vnder infidels perswadeth thē not to be moued with this respect of being honoured if they be souldiers and dishonoured if they be not for saith he with Christ a faithfull man though despised in the world as a pagan is highly esteemed and honoured and also an vnfaithfull man though honoured as a souldier or cheuallier in the world is of base account with Christ. But how heathē people should from hence be called Pagani I know not vnlesse christians were also called milites or cheualliers for Pagani here as a base terme signifying villains or clownes or boores is opposed to milites as a name of honour Serm. sect 4. pag. 25. Thus then parishes were distinguished both in the cities countries and seueral presbyters particularly assigned c. to promiscuously pag. 26. In this section I proue that the BB. both before after the diuision of parishes were diocesan and first I answere an obiection for wheras some might imagine that Bishops before the diuision of parishes were parishional after diocesan as being set ouer many churches I shew which before hath bene proued that the circuit of the Bishops charge or diocesse was the same before the diuision of parishes which it was after c. And to this purpose I declare that the circuit of the B. charge from the beginning contained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning thereby the City whence he hath his denomination and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the country subiect vnto it And wheras some vnderstand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie a parish according to the vulgar vse of the English word I shewed that in the best authors euen after the diuision of parishes it signifieth the whole city with the suburbs My reason standeth thus To whose iurisdiction both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the city suburbs though containing manie parishes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the whole country belonging to the same citie is subiect he is ouer the Churches both in citie and country and consequently a diocesan But to the iurisdiction of the antient Bishoppes both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the citie and suburbs and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the country thereto belonging were subiect Therefore the antient BB. were ouer the Churches both in the citie and country and consequently were diocesans The proposition is of vndeniable truth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being so vnderstood as I prooued before The assumption J proue by two most pregnant testimonies the one being one of the ancient canōs called the Apostles the other a canon of the councell of Antioch whereof I haue also spoken before But to them we may adde the next canon called the Apostles which is also recited in the councell of Antioch That a Bishoppe may not presume out of his owne limits to exercise ordinations to Cities and Countries not subiect to him And if he shall be conuinced to haue done this without the consent of them who hold those Cities or Countries let him be deposed and those also whom he hath ordained This syllogisme being too strong to be refuted his best course was not to see it Notwithstanding he cauilleth with some points therein For whereas his chiefe proofe before was that the Church of Antioch of Ephesus of Ierusalem of Alexandria c. were each of them but one particular congregation c. because Eusebius calleth each of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereby abusing the Reader as if Eusebius had by that name ment that which we cal a parish here he disauoweth the authority of Eusebius alledged according to his true meaning vnlesse he had said it was of that signification in the end of the Apostles time and the age following Which is a silly shift seeing Eusebius speaking of the Churches of whole Cities in the first two hundred yeeres euen of such as he had expressly mentioned as containing many Churches he calleth them by that name As at Alexandria he acknowledged the Churches to haue beene instituted by Saint Marke and yet he comprehendeth them all afterwards yea after the number of them was increased vnder the name of the paroecia in Alexandria as I haue shewed before And where besides Eusebius I quote Epiphanius and the Councell of Antioch he saith It is to no purpose to cloy the Reader with multitude of allegations concerning the decrees or practises of latter ages Which also is a very friuolous exception seeing it is easie
to shew that the dioceses or circuits of Churches were vsually lessened but that they were any wheres inlarged he will hardly shew Therefore looke what the circuits of the Churches or Bishops charges were in Eusebius or Epiphanius his time the same at the least they were in the first two hundred yeeres And whereas I alleage one of the antient canons called the Apostles nor that I thinke they were of the Apostles owne penning but that for their antientnesse and authority they are so called and by all sorts of writers so alleaged he chargeth me with seeking to bleare mens eyes with the name of the Apostles Canons In that I said they were so called it doth sufficienttly both here and where after I cite them shew my meaning But let vs heare what he can say against them for my mind giueth me he will leaue them in better credit then hee found them If wee were so simple saith he as to take them for their doing yet should not a man of his profession so abuse our simplicity He knoweth there was a time when Rome her selfe saw too much in them to acknowledge them for the Apostles See Gratians decree dist 15. c. sancta Romana dist 16. cap. canones In both places it is said that they are apohryphall as we call the bookes of Ecclesiasticus and Wisdome not because they are either false or counterfet but because they are not acknowledged to be of the Apostles owne writing for if they were they ought to be esteemed of canonicall authority like the other scriptures Notwithstanding they are ecclesiasticall canons which for their great antiquity and authentike authority are commonly called Apostolicall receiued of antient Fathers and approoued by Councels And although some of them may be suspected as foisted in or depraued by heretikes yet those which are specially cited by Fathers and Councels as authentike are without exception being of as great credit as any other ecclesiasticall writings whatsoeuer Such is the canon wee speake of the words whereof which I cited being verbatim recited in the Councell of Antioch I will not discusse this controuersie wherein much may be said on both sides Only this J will say that as Damascen exceeded the truth in reckoning them with the canonicall scriptures so some learned and iudicious men haue been much ouerseene in too much censuring of them as first that they are condemned in the canon law when indeed the very scope of the 16. distinction is to authorize them and to acknowledge them though not as canonicall scriptures yet as authenticall canons Secondly that Isidor condemneth them Whereas indeed the words of Isidor in the true copy are these That by reason of their authority we prefixe before the other councels the canons called the Apostles although of some they are called apocryphal because the greater part receiue them and the holy fathers haue by synodall authority ratified them and placed them among canonicall constitutions Thirdly that they are condemned by the Councell in Trullo when as indeed that Councell reiecting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the constitutions of Clement which also were called Apostolicall because they were depraued by heretikes authorized the canons decreeing that the 85. canons shall remaine firme and sure which of their holy and blessed fore-fathers were receiued and confirmed and deliuered vnto them in the name of the holy and glorious Apostles And whereas some thinke that Epiphanius is the first that mentioneth them I finde it to bee otherwise For diuers of them are cited before his time being sometimes called absolutely the canons sometimes the ecclesiasticall canons sometimes the antient receiued canons of our Fathers sometimes Apostolicall canons as I haue partly noted before Neither is the authority of the generall Councell held at Ephesus though after Epiphanius his time to be neglected which calleth them the canons of the holy Apostles So much of those canons and also of this section which though it doe most directly and necessarily conclude that Bishops were set ouer dioceses yet he calleth it a needlesse discourse which because he knew not how to answere he taketh leaue to passe by it Serm. sect 5. pag. 26. These three points whereof hitherto I haue intreated are of such euident c. to page 28. line 6. In this section I conclude the three first points with the testimony of Caluin whom I produce not as this sophister cauilleth as a captiue by way of triumph but as one that taketh part with vs against our new sect of Disciplinarians especially in the second and third point which their dissenting from Caluin Beza and other learned Authors of discipline he alwaies cunningly dissembleth And that his authority may be of more weight as I confesse him to haue bin a worthy seruant of Christ whose memory with me is blessed so I professe him to haue bin the first or chiefe founder of the Presbyterian or Geneuian discipline in setting vp whereof the Bishopricke being dissolued and the common weale reduced to a popular State I acknowledge him to haue dealt very wisely his proiect of discipline being the best that that Citie did seeme at that time capable of there being no hope that either a Bishop or a Presbytery consisting wholly of Ministers would be admitted But he cannot indure to heare that Caluin should bee esteemed the first founder of this discipline For coÌ„futation whereof he telleth vs what we haue heard an hundred times but neuer shall see proued that this discipline was both practised in the Apostles times and primitiue Church and hath testimony from many learned men Ignatius Tertullian Cyprian Ambrose c. Wickliffe the Waldenses Luther and diuers others hereafter to be named that liued before Caluin writ hee should haue said that writ before Caluin liued and then not one word of all this goodly speech had been true which as I haue manifested already in respect of Ignatius Tertullian Cyprian Ambrose Luther so farre as they haue been alleaged so shall I in respect of Wickliffe and the Waldenses whoneuer once dreamed of their lay presbyteries and much lesse of their new-found parish discipline Neither can he abide that Caluin should be said to agree with vs in these three points but he must abide it for truth will preuaile But that were exceeding strange saith hee that he should ouerthrow that discipline which he was so carefull to establish Let him not abuse the Reader his agreeing with vs in the second and third point ouerthroweth the new-found parish discipline but agreeth with the doctrine of the learned Reformers and with the practise of Geneua vnderstanding by B. as they doe the President of their Presbytery their Church being a diocesse consisting of many parishes ouer which one Presbytery only is appointed Of which Presbytery if the President were perpetuall â—as he was in Caluins time and as alwaies he was in the primitiue Church there being not one instance to be giuen to the