diet with the rest of the Priests See 2 Kings 23.7 9. Agreeable to which is that charge in Ezek. 44.10 that those Priests who had ministred formerly to Israel before their idols should not come near to do the Office of a Priest unto the Lord nor come near to any of his Holy things in the most Holy place but only be Under-Ministers in the Sanctuary Those Priests therefore that officiated in Josiah's days had not formerly revolted in the days of Manasses Add to this that Manasses his times were not also destitute of Prophets sent from God to him and his people 2 Kings 21.10 By whom also Esaias is said by the Jewish Tradition to have suffered a most cruel death sawn asunder § 26 As for the times after Josiah before the destruction of Jeruvalem they were not very long not above twelve years to the first Captivity Again these times tho very corrupt yet after Josiah's purging of the Land not equalling the former Apostacy of Manasses therefore the Captivity chiefly charg'd on his Guilt In these times some of the Princes and Great men good as Ahikam Jer. 26.24 a powerful man under Josiah 2 Kin. 22.12 and Ebedmelech Jer. 30.39 by whom Jeremy was several times befriended Jer. ch 26 36. and Seraiah and Baruch Jer. 51.59 43.6 and Daniel with his three Companions Dan. 1.1 6. and Mordecai Esth 2.6 In these times too were many Prophets Vriah Jer. 26.21 Zephaniah and the Priests Jeremias and Ezechiel And in the same times where the Idolatrous Priests are rejected by the Lord so it is testified in ch 44. of Ezech. who began to prophesie some few years before the last Captivity Ezek. 1.2 of some others of the Priests that they persevered upright see ch 44.15 But the Priests the Levites the Sons of Zadock either of Zadock mention'd 1 Kin. 2.35 1 Chron. 6.8 or of Sadock mention'd 1 Chron. 6.12 Grandfather to Hilkiah the High Priest in Josiah's time that kept the charge of my Sanctuary when the Children of Israel went astray from me they shall come near to me to minister unto me c. Some Priests therefore there were through all those evil times whom God accepted and owned And for those others after Josiah's days who are so oft complain'd on tho some of them perhaps faln away to Idolatry yet are they chiefly accused as also the Kings for the wickedness of their Lives and neglect of their duty and for Covetousness and particularly for undertaking to foretell good things to a wicked people instead of exhorting them to repentance and lastly for persecuting the true Prophets who foretold bad things Jer. 23.26 27 28 29. Chapters This that the Church of God if always it had a being had not this being especially after the Mosaical Oeconomy without some Orthodox Clergy concurring to the Constitution thereof and administring holy things therein and was never a Flock without some Pastors § 27 3. I think it cannot be shew'd That the Judaical Clergy of those times was divided into two or more Sects unless it were in later times the division between the Pharisees and Sadducees and some others both professing the Observance of Moses his Law and the Worship of the God of Israel but only into two parts one falling away from and deserting Moses's Law and the God of Israel So that here the people could not be put to any doubt how numerous soever any part happen'd to be at some time in comparison of the other whom they were to obey and follow as their true Guides and Governors where one part openly renounc'd the God of Israel and his Laws But if any Division should have been amongst that Clergy which all adher'd to the God of Israel neither here could the people mistake their Guides for they were always to be guided by the major part of these especially if the High Priest also himself concurr'd and join'd with it And if you ask What if that which is now a Minor part amongst these Ecclesiastical Judges and is condemn'd by the rest in time happens to over-number the rest I answer That these two Parties shall always stand opposite to one another and Truth divide it self from error and the Innovators still either be cast out or also go out from the others who as Innovators also when they first are either cast out or do go out are easily discern'd by their paucity tho after wards such a defection may be that they may out-number the Catholicks themselves These two bodies then standing thus distinct Id est verum as Tertullian saith concerning discerning Heresies quodcunque primum id adulterum quod posterius That which is the former and was formerly also the more numerous is the lighter and it only or in any dissent the major part thereof is to be adher'd to and obey'd Of which matter see more below and Trial of Doctrines § 32. Sectaries are either always the fewer number or at lest the fewer at their going out and the former body of the Orthodox and Catholick Clergy never afterwards joining with them how numerous soever As for the Sadduces their Sect was as gross for their Tenents Mar. 12.24 27. so inconsiderable for number and none or no considerable party of the Sanedrim Thus then as in the Apostacy of some pant yet there never wanted a true and Catholick Clergy to guide the people so the people never wanted also a sufficient evidence to know what Clergy were their true Guides which Guides once found and known they were now to lay aside their own judgment and follow theirs § 28 4. Besides an Orthodox part of the Clergy to guide the people in those times of the Law God sent unto them from time to time other extraordinary Guides the Prophets see 2. Kin. 17.13 14. 2 Chron. 24.19 36.15 16. Jer. 25.4 35.14 15. Mat. 23.34 Their chief Judges and their Priests also being sometimes Prophets as Deborah Samuel David Jeremiah Ezechiel Zachariah 2 Chron. 24.20 and others Whos 's Misson from God was sufficiently testified to the people by God's giving the power of Miracles to some by fulfilling the. Predictions of others in matters of a speedy accomplishment that so in other things they might be credited God suffering none of their words to fall to the ground Deut. 18.22 Jer. 28.9 1. Sam. 3.19.20 God let none of his words fall to the ground and all Israel knew that Samuel was established to be a Prophet see 1 Kin. 17. Elijah's drought Jer. 28.16 16 17. Hananiah's dying the same year Such instances might be many And these extraordinary Directors and Instructers of the people were sent commonly in the most peccant times and to the more guilty Princes both of Judah and Israel So in Judah Shemaiah the Prophet was sent to Rehoboam 2 Chron. 12.5 To Jehoram by reason of his matching with Ahab's Daughter much more wicked than any of his Forefathers Eliah's Letter 2 Chron. 21.12 besides that in those wicked times of him and his Son
under several other Laws besides that of Nature written in every man's Conscience Rom. 2. 14 15. Laws and Rules of Worship reveal'd and deliver'd by God to Adam himself at first or to other Holy men even of the first times and many of these Laws the same with those after ward recorded by Moses So for the Church we find righteous Abel serving God in a way well pleasing to him and offering acceptable Sacrifice and an early type of our Saviour slain and martyr'd by the Nead of the Race of the Church's Persecutors out of envy to his sanctity Heb. 11.4 1 Joh. 3.12 Upon his death Seth raised in his stead a Father of the Holy Race Gen. 5.1 2 3. His Son Enos the first more eminent publick Preacher of Righteousness see 2 Pet. 2.5 In whose time it is said that people now began more publickly to call on the name of the Lord Gen. 4.26 Enoch the fifth from him a Prophet Jude 14. and in a most singular manner pious Gen. 5.24 Heb. 11.5 6. the eighth from Enos Noah again a famous Preacher of Righteousness 1 Pet. 3.19 2 Pet. 2.5 In whose times the Members of the Church are by a special name call'd the Sons of God Gen. 5.2 From him again we find the Church continued to Abraham a Prophet Gen. 20.7 Psal 105.15 In whose time also was Melchisedech the Priest of the most high God Gen. 14.18 And to Abraham we find a Promise made by God of the never-failing of his Seed i. e. of the Children of his Faith and Holy Religion i. e. of the Church So soon as this Spiritual Seed began to cease among the Jews then it being continued to him still among the Gentiles See Rom. 4.12 16.17 Gal. 3.7 c. Gal. 4. Joh. 8. 39.44 Luk. 19.9 § 5 This for the old Church Next for the old Laws Rules and Government under which it liv'd we find early mention of several of these long before Moses his committing them to record Of Holy Persons Priests Prophets Intercessors Gen. 14 18.-20.7 17. Exod. 19.22 24.5 Of Holy Times Gen. 2.3 Exod. 16.23 Of Holy Places Gen. 4.12 14 16 -28.17-35.1 12 6.-26.25 Ex. 3.5 Of Altars Gen. 8.20 which the Patriarchs built in such places where God appear'd to them Gen. 12 6.-26.25 Or where they made a longer abode Gen. 12 8.-13.4 18. Of Sacrifice Sacrifice of the firstlings and of the far Gen. 4.3 4. Burnt Offerings and Peace Offerings Gen. 8.20 Exod. 5 1.-10.25 The Birds in Sacrifice not divided Gen. 15.10 as it was afterward commanded in Lev. 1.17 Of clean and unclean Beasts Gen. 7.2 and of not eating the Blood Gen. 9.4 Of Purifyings Cleansings changing their Garments c. Gen. 2. Of Tythes paid to the Priest Gen. 14.20 Of making Vows Gen. 28.20 Of not matching with Unbelievers Gen. 6.2 comp 1. Of the Brother's raising of Seed to his Brother Gen. 38 8.comp Deut. 25.5 Thus then from the beginning God had a Church had Preachers and Priests and certain Rules of his due Worship 2. In these times it seems that the People for matter of Religion and God's Worship were cast wholly upon the Instructions and Doctrines Traditions and Dictates of their Guides for knowing their duty without any Written Records or Law of Natural Reason which these things transcended to examine these by and supposing that there should have happen'd to have been concerning any particular two contrary Traditions amongst these Teachers in all reason they ought to have follow'd the former and more universal Here also we may presume that these Fathers of the Church were then sufficiently assisted by God to deliver always to the People all truths necessary to their Salvation since they had no other Director to repair to § 6 2. To let these obscurer times pass and to come to those under the Law Written which was in all things a more express type of the Gospel Tho this Law seems much more punctually and methodically committed to Writing as to the Rule thereof than the Gospel is yet there was a Judg and certain Courts appointed for the Exposition thereof in difficult matters Which Office at first we find Moses who also had continual recourse to God in his Doubts to have executed for some time both for Religious and for Civil causes alone To whom saith the Text Exod. 18.16 the people when they had a matter came and he made them know the Statutes of God and his Laws Afterward to ease him of this great burthen especially as to ordinary Civil matters we find by Jethro's advice but also God's approbation other able men chosen out of the people and set over Tens Fifties Hundreds and Thousands to decide the easier matters but to bring the harder still to Moses Exod. 18.13 c. And he still alone to be for the People to God ward to bring the causes unto God teach them Ordinances and shew them the Work that they must do Exod. 18.19 20. Afterward yet more to ease him in these more difficult matters we find by God's appointment Seventy Elders chosen out of the former Officers and Judges more immediately to assist him which Seventy Elders to enable them for this higher employment had part of Moses his Spirit taken and put upon them which Spirit at the first shew'd wonderful effects in them and magnified them before the People as Christ the Prophet whom Moses resembled Deut. 18.15 his Spirit also did at first when it was deriv'd on the chief Evangelical Judges and Magistrates Act. 2. See Numb 11.14 16 c. § 7 Thus it was order'd in the Wilderness Again when the People should come to the Land of Rest here we find besides the Inferior Judges distributed in the Country Deut. 16.18 by God's command a standing Court established in that City where God setled his Sanctuary and Presence that they also might there consult him in their difficulties established I say for the Exposition of the Law in all matters too hard for the other and we find all persons oblig'd under pain of Death to stand to their Decisions See for this Deut. 17 8 c. If there arise a matter too hard for thee i. e. the inferior Country-Judges Deuter. 16.18 in judgment between Blood and Blood between Plea and Plea or between stroke and stroke or Leper and Leper what in these was permitted or prohibited excusable or punishable or in what manner punishable according to the Letter of the Law being matters of Controversie within thy Gates or as the Vulgar Judicum intra portas tuas videris verba variari thou shalt then arise and get thee up unto the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse And thou shalt come unto the Priests the Levites and unto the Judg that chief Secular Magistrate or his Substitute because the matters brought before this Court were sometimes relating to God's sometimes to the King's Laws Causes some Ecclesiastical some Civi that shall be in those days and they shall shew thee the sentence
Law taught to the people so much truth as was necessary to their Salvation till the coming of the Baptist and of our Saviour I press them not so far as that these taught no Errors And if they taught not the former Truths judg what a case the People were in who had no Copy of the Law themselves and also had such an Injunction in Deut. 17.18 upon pain of death for their presumption v. 12,13 to obey these Law-expounders § 15 But against what hath been said are urged several things considerable α First here is urged our Saviour's manifestly declaring elsewhere not only against the lives but doctrines of the Pharisees and warning the people or at least his disciples to be aware of these doctrines see Matt. 16.6 compared with 12. β declaring that they transgressed the commandements of God by their Tradition and that in vain they worshipped God teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Matt. 15.3.9 γ Again that they shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men or as S. Luke hath it c. 11. v. 52. that they had taken away the key of knowledg neither going in themselves nor suffering those that were entering to go in Matt. 23.13 δ That those whom they made Proselites they made them twofold more the chlldren of hell than themselves Matt. 23.15 ε And that they were blind leaders of the blind and that if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch Matt 15.14 ζ And what dangerous blind leaders they were we see when as they taught the people that Jesus was not the Messias and excommunicated his followers Jo. 9.34 and at last this highest Spiritual Court or Ecclesiastical Synod condemned this Saviour of the world to death for a Seducer a Blasphemer a destroyer of the Law and so also his Apostles after him η To which may be added Esai 8.20 where the Prophet directs the people immediately to the Law and Testimony To the Law and to the Testimony If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them All which seems inconsistible with Mat. 23.2 as it is interpreted § 16 I answer No. 1. Because tho it cannot be denied that some doctrine or doctrines of the Pharisees there were that were damnable and destructive of salvation such was that wherein they taught the people contrary to the evidence of the Law Jo. 5.39 45. c. that Jesus was not the Messias yet our Saviour and the Baptist and the twelve Disciples sent abroad in these taught the people contrary to them whom as we have said before the people were bound to believe and not them because now the Messias not the Sanedrim was the Supreme Judge upon which the Cardinal no enemy to the High Priests Supremacy is facile to grant that Non fuit necessarium ut Pontifices Judaeorum non possent errare quando Christus summus totius Ecclesiae Pontifex praesens aderat Ecclesiam per se administrabat which High Priest to guard the people from this pernicious Pharisee-doctrine sent forth not only twelve at one time but seventy Disciples at another and both with miracles to publish in all the coasts of Israel the coming and the Kingdom of the Messias that none might plead ignorance of his coming or be misled in these things by their former Masters denouncing the greatest woes to them who should reject Him or His. Matt. 10.14 15. 11.21 § 17 2. Because tho other doctrines of these Pharisees there were that were erroneous as several mis-interpretations of the Law and the preferring also the observance of several Traditions of their own before some greater things of the Law yet so as they taught the observance of both which doctrines also I know not how far they might be damnable to themselves who had light enough to have known the contrary had not corrupt affections ambition covetousness hypocrisy c. blinded their judgment yet these errors of theirs were not damnable i.e. such as would bring damnation to all those others who submitted to them because that inculpable ignorance in people that neither had nor were able to study the law themselves and their obedience yeilded in these things to none but their appointed Guides and Superiors excused so many of them at least as never had the opportunity from our Saviour or his Missions to learn the contrary Some of those particular Doctrines of the Pharisees in this kind which we find our Saviour to have taxed are these Their tenet Mark c. 7. v. 3. that eating with unwashen hands or in an unwashen dish or on an nuwashed Table c. which perhaps some unclean person or thing had used or touched defileth a man and their more scrupulously observing this and by their example inducing others to it than the much weightier matters of God's law see Matt. 23.23 Mark 7.21 That no work tho an act of mercy among the rest some say no medicinal cure except some things that seemed more necessary perhaps because of their profit the watering or the saving the life of their Beast Luk. 13.15 14.15 might be done on the Sabboth day That one who had vowed his goods or supernecessaries to God or to the Treasures of the Temple tho perhaps doing this on set purpose was upon this free from relieving his indigent parents therewith the Pharisees many of whom were Priests perhaps eying also herein their own profit or as others one who had made a folemn oath upon some offence taken never to relieve his Parents was obliged to keep such oath see Matt. 15.5 That in an assertory Oath the voluntary swearing of some Truth by some things more remotely sacred as by the Temple or Altar was not faulty or in promissory Oaths was not obligatory but the swearing by things of a higher sanctity and more nearly consecrated to Him as they conceived the Golden-inside of the Temple and the Sacrifice offered to God on the Altar to be this rendeed men accountable See Matt. 23.16 c. compared with Matt. 5.33 c. Such as these I say were the Pharisees erroneous Doctrines But provided that a subject of the Church was taught by the same Doctors all other necessary points of God's law and walked in them with sincerity tho in these he were deceived or also in his actions preferred some of these before greater duties yet not so far as by the Pharisees wicked example to omit those greater duties I doubt not but that such a disciple of theirs upon a general repentance for all unknown sins might attain Salvation § 18 3. Concerning these particular errors which our Saviour reprehended we know not whether several of them were not the Tenents only of some of the violenter and worser but a smaller part of that Sect and not of the whole chair of Moses In which chair some sate who were not Pharisees and some Pharisees also were good men and believers in Christ Jo. 12.42 amongst whom were Nicodemus and Joseph of
of a Negative Argument Tortus loca aliquot apponere debuit ubi Ecclesiae declaratio praecessit Which argument is this There is set down no such Declaration therefore there was no such An Argument of little strength always less here where so succinct a relation is made of so many hundred years and chiefly of the actions of the Kings not of the Church or Clergy But yet of whom may we think did Hezekiah and Josiah the Sons of such wicked Parents learn the Religion to which they reform'd the people but from some of the Clergy And is not this enough suppose it for a declaratio praecessit The King's power is more effective for a Reformation than the Priests because his Civil Sword awes men more than the Spiritual and therefore there King's part in it is more spoken of especially in a story written chiefly of the Kings except Jehoiada the Priest's Reformation when the King was a Child 2 Chron. 23. But the Kings without Priests in Church-matters may reform nothing because he is to learn from the Priests God's Law and what concerning it he is to reform The King may command also the Priest to do his duty according to this Law but then he must first learn from the Priest what is the Priest's duty according to that Law i. e. he may constrain in Spiritual matters any Priest to do what the Body of the Clergy and the Councils of the Church inform him that the Priest ought to do And he may not constrain in Spiritual matters any Priest to do what the said Clergy and Councils declare against The King may reestablish the Priests in their Office and exhort them to a faithful Administration thereof and yet it follows not that these formerly deserted or neglected this Office but only that they were formerly ejected from it and might for the future possibly neglect it and much less doth it follow that the King gave them any right to it or could justly deprive them of it § 39 This to the former Arguments and instances concerning the failing of the Church-Guides And so I have done with the Oeconomy of God's Church under the Law where to look back a little before I proceed farther to the times of the Gospel 1. I do not say That no Written Law can be plain enough for men to learn out of it without any authoriz'd Expositor thereof all Faith and Duty necessary to Salvation or for men to incur just Damnation in not yeilding Obedience to its Rules And therefore I do not say That an Expositor or Judg is absolutely necessary besides any such Law in this respect tho for many other respects he is as hath been shew'd before Neither do I affirm that if God giveth us not together with his Laws some external infallible Expositor of them he would be unjust or deficient in his Providence For the contrary of this appears in Heathenism where men having no external but fallible Guides yet having the Law of Nature and an internal Judg and Expositor thereof their own Conscience which in many of those Laws erreth not except in the most desperate and obdurate sinners and which whether they will or no within gives a right sentence against them are for offending against this Law justly condemn'd see Rom. 2.14 15. comp 12.2 Neither do I say that where God hath not appointed any one to seek the meaning of his Laws from anothers mouth there he may not caeteris paribus that is where he thinks his own abilities as great as other mens judg for himself and we ought to presume that where God hath set no such Directors over us there his Laws are delivered with clearness enough to be understood by our selves But 3ly This only I say That those to whom God in his overflowing goodness hath besides his Laws left also Guides and commanded them to obey these such cannot innocently withdraw their obedience from these Guides ought not to use their private judgment against these are safe if these Guides err in following them tho not the Guides safe in no better conducting them and that tho in some times these Guides to whom God referreth us for knowing his will may be much more corrupt than in others yet that these by God's care over his people can never so grosly erre as that their followers shall not receive from their doctrines all necessary knowledge for salvation and that this is sufficient to tie us always to their obedence 1. Because we cannot promise our selves this security in following our own private judgments which we have in following theirs for private men are not secure upon their own judgment from falling into fundamental errors as perhaps the Sadduces did in relinquishing the Moses-chair-men of their times 2ly Because if any mortal error should be supposed to have seazed upon these Supreme Governours on whom by his appointment all others depend it is to be hoped that God will never suffer it long but either change their opinions or the persons For in all extremities God sends speedy relief § 40 This being said from p. 4. of unfailing Guides and Judges for Spiritual matters in the times of the Law now we come to the times of the Gospel Where 1. Observe that if in these we prove an unfailing Church-authority to whose judgment and sentence we ought always to submit tho under the Law it were much otherwise and tho all that is said hitherto be cancelled yet this sufficiently serveth the intent of our Discourse namely to procure due obedience to the present Church-governours And indeed there want not many motives to perswade us that tho the law never had any such highly-priviledged Guides yet the Gospel hath and therefore that no arguments taken from the one can conclude any thing concerning the other Because the Gospel advanceth to a much higher perfection than the Law nay to the highest and is to have no further Testaments or Manifestations of God's will to succeed it as the Law and Old Testament was Deut. 18.15 18 19. Heb. 9.8 9 10. Because the Minister of this is not a Servant but the Master of the House himself the last Legislator the last Reformer and Consummator of all the my steries of Religion who came out of his Fathers bosom to reveal to men all his will and after him to come none other Heb. 1.2.9 10. 1 Jo. 17 18. Jo. 4.25 Because the Church under the Gospel hath a much nobler Priesthood founded in a Succession to this Son of God hath a far nobler Sacrifice a far nobler Unction of the Holy Ghost in the much more copious effusions thereof called Spiritus veritatis Jo. 14.17 and promised to lead them into all truth as well as holiness Jo. 16.13 A far more extended and stronger Tradition in the Gospel spread over all Nations and a far more numerous Sanedrim if I may so call the Churches Councils than the Law had and higher and clearer promises made to these of the Son of God the
sufficient ground of their rejection nor may such Heretical person be restor'd again to the Church's Communion upon his engaging to conceal his Heresie but upon his quitting and renouncing it Since then these Church-Guides have power to excommunicate Hereticks i. e. men for holding false Opinions in matters of Faith i. e. men for their dissent at least after some previous admonitions and reasons sufficient to convince or men for their obstinacy in dissent which obstinacy is not delible but by yeilding assent This I say infers that there is due to these Church-Guides an Obedience of Assent or else these Guides may excommunicate one for not-performing an Obedience which is not due See this more largely prosecuted in Oblig of Judgm § 4. And again consider 1 Tim. 4.11 6.3 5. where the Apostle writes thus to Timothy These things command and teach and if any man do teach otherwise and consenteth not to wholesome words c. from such withdraw thy self Lastly Because at least in Agendis in all those things which by these Ecclesiastical Judges are requir'd to be done we must either yeild the obedience of Assent or we can yeild none at all save that call'd Passive Obedience which is a submitting to the punishment appointed for disobedience for who can oblige to do a thing doth oblige us also to think it lawful to be done else we may never do it If then this Church-Authority may so far in Agendis determine to us what is lawful or unlawful as herein to exact assent from us to her Judgment why may it not in the like manner in Credendis determine to us what is true and false Or what reason can there be that this should be more unerring or more creditable in truths practical than speculative where both equally necessary § 46 These Scriptures already produc'd from § 41. do sufficiently shew an Authority in the Clergy under the Gospel to Judg Controversies and the Obedience due to their Sentence from the people But so also in a second place do all those Scriptures wherein we find the promises made to these Guides of a perpetual assistance to them by the Lord Jesus and by the Holy Ghost and of their never erring or failing in their Judgments Whereby we are render'd secure of their sufficient ability always in Judging and of our own safety in following it See Mat. 28.19 20. 18.20 compar'd with 17.18 Rev. 1.13 16. the perpetual assistance of our Saviour Joh. 14. 16 26. 16. 13. 1 Joh. 2.20 27. 1 Cor. 12.7 8. the perpetual assistance of the Holy Ghost Mat. 16.18 19. Luk. 1.16 1 Tim. 3.15 2 Tim. 2.19 compar'd with 16 17 20 Eph. 4.13 compar'd with 11. their indefectibility The particular contents of which Scriptures set down in the former Treatise § 31. I forbear here to repeat you may be pleased there to review them Upon the expressions of which Scriptures it is there noted 1. That these promises of not failing in Truth are made to the Church or to Christians not hypothetically only as some would have it if they shall not fail to do their duty but absolutely that there shall always continue a Church or a Christianity in being that shall not fail to hold the Truth and do their duty 2. That these promises are made absolutely not only to Christians taken in general some or other of them Sheep or Shepherds Laity or Clergy as some would have it but particularly to the Clergy the Pastors of these Sheep and the Guides of this Church 3. To these not of some of one Age those of the First or Third or Fourth or Second as some would limit but those of all Ages usque ad consummationem saculi § 47 4. To these i. e. not to some or other of them still whom we please to adhere to to some small number of inferior Clergy in some part or other of the world either dispers'd through several or united in one particular Church either departing from or ejected by all the rest of the Clergy of the same or of other Churches in which a few straglers would fain verifie our Saviour's promises when they pronounce all the rest erroneous but to that Clergy which the Church ought to take for her Guide Which Guide when as this Spiritual Court consists not of one but many persons when ever there is any disagreement therein must be the major part and when as there is also an established subordination of these persons and courts must be the superior rather than the inferior persons and the more universal and comprehensive Synods rather than those Synods which are of a less circuit and smaller company otherwise any Heretick if a Clergy-man may be entertained for a guide and whenas our Saviour has enjoined the people to obey their guides yet hath this people no means to know who these are unless when all the Clergy of the Universe are of one opinion Now he that appoints us to follow a Guide in what he shall enjoin us and then leaves us no way when our Guide consists not of one but many persons and two parties of them contradict one another to know which of them is to be our Guide it is all one as if he left us no Guide And he that ties us beside the use of our own judgment to obey and follow some Ecclesiastical person or other only not obliging to the most or major part to a superior more than inferior person or Court revolves our obedience only to our own judgment i.e. to chuse that side which we judge the rightest as we follow the counsel of that friend who we do think speaketh most reason without acknowledging any obedience to his authority and then left to this choice what opinion can we take up so absurd in which we cannot find some Clergy-man or other for a Leader Of these four Observations see what is more largely discoursed in Church-government Par. 2. from § 26. to 29. 5ly From the same texts another thing is clear § 48 That this Guiding Clergy shall for ever be unfailable or infallible either in all truths whatever I mean Theological and Spiritual any way respecting mens salvation which truths they shall think meet to be determined or at least in all such truths as are absolutely necessary to salvation else this Pillar of Truth is cracked and shivered the Keys of Heaven Gates are lost and the gates and power of Hell prevail the assistance of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit ineffectual lastly the Church Name and Thing and Salvation it self perished I mean as to this Clergy if Truth necessary to Salvation be not to be found with them and if the skirts of the Promise of the Holy Spirit teaching them all things cannot be spread so far as to secure them of being taught so much Truth as is but absolutely necessary § 49 But then 6ly These Church-guides to avoid such ill consequences being made the unfailing Repository of all Truth absolutely necessary to Salvation will it
indeed with application thereof to the Pope as guilty therein To rebel against the Catholick Church and its representative a General Council which is the last visible Judg of controversies and the supreme Ecclesiastical Court either is gross Schism or there is no such thing as Schismatical pravity in the world To rebel against such a Council i. e. against the constitutions thereof in affairs meerly Spiritual therefore if their Canons establish such and such Patriarchates to rebel against these will be Schism So p. 269. he saith In cases that are indeed Spiritual or meerly Ecclesiastical such as concern the Doctrine of Faith or Administration of the Sacraments or the Ordaining or Degrading of Ecclesiastical persons I add or those mention'd but now § 38. which relate not to the Civil State but meerly to the well governance of the Church Soveraign Princes have and have only an Architectonical power to see that Clergy-men do their duties i. e. according to such Church-decrees Else had Princes in such matters a negative or destructive power this would be the right of Heathen Potentates also and the primitive Church guilty of Rebellion in disobeying in these things their strictest prohibitions Again p. 257. he saith Thus neither the Papal power which we have cashier'd nor any part of it was ever given to any Patriarch by the ancient Canons and by consequence the separation is not Schismatical Therefore it seems it had been Schismatical had such power been given him by the Canons § 40 Now to view Dr. Hammond c. 3. p. 54. he saith It is manifest that as the several Bishops had Praefecture over their several Churches and over the Presbyters Deacons and People under them such as could not be cast off by any without the guilt and brand of Schism so the Bishops themselves of the ordinary inferior Cities were for the preserving of unity and many other good uses subjected to the higher power of Archbishops or Metropolitans Nay we must yet ascend one degree higher from this of Archbishops or Metropolitans to that supreme of Primates or Patriarchs the division of which is thus clear'd c. And p. 60. The uppermost of the standing powers in the Church are Archbishops Primates and Patriarchs to whom the Bishops themselves are appointed in many things to be subject and this power I add and the particular Sees to whom it shall belong and subjection defin'd and asserted by the ancient Canons and most ancient even immemorial Apostolical tradition and custom is avouch'd for it I add especially for the eminency of the Roman See as may appear Conc. Nicaen Can. 4 6. Conc. Antioch c. 9. c. 20. Conc. Chalc. c. 19. c. After all which p. 66. of the same Chapter the Title of which is Of the several sorts of Schism he concludes That there may be a disobedience and irregularity and so a Schism even in the Bishops in respect of their Metropolitans and of the Authority which these have by Canon and primitive custom over them Which was therefore to be added to the several species of Schism set down in the former Chapters Where tho the Doctor is pleased not to name particularly Patriarchs yet the quotation p. 54. We must yet ascend c. and p. 60. shews you that he upon the same reason of Church-Canons and primitive Custom doth and must hold that there may be a Schism also in the Metropolitans and consequently in all those under the Metropolitans in respect of their Patriarch The uniting as of several Diocesses in one Metropolitan and of several Provinces and Metropolitans in one Primate so of many Nations and Primates in one Patriarch exceedingly conducing to the peaceable government and cohesion of the Church Catholick and suppression of Heresies and Schisms oft'ner National than Diocesan only or Provincial Quae vero est causa saith Grotius in his first Reply upon Rivet ad Art 7. cur qui opinionibus dissident inter Catholicos maneant in eodem corpore non rupta communione contra qui inter Protestantes dissident idem facere nequeant utcunque multa de dilectione fraterna loquantur Hoc qui recte expender it inveniet quanta sit vis Primatus Which Primacy St. Hierom observes even amongst the Apostles themselves adversus Jovinianum l. 1. c. 14. Super Petrum fundatur Ecclesia licet id ipsum in alio loco super omnes Apostolos fiat cuncti claves regnorum Coeli accipiant ex aequo super eos Ecclesiae fortitudo solidetur tamen propterea inter duodecim unus eligitur ut capite constituto schismatum tollatur occasio Capite that is not only in dignity but also in some authority else can such Head not remedy Schisms Patriarchs therefore as well as Metropolitans much conducing to the removing of Schisms and preserving the Church's unity I suppose whatever the Prince or Emperor should attempt against such Metropolitan or Patriarch either to oppose him in the managing of those spiritual matters and to deny him to exercise either by himself or his Ministers his jurisdiction in any Province which is by Church Canons subjected unto him or to depose him from his See or to transfer his authority and jurisdiction on some other whom he more approves of as if Valentinian much affected to the Arrians should have transferr'd St. Ambrose his Archiepiscopal jurisdiction upon Auxentius an Arrian Bishop whom he much affected as his Mother Justina I think actually did wanting only possession of the Church which Ambrose assisted also by the people stoutly resisted yet still according to Dr. Hammond's judgment as long as the Canons of the Church remain the same it would be Schism in any to disobey such Metropolitan or to side with the Prince and Schism in the Prince himself as well as in the rest Again S. W. replying thus upon these words of his Schis p. 125. the Canons of Councils have mostly been set out and receiv'd their authority by the Emperors That never was it heard that an Emperor claim'd a negative Voice in making a Canon of a Council valid which concern'd matters purely spiritual nay not disaccepted them decreed unanimously by the Fathers but all the world look'd upon him as an unjust and tyrannical Encroacher To this Dr. Hammond Ans to Schism Disarmed p. 203. speaks thus For the appendage c. I need not reply having never pretended or seem'd to pretend what he chargeth on me concerning the Emperor's negative Voice in the Council what I pretended I spake out in plain words that the Canons have bin mostly set out and receiv'd their authority by the Emperors and this receiving their authority is I suppose in order to their powerful reception in their Dominions and this he acknowledgeth and so we are Friends Thus Dr. Hammond Now all that which S. W. there acknowledgeth is That the supreme Secular power is oblig'd to see that the Church's Decrees be receiv'd and put in execution By Dr. Hammond's consent then a negative
Government Which Bishop sent to him Fugatius and Damianus by whom this King and his Queen and many others were converted to the Faith and receiv'd Baptisme c. Where his having already with him men learned in the Scriptures see Spelm. Apparat. p. 12. and yet sending for others from the Roman Bishop and his sending to the Bishop of Rome so remote when as there were then many Christian Bishops in France and particularly the famous Irenaeus Bishop at Lions at that very time methinks shew plainly that the Britains had learned already that there was some preeminence and authority attributed to him superior to the rest of the Occidental Prelates as likewise doth the title of that Bishop's letter to Lucius but it is much doubted whether this letter be authentick Scripsit Dominus Elentherius Papa Lucio Regi Britanniae ad correctionem Regis Procerum regni Britanniae others read it ad petitionem In which letter whereas it is urged see Hammond Schis p. 109. and Bramh. vindic p. 155. that he calls the King vicarium Dei in regno suo t is to be observed that he stiles the King so before he was Christian and seems to urge it in respect of civil laws which laws the King desiring that they would send unto him from Rome the Bishop adviseth him with his Council rather to take them out of the Bible the law of God whose Vicar he is than out of the Roman or Caesars laws But let it be granted in Ecclesiastical matters also that he is Vicarius Dei that is in promulgating the Ecclesiastical laws and enforcing them upon his subjects with the denouncing of temporal punishments but not in making them for this the Bishop of Rome cannot alienate from Synods to Princes Christian yet higher in the days of Tiberius Interea glaciali frigore rigenti Insulae Britannicae verus ille Sol universo orbi praefulgidum sui lumen ostendens radios suos primum indulget id est praecepta sua Christus Tempore ut scimus summo extremo Tiberii Caesaris quo tempore absque ullo impedimento ejus propagabatur religio indicta Senatu nolente a Principe morte delatoribus militum ejusdem Christianorum alluding to Hegesippus his story of Tiberius Thus saith Gildas a Britain who writ in the end of the 5th age and therefore why may not mos antiquus concerning the presidency of the Roman See over the West be meant of this as well as the other anciently-Christian Provinces there But when ever Britain first became Christian tho such were after the passing of that canon of Nice yet many converted since the last conversion of the Saxons here in England as the Germans and some other Northern nations some of them converted by the English have also come under the jurisdiction of that See upon the same account namely of this Bishops having committed to him the primacy over the whole Church or at least the Patriarchate of the whole West And therefore Austin the Monk required subjection to this Bishop not only of the Saxons as converted by him but also of the Britains who were Christian before subjection not upon this title of conversion but from the submission which was thought otherwise due to this prime Apostolick See The judgment and actions of which holy man by this Nation to be had in eternal veneration ought not so easily to be condemned or slighted since he was blessed here with such success and honoured by God with so many miracles Of which miracles of his and his companions Gregory who sent him overjoyed writes thus to the Patriarch of Alexandria Ep. 7. l. Indict 1.30 Ep. Jam nunc de ejus Augustini salute opere ad nos scripta pervenerunt quia tantis miraculis vel ipse vel hi qui cum eo transmissi sunt in gente eadem coruscant ut Apostolorum virtutes in signis quae exhibent imitari videantur And to Austin thus in another Epistle 9. l. 58. Ep. exhorting him to the preservation of his humility in receiving so high favours Scio quod potens Deus per dilectionem tuam in Gente quam eligi voluit magna miracula ostendit unde necesse est ut de eodem dono caelesti timendo gaudeas gaudendo pertimescas c. § 53 But if it be replied that many of the Western Nations were originally converted by that See and therefore may seem anciently to have had a nearer relation to or dependance on it but not so this Island yet That this Nation chiefly if not only owes its conversion to the Roman See 1. 3. This title of Conversion seems not wanting so much as is pretended for the plea of the Roman Jurisdiction For 1. for all the rest of this Nation except the ancient Britains namely for the Saxons and those other invaders who followed them this title is not disputed so that what was Pope Innocent's pretence see before § 3. concerning other parts of the West may be Gregory's and his Successor's concerning the chief body of this Kingdom supposing that the Church's customs or canons did entitle any authority upon this ground and for whom the Roman See hath performed the same maternal and fundative offices as for the rest of the West it seems not unreasonable that they should return her the same duty as do the rest To that objection of Dr. Hammond Schism p. 114. in behalf of these Saxons liberty That S. Paul's and his Substiture's converts yet were not all subjected to one and the same See it is granted to him That conversion doth not of it self necessarily induce subjection to the converter or to his See but nevertheless t is as true That the Church upon whose customs and canons such subjection is pleaded in her appointing some chief and Patriarchal Sees for the preserving by such subordinations unity and peace amongst her several members hath used this of conversion as a chief motive tho not this always or the only motive to subject several Churches rather to such a Mother-church than to another See before § 6. This for the Saxons §. 54. n. 1.2 and others whose race most-what we English are But then for the Britains also it seems That tho their conversion might have its first beginning in Tiberius his reign or very early yet it was for the most part of it wrought in latter times by several degrees after their subjection to the Roman Empire either by Christians who flowed in hither from Rome and Italy and other Provinces nearer hand especially in times of persecution with the Roman Officers and Lieutenants some of which before were favourers and after Constantine's time were also professors of Christianity as amongst the rest Theodosius who was Valentinian's Lieutenant here before Emperour or by several Missions from the Pope of Rome made either to plant and propagate Christianity in these Islands of Britain and Ireland or to reform it Such was that Legation of Fugatius and Damianus §