which they used the probablest meanes imaginable named successors to the present Bishops in every Church who should supply the vacant places as soon as they fell and so prevent suing and contending for them and were by the speciall spirit of God directed who those successors should be so that the opposing their succession or casting them out afterwards must be a great sin even of resisting the spirit of God who had designed them to this inheritance Which next to Christ's bearing them in his right hand Rev. 1. 20. is the greatest character of dignity and evidence of Christ's approving of the Order and care of continuing it as the originall of union not division in the Church There is not by these men one word of objection offered against this conclusion thus formerly deduced in the Dissertations and therefore I need adde no more for the vindicating this testimony yet will it not be amisse here to interpose the words of Hegesippus one that was present at the time of that sedition and gives an account of it in Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church of the Corinthians continued in the right untill Primus was Bishop of Corinth Which is a testimonie as antient as that of Clement and tells us what Bishops they were which Clement speakes of such as Primus was at Corinth i. e. one singular Governour in a City The same will be yet more manifest if we consider what by all Authors is affirmed of Clemens himselfe the writer at the time of writing this Epistle that having been Saint Paul's Peter's Deacon Ignat. in Ep. ad Trall he was no Bishop of Rome by the joynt suffrage of Irenaeus and all the Antients even of Saint Jerome himselfe in his Catalogue and by him styled an Apostolical person on Isa 52. a companion of the Apostles in Interp. Com. Orig. in Rom. and by Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. lib. 4. an Apostle in the sense that Theodoret saith those whom in his time they called Bishops had been at first called Apostles Accordingly of him saith Irenaeus in his Catalogue of the successive Governors of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the third place from the Apostles Clemens came to the Bishoprick Which how it is easily to be accorded with those who truly make him Peters immediate successor see Dissert 5. c. 1. Sect. 6. c. Other testimonies there are producible from this Epistle of Clement which are all to the same purpose with the former As when he findes an image of the Ecclesiasticall state under Bishops and Deacons in the prophecie of Isaiah cap. 60. 17. where in the Greek translation then in use he had read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will constitute their Bishops in righteousnesse and their Deacons in faithfulnesse speaking of the Judges and their Ministers and officers in every City And so againe when he exhorts them to give due honour to the Elders among them talkes of their sedition against their Elders and casting them out of their Episcopacy in one place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and removing them from that honoured office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in another and the like All of the same importance and to be interpreted by the former Sect. II. The Testimony of Polycarpe That he was himselfe a Bishop His mention of Ignatius's Epistles fit to give authority to them being so confirmed as it is by a series of the Antients IN the next place followes their testimonie out of Polycarpe introduced in this manner The like Record we have of Polycarpe that famous Disciple of John the Apostle who lived also within the first century and wrote an Epistle to the Philippians in which he makes also but two Orders of Ministery Bishops and Deacons and perswades the Philippians to be subject to their Presbyters and Deacons as to God and Christ To this Testimony from Polycarp there is no reason I should deny any part of my assent being so perfectly such as the cause which I defend requires If there be with him but two orders of Ministery Bishops and Deacons and he perswades the Philippians i.e. that whole Province the same to which Saint Paul had written consisting of many Churches all under that Metropolis of Philippi to be subject to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders and Deacons and sets the former of them in the comparison to answer God the Father the supream Monarch of Heaven and the latter to be the parallel to Christ who came out from Heaven upon his Fathers messages then what reason have I to doubt but that these Elders and Deacons are the very same which Saint Paul had called Bishops and Deacons Phil. 1. 1. which that it belonged to the severall Bishops of that Province of Macedonia hath before been sufficiently vindicated And therefore without farther debating this Testimony I shall adde some few things concerning this Polycarp which will helpe conveniently to cleere the whole matter First That as it is most true that is here said of him that he was a famous Disciple of Iohn the Apostle so this is added to his titles by the authontiâ—k Epistle of the Church of Smyrna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the most wonderfull person in our times being an Apostolicall and Prophetical Doctor and that he was a most glorious Martyr is the designed matter of that whole Epistle Secondly That this famous most admirable Apostolical Doctor and Martyr was the Bishop of Smyrna and so constituted by the Apostles as will appeare by three Testimonies each of them irrefragable 1. By the Epistle of that Church of Smyrna written on purpose concerning his Martyrdome a reverend piece of Antiquity fit to compare with any that remaines in the Church And there we finde in the close of his titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was Bishop of the Catholike Church which is in Smyrna i. e. both of Iewish and Gentile Christians there So Polycrates the eight Bishop of Ephesus borne within a while after Saint Iohn's death in his Epistle to Victor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polycarp the Bishop of Smyrna and Martyr So Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 3. speaking of him saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was constituted by the Apostles Bishop of the Church of Smyrna in Asia And then what possibility can there be that he being thus a Bishop nay Metropolitane himselfe as hath formerly been shewed writing to another Metropolis and commanding to obey the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Deacons should meane any thing else but Bishops by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly That this Polycarp as in this Epistle he acknowledgeth to have received an Epistle from Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You wrote to me and to Ignatius also so he tells them that he had sent them a collection of the same Ignatius's Epistles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Epistles of Ignatius sent to us by him and as many others as we had by us we
A VINDICATION OF THE DISSERTATIONS CONCERNING EPISCOPACIE From the ANSVVERS or EXCEPTIONS offered against them by the London Ministers in their Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici By H. HAMMOND D.D. LONDON Printed by J. G. for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane 1654. TO THE READER IN Erasmus's distribution of his owne writings into Tomes the 8th we finde thus inscribed by him Octavum occupent Apologiae Me miserum Et hae justum volumen efficient It was his great infelicity that the Apologies and Answers to exceptions and calumnies which he was constreined to write made up an intire large Volume in folio Now though I have that pleasure in the temper of that person which gives me security by the Romanists Proverbe never to be deemed one of their good Catholicks and so may probably partake of some part of his fate yet 't were great insolence in me who have not troubled the World with a tenth proportion to that were with he hath favoured it to expect the Tithe of that consideration which is required to make one capable of that degree of infelicity which lay a full load on him Neverthelesse these few last moneths have given me a tast and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what I am to expect For besides the reproaches of one learned Gentleman to which being barely such I have no one word to retribute but that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Christ directs me to I have farther met with some variety Many exceptions though litle of contumely from these Assemblies More and in a very distant Character from a large Preface of Animadversions on the Dâ—ssertations sent me lately from Oxford others also there are which I have not yet had leasure to weigh but soon purpose and hope to do it and if either I discerne my selfe or finde it the opinion of others that what is already said in the Tracts which they oppose be not sufficient to prevent or remove the scruples proposed by them I shall willingly dedicate some time of vacancy to that imployment At the present the Exceptions of the London Ministers have challenged the precedence and here are offered to consideration And because the Praeface from Oxford falls on the same sort of matter Episcopacy and Ignatius's Epistles as they are defended in the Dissertations I purpose God-willing that an Answer to that shall now follow assoone as the Printer can dispatch it And that is all that I had to say to the Reader by way of Praeface THE TABLE CHAP. I. COncerning the Angels of the Churches of Asia Page 9. Section 1. The grounds of affirming them to be Bishops Ibid. Sect. 2. Of Timothy of Onesimus of Policarpe p. 15. Sect. 3. Of the negative argument from S. John's not using the word Bishop Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Revelation p. 19 Sect. 4. Of S. Johns writings Againe of Diotrephes p. 25 Sect. 5. Of S. John's being Bishop of Asia Of the Apostles being Bishops p. 29 Sect. 6. Of the word Angel and Star pretended to be common to all Ministers Of Messenger and Embassadour The singularity of the word Angel p. 35 Sect. 7. Of their exception to our arguing from Symbols Of Bishop and Elder being the same p. 38 Sect. 8. Of the singularity of each Angel The objections from the use of the plurall number p. 41 Sect. 9. Of the Elders at Ephesus Act. 20. p. 45 Sect. 10. Of expressing a number by singulars A Church by a Candlestick Of the seven Angels Rev. 8. p. 47 Sect. 11. Of the Epistles being sent to the whole Church not to the Bishop only Of Timothy Onesimus and Polycarp being Bishops of some of the Asian Churches without any charge of Apostacy falling on them by this meanes p. 50 Sect. 12. Of Timothies being an Evangelist that it hinders not his being a Bishop p. 55 Sect. 13. Of the Bishops at Ephesus Of the plural number in the Epistle to the Angel of Smyrna p. 56 Sect. 14. Of Beza's interpretation of the Praesident p. 57. Sect. 15. Of Dr. Reynolds interpretation of the Bishop in Cyprian Of Ordination by Bishops not without Presbyters from the Testimones of Cyprian and Fermilian p. 51 Sect. 16. Of the Churches of Asia being Metropoliticall Of the paucity of believers p. 54 Sect. 16. Of modelling Churches according to the Government of the Roman state Of exemplars of Metropolitans among the Jewes Testimonies of the Apostles instituting Metropolitans p. 67 Sect. 17. Of the objection against Metropoles from the seven Starres in seven Churches p. 71 Sect. 18. Of the use of the word Bishop for Archbishop in Tertullian Of Angel in Christs Epistle p. 64 Sect. 19. Of division into Parishes and Vnion into Diocesses Of Diocesan Bishops in the Apostles dayes Elders in every Church Act. 14. Elders of the Church Act. 20. That place vindicated from exception p. 75 CHAP. II. OF the equivalence of the words Bishop and Elder in the New Testament p. 92 Sect. 1. Foure sorts of equivalence of these words proposed Ibid. Sect. 2 Of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 95 Sect. 3. Of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elder p. 100 Sect. 4. Of reverence to Antiquity and the interpretations of the Antients Of Praelatists disagreement among themselves 102. Sect. 5. Inconveniencies objected and answer'd Of more Bishops in one City No Presbyters in the Apostles dayes The no Divine right of the order of Presbyters p. 105 Sect 6. A first confession objected and vindicated Of the Ephesine Presbyters being all the Praelates of Asia Elders Aldermanni p. 108 Sect. 7. A second confession of the Bishops Phil. 1. 1. being Bishops of that whole Province Philippi a Metropolis and a Colony p. 110 Sect. 8. A third confession of Timothies being an Archbishop Of the qualifications 1 Tim. 3. 2 belonging to Bishops Of the Bishops being worthy of double-honour though he never preach Of the word and Doctrine Of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4 Of Rebuking and receiving accusation against an Elder p. 112 Sect. 9. A fourth confession of Titus being Archbishop of Creet p. 116 Sect. 10. A fift charge of contrariety to Scripture answered Of visitation of the sick belonging to Elders James 5. p. 118 Sect. 11. A last objection from Act. 21. 18. and. 14. 3. and 11. 30. answered Elders for Rulers or Bishops p. 122 CHAP. III. COncerning the Opinion of Antiquity in this Question Page 129. Sect. 1. The Testimonies of Clemens Romanus Bishops and Deacons the onely offices at the first Corinth Metropolis of Achaia What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies The Apostles care to prevent contentions about Episcopacy Hegesippus's testimony of the contentions at Corinth Clement a Bishop p. 129. Sect. 2. The Testimony of Policarpe That he was himselfe a Bishop His mention of Ignatius's Epistles fit to give authority to them being so confirmed as it is by a series of the Antients p. 139 Sect. 3. A vindication of Ignatius's Epistles Vossius's edition of them and the Archbishops of
the gainsayers No obligation lying upon him by the Lawes of these agones to use those arguments and no other nor otherwise improved which all other writers of that side have done before him For if this were the manner of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the legail combate to what end should any second writing on the same subject ever appeare to the World That which had been formerly said needed not to be transcribed and said againe but either the booke might be Re-printed or translated into a language more intelligible as I have here been fame oft to doe And though I might truly say that for those more minute considerations or conjectures wherein this Doctor differs from some others who have written before him as to the manner of interpreting some few Texts he hath the suffrages of many the learnedst men of this Church at this day and as farre as he knowes of all that imbrace the same cause with him yet I doe not thinke it necessary to prove my agreement with others of my brethren by this onely medium It being certaine that they who believe the same conclusion upon severall mediums or wayes of inferring it are in that and may be in all other conclusions at perfect accord and unity among themselves All that I can conclude from this and the former consideration the double charge laid on me of contrariety to antiquity and other asserters of Episcopacy is onely this that the authors of them are ill pleased that I use any other arguments or answers but what they were willing to assigne me otherwise if there had been lesse not more truth or evidence in my way of defending the cause they would have had the greater advantage against me and I doubt not have been in the space of three yeares at leisure to have observed it Section V. Inconveniencies objected and answer'd Of more Bishops in one City No Presbyters in the Apostles dayes The no Divine right of the Order of Presbyters BUt they are in the third place pleased to object some inconveniences which the defending of these paradoxes must necessarily bring upon me And to these I shall more diligently attend First say they he that will defend these Paradoxes must of necessity be forced to grant that there were more Bishops than one in a City in the Apostles dayes which is to betray the cause of Episcopacy and to bring downe a Bishop to the ranke of a Presbyter To this I reply by absolute denying of this consequence for supposing the Scripture-Bishop to be alwayes a Bishop and so the Scripture Elder also how can it follow from thence that there are more such Bishops in any one City T is most evident that this is no way inferr'd upon either or both of my assertions nor is here one word added to prove it is to which I might accommodate any answer T is on the contrary most manifest that whensoever I find mention of Bishops or Elders in the plurall as Act. 20. Phil. 1. c. I interpret them of the Bishops of Asia and the Bishops of Macedonia Bishops of Judaea c. and render my reasons of doing so and consequently affirme them to be the Bishops of divers sure that is not of one Cities The second inconvenience is that I must be forced to grant that there were no Bishops over Presbyters in the Apostles days for if there were no Presbyters there could be no Bishops over Presbyters Here is an evident mistake for I no where say that there were no Presbyters in the Apostles dayes but onely that in the Apostles writings the word Bishops alwayes signifies Bishops and the word Elders either never or but rarely Presbyters Now besides that it is possible for those to be in the time of the Apostles writing which yet for want of occasion are not mentioned in those writings and I that love not negative arguments à testimonio should never have thought fit to conclude there were no Presbyters within the time wherein the severall Bookes of Scripture were written upon that one argument because I could not find them mentioned there besides this I say T is certaine that the Apostles times are somewhat a larger period than the time of the Apostles writings and therefore that what is spoken onely of the later was not meant to be extended to the former For 1. the Apostles continued alive some time after writing their Epistles and secondly some of the Apostles survived others John of whom Christs will was intimated that he should tarry and not die till after the comming of Christ and that Kingdom of his commenced in the destruction of the Jews did accordingly live till Trajanes time and by that time I thinke it probable that the number of believers daily increasing there were as the wants of the Church required Presbyters ordained in many Churches And accordingly in the Dissert p. 229. when I speak of this matter I expresly except S. John and p. 211. I make use of a testimony of Clemens Alexandrinus on purpose to conclude that this Apostle ordein'd Presbyters in Asia after his returne from the Island to which he was banished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and to the same matter I elsewhere apply that of Ephiphanius out of the profoundest i.e. antientest Records that as Moses and Aaron tooke to them first the Princes of the people and at length the Sanhedrim of the seventy Elders so the Apostles first constituted Bishops and in processe of time Presbyters also when occasion required as the Bishops assistants and Councell and that upon account of this Analogy with the Sanhedrim they were styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders And Ignatius making mention of Presbyters as of a middle degree in the Church betwixt Bishops and Deacons in his i. e. in Trajan's time and that in his Epistles to severall of those Asian Churches Smyrna Ephesus Magnesia Philadelphia Trallis I thinke the argument of great validity to conclude that in that Province that Apostle had in his life time instituted this middle order And therefore I that had so carefully prevented was not to be charged with this crime of affirming there were no Presbyters or Bishops over Presbyters which certainly there were if there were Presbyters under them in the Apostles dayes And third inconvenience they adde that by consequence I must affirme that Ordo Presbyteratus is not Jure Divino But that is no more consequent to my assertion than it was my assertion that there were no Presbyters in the Apostles dayes and therefore I that am guiltlesse of the assertion cannot be charged with the consequents of it John I know was an Apostle and John I believe ordained Presbyters and thence I doubt not to conclude the Apostolicall institution i.e. in effect the Divine right of the order of Presbyters though not of the government of the Church by Presbytery and so I am still cleare from the guilt of that crime which the worst of Papists would abhominate which they
inlarged to those that were in want It being Justin Martyr's affirmation of the first times that all the offerings were brought to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or President and that he was thereby made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Curator of all that were in want And when what is sent to the Bishop is supposed to be sent to him as the Oeconomus or steward of the Church not for the inriching himself but to provide for those that wanted I cannot imagine why this may not be as conveniently supposed as that it should be sent to the Preâ—byters onely So in like manner the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 14. 23. are Bishops againe and such and only such as farre as we have any footsteps of it were at that time ordained in the Churches one in every City where the Gospell was received with one or more Deacons to attend him And to this as the words so often mentioned out of Clemens Romanus are most evident that the Apostles of Christ preaching through Cities and Regions constituted their first fruits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Bishops and Deacons so the context in this place of the Acts is very agreeable For here when Paul and Barnabas had preacht and converted a competent number at Derbe v. 12. and returned to the Cities of Lystra Iconium and Antioch v. 22. coâ—firming the soules of the brethren i.e. the faithfull there it followes before their parting that they ordained Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every Church that sure is in every of the Churches here named not many in each but Elders in all one Bishop in every Church which again is no news for me or any Praelatist to affirm when in the Epistle to Titus St. Paul's direction is conformable to his practice appointing him to ordaine Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 City by City or in every City c. 1. 5. and presently calling the Elder so to be ordained Bishop as in the Epistle to Timothy he is also called Thus much paines I shall not grudge to have taken if it be but to rescue a small booke very innocently meant from the charge of two suâ—h Paradoxes as they are called by those who have not thought fit to believe them and are as unwiling that others should and therefore conclude their discourse against them with tragicall expressions of offering manifest violence to the Scriptures of being sufficient instead of upholding Episcopacy to render it odious and contemptible c. And when they have said so much with so little weight of reason to justifie it they will then part with all meeknesse and perfect temper but we forbeare i.e. abstaine to adde more when they had said as much ill as could be I am sorry there was still any more bitternesse within to be supprest when there was so much vented However it is we are now at end of a second post and to have time to breath a while after some lassitude CHAP. III. Concerning the Opinion of Antiquity in this Question Sect. 1. The Testimonies of Clemens Romanus Bishops and Deacons the onely offices at the first Corinth Metropolis of Achaia What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie The Apostles care to prevent contentions about Episcopacy Hegesippus's testimony of the contentions at Corinth Clement a Bishop SOme things there are yet behind in their Appendix wherein I discerne my selfe to be concern'd in some directly and immediately in others by remoter obligation as when some of those testimonies of Antiquity which are in the Dissertations manifested to be perfectly reconcileable with our pretensions and some of them evident confirmations of them are yet by these Writers crudely taken up and made use of as Testimonies on their side without ever taking notice of that which is said in the Dissertations to cleare the contrary Of the former sort wherein I am more immediately pointed at there are foure things First Concerning one testimony of St. Hierome Secondly concerning Ignatius his Epistles in generall and the appeales that I make to hâ—s authoriâ—â— which they will not allow to have force with them Thirdly concerning one testimony cited by them out of St. Ambrose on Ephes 4. and answered by me but that answer disliked and rejected by them Fourthly concerning the Chorepiscopi Of the second sort are the testimonies out of Clemens Romanus Polycarpe Irenaeus and Tertullian especially the two former of them I shall therefore briefly survey every one of these and I suppose I have pitcht on the most convenient Method and that which will give the Reader the clearest view both of the judgement of Antiquity concerning Episcopacy in generall to which their Appendix professeth wholly to be designed and more particularly of the truth of those two propositions which have been accused as Paradoxes in me but will now appeare not to be such by taking these testimonies as they lie in the order of time wherein the Authors lived and then that of St. Hierome which happens to be first mentioned by them p. 102. will fall to be one of the last to which we shall make reply First then for Clemens they thus begin sure we are that Clemens who lived in the first century in his famous Epistle to the Corinthians an undoubted piece of antiquity makes but two Orders of Ministery Bishops and Deacons And having set downe the place which testifies this * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rendered it thus Christ Iesus sent his Apostles through Countries and Cities in which they preached and constituted the first fruits approving them by the spirit for Bishops and Deacons to those who should afterwards believe From hence they observe p. 105. That Bishops and Deacons were the onely orders of Ministâ—ry in the first Primitive Church And that the Apostles appointed but two Officers that is Bishops and Deacons to bring men to believe because when he had reckon'd up three Orders appointed by God amongst the Jewes High-Priest Priests and Levites coming to recite Orders appointed by the Apostles under the Gospell â—e doth mention onely Bishops and Deacons And here one would think were little for the Presbyterians advantage even no more than one of my Paradoxes would have afforded them which from this very testimony and some other concluded that which was then so strange for them to heare yet now can be confest by them that the Apostles at their first plantations contented themselves with Bishops and Deacons one of each or perhaps more of the latter in every City But when these men thus grant the conclusion from this place which I inferr'd I have yet no reason to boast of their liberality because I suppose it their meaning that by Bishops Clemenâ—â— meant Preâ—byters though this they do not so much as say in twice repeating of their conclusion And yet certainly it needed more than saying proving by some evidence or argument that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops in that place signifies any thing else but Bishops All that they offer toward a reason
to the Apostles not as to a Common councell of sociall Rulers but as so many severall planters and Governours of the Church each having all power committed to him and depending on no conjunction of any one or more Apostles for the exercise of it And this is largely and clearly deduced Dissert 3. c. 1. 2. 3. 4. And this power being by them derived to Bishops in each City in the same manner as they used it themselves which is also farther evidenced and vindicated c. 5. c. this was deemed a first competent proofe of this matter and as a confirmation of it it was observable that the first Bishops made by them were in the very Scripture called Apostles James the Bishop of Jerusalem c. Diss 4. c. 3. 8. A second principall proofe of Scripture is taken from the severall mentions of the so many Churches of Asia and the so many Angels assigned to them one to each as a singular Governour or Bishop in the Revelation And in discourse of these wee have found great evidence of the fact to authorize us to improve the conclusion a little higher than was necessary to the defence of the maine cause viz. to affirme of these Angels that each of them was an Archbishop or Metropolitan and having done so to discerne upon undeniable grounds that there were many other such mentioned in the Scripture though not under that title as James the brother of the Lord Metropolitan of all Judea Titus of all Crete with an hundred Cities in it c. 9. And the wayes of according all other Scriptures with these have been briefly these 1. By observing this difference betwixt Cities and Metropoles as the true cause and occasion of the mentions of many Bishops in not of one City meaning thereby the Bishops of all the Cities under that Metropolis as Phil. 1. 1. Act. 20. 17. Secondly by examining the Nature of all the words which I conceived to be used in Scripture for Bishops as beside Apostle and Angel forementioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 President 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elder and in the Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chiefe Priest and Sacerdos Priestâ— each denoting Dignity and Authority and all cleared to be in their own nature applicable and by the circumstances of the Context to be actually applied to the singular Governours in each City most of them constantly so and that one of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if not constantly so yet very rarely otherwise And this is done Dissert 4. c. 7. and so to the end of that Diss Thirdly by observing the paucity of believers in many Cities in the first Plantations which made it unnecessary that there should by the Apostles be ordeined any more than a Bishop and Deacon one or more in each City and that this was accordingly done by them at the first is approved by the most undeniable antient Records Such as those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the profoundest Histories out of which Epiphanius makes this Observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where there wanted Bishops and there were found persons worthy of the Office Bishops were constituted but where there was no multitude there none were found among them to be constituted Presbyters and they satisfied themselves with a Bishop alone in a place Onely the Bishop could not possibly be without a Deacon and accordingly the Apostle tooke care that the Bishop should have his Deacons to minister to him That which is thus cited by Epiphanius out of those Antient Records is found clearly affirmed by Clemens Romanus an Apostolicall person and witnesse of the Apostles practice that they being sent out by Christ as hee by his Father went out Preaching the Gospell and proclaiming it through Regions and Cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they constituted their first fruits into Bishops and Deacons of those which should afterward believe To both which wee shall againe adde what Ephiphanius prefaceth in that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that when the preaching was new the Apostle St. Paul wrote agreeably to the present state of affaires We have here so cleare an account of the reason of the Apostles immediate subjoyning of Deacons to Bishops Phil. 1. 1. and 1 Tim. 3. viz. because those were the onely two Orders then constituted in every Church that these two places which are made use of by the adversaries against us are most punctuall evidences of the Truth of ours and of the unseasonablenesse of their pretentions 10. As for the Testimonies out of the first Antiquity The ground-worke I have chosen to lay in Ignatius his Epistles because the Testimonies thence are so many and so evident and the Writer so neere the Apostles time that holy men being Martyr'd in the 10. of Trajan to whose Reigne S. John lived and most of his Epistles written to the very Churches of Asia planted by St. John and the Bishops of many of them named by him and of one Bishop the Presbyters under him that if that one Authors Testimonies be attended to there is an absolute decision of the whole matter on the Prelatists side To which purpose I have also vindicated these Epistles from all that hath been objected to them in these late yeares and asserted their Authority by as antient and authentick evidences as can be vouched for any antient piece next the Holy Scriptures themselves and contented my selfe with the most pure and uncorrupted Copies and Editions of it 11. In accord with these Testimonies I have also produced many others out of Clemens Romanus Hegesippus Polycarpe Papias Polycrates Iustin Jrenaeus Clemens Alexandrinus Tâ—rtullian and as many of the first times as have said any thing to this matter and found a full consent in all and in most irrefragable suffrages which conclude this whole controversie on the Prelatists side To which I have also added some few observations of unquestionable truth as 1. That of the continuance of the use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elder to signifie Bishop in our Modern sense among some of these most antient Church writers whereas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is never used by any but for a singular Governour Secondly that of the distinct Congregations of Iewish and Gentile Christians in the same City the grounds of which are evident in Scripture and consequently of the severall Governours or Bishops over them which was usefull for the removing some seeming difficulties in the Catalogues of the first Bishops of Rome Antiâ—ch c. and some other the like not for the serving the Necessities of our Cause but as supernumerary and ex abundanti And upon these and such like heads of probation we have built our plea descending also to a particular survey of Saint Hierom's testimonies which are by the adversaries principally made use of against us And if what is thus copiously deduced in the Dissertations together
And these Presbyters are called Bishops and were all of them Stars of the same magnitude and Angels of the same order without a difference or distinction 2. But this is a way of proving a thing which is denyed by another which they know is equally denyed by him against whom they dispute and therefore that argument can be of no force with us 3. 'T is most true indeed what they begin with that the Church of Ephesus was a collective body for so 't is certaine every Church is whether governed by one or more Rulers But the Church is not the Angel any more than the candlestickes are the Stars but punctually distinguished from them Rev. 1. 20. But this I suppose was a mistake hastily fallen from them and I shall not pursue it any farther 4. Their argument I conceive depends upon the plurality of Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were at Ephesus Act. 20. when Paul takes his leave of them and calls them Bishops But to this they know I have answered clearly that as in other places of Scripture so in that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders being all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops denote not the many Presbyters of the one City of Ephesus but the many Bishops of that and other Cities of Asia which at that time by S. Paul's summons sent to Ephesus the chiefe Metropolis of Asia were called and met together at Miletus 5. To this purpose Irenaeus is a witnesse beyond exception who speaking of these Elders or Bishops addes ab Epheso proximis civitatibus convocatos esse that they were assembled from Ephesus and the next Cities in which as the faith was planted as well as in Ephesus even in all Asia so there is no reason to doubt but there were Bishops in them as well as in Ephesus seven such Churches we know are here mentioned in the Revelation and that Paul was as carefull to take his leave of them as many as could conveniently come to Miletus in his hasty progresse as of the Bishop of Ephesus hee is justly deemed to have been 6. Other arguments and authorities I need not here accumulate for this notion of Elders Act. 20. because here is no appearance of reason offered to prove their or impugne our Assertion This perhaps will be afterward attempted and then I shall as occasion requires farther enlarge In the meane it sufficeth that it yet no way appeares that Ephesus was governed by many Presbyters and not by one Bishop and therefore this second offer of reason is as deficient as the first to prove the Angel of that Church to have been a collective body Section X. Of expressing a number by singulars A Church by a Candlestick Of the seven Angels Rev. 8. THeir third reason is because It is usuall with the Holy Ghost not onely in other Bookes of Scripture but in this very Booke of the Revelation in mysterious and prophetick writings and visionall representations such as this of the Starres and Golden â—Candlestick is to expresse a number of things or persons in singulars And this in visions is the usuall way of Representation of things a thousand persons making up one Church is represented by one Candlestick many Ministers making up one Presbytery by one Angel Thus Rev. 8. 2. It is said that John saw seven Angels which stood before God By these seven Candlesticks I suppose it should be seven Angels Dr. Reynolds doth not understand seven individuall Angels but all the Angels For there are no seven individuall Angels but all the Angels For there are no seven individuall Angels that stand before God but all doe Dan 7. there are many more instances brought in the Bookes forementioned 2. To this third Reason I have no obligation or notice to give credit any farther than the evidences perswade for many of which though we are referred to Smectymnuus c. yet having received promise from these that they would borrow a few things from those others I shall with reason hope that what they have upon choise borrowed leaving as they say much more behind is the most satisfactory and solid of any thing by them produced and consequently if there be no force in these instances to oppugne our conclusion we shall not expect to finde more convincing ones by travailing farther and gathering up out of those dispersions what they have refused to take up and offer to us 3. The thing they would prove is that 't is usuall with the Holy Ghost in this as in other mysterious prophetick Bookes to expresse a number of things or persons by singulars Their proofes are but three and the first is of no force because the word Church denotes a singular thing as well as Candlestick that represents it for though a thousand men make up one Church yet one Church is but one thing considered as a Church and proportionably as one Candlestick in the singular is set to denote each Church so there are seven Candlesticks to represent the seven Churches 4. As for the second that of the Angels that that signifies many Ministers that cannot be offered as a proofe being it selfe the matter of the question And indeed though Church be a collective body and so one Church is knowne to consist of many men yet Angel is not of that nature one Angel neither signifies many men nor many Angels 5. And whereas the parallel is set betwixt the word Candlestick and the word Angel that they each are singular words by which multitudes are represented that is a mistake for the parallel lyes betwixt Church and Angel and on the other side betwixt Candlestick and Starre as appeares Rev. 1. 20. and both these are individual things the Church an individual Church and there be seven such individual Churches and the Angel an individual Angel and there be seven such individual Angels and there can be no more pretense that one Angel should signifie many Ministers than that one Church should signifie many Congregations 6. Lastly for the third proofe that of seven Angels Rev. 8. 2. if that were granted to Doctor Reynold's authority that the seven Angels there signifies all the Angels yet would it not at all contribute to the proofe of the point in hand which is that many shall be signified by a singular for we know that seven are not a singular but the custome indeed being ordinary to use a certaine definite number for an uncertaine or indefinite and the septenary being a perfect number and so fittest for the turne 't is more tolerable that the number of seven may represent some greater number one plural a larger plural than that a singular one should doe so 7. And yet secondly there is no great reason to doubt but that the seven Angels are indeed very seven Angels and no more This I collect 1. from the seven Trumpets that were given them ver 2. and the specifying them by that Character the seven Angels which had the seven Trumpets ver
that the seven Stars are found fixed in seven not one over divers Churches this I conceive not to be of any force For it being by us granted and presumed that each of the seven Asian Angels was Bishop of his particular Church one of Ephesus another of Smyrna c. It is perfectly reconcileable herewith that in case these seven were not the onely Cities and Churches in Asia as it is certaine they were not all Asia consisting of many more Cities being before this converted to the Faith all the other might have dependance on these seven 4. For this we know that two Bishops in England that were each of them first in one City for example in Canterbury or Yorke had yet each of them a superiority or Metropoliticall power over divers other Cities and when any Record styles one of them Bishop of Canterbury as the Scripture doth Angel of Ephesus we should sure acknowledge it a very infirme inference from the words of that Record to conclude that being Bishop of Canterbury he could not be Metropolitan of London Rochester c. 5. And this is the very parallel to the present instance and if it were not invalid enough by being a bare negative argument they are not said in Scripture to be one Starre over divers Churches all things that are are not said in Scripture those Angels have not therefore no names because they are not there recorded this parallel instance which supposes the contrary to their pretensions would be sufficient to invalidate it Section XVIII Of the use of the word Bishop for Archbishop in Tertullian Of Angel in Christs Epistle A Fourth answer or rather confutation is added That if this opinion were true then Tertullian did not doe well in saying that St. John made Polycarpe Bishop of Smyrna but he should rather have said that he made him Archbishop And our Saviour Christ had not given to these seven Angels their due Titles for he must have written to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus together with all those Churches in the Cities subordinate to Ephesus And so likewise of the other six 2. To this I reply that the affirming the seven Angels to have been Metropolitanes no way obligeth us to find fault either with Tertullians or our Saviour's style Not with Tertullian's for 1. an Arch-Bishop is a Bishop though dignified above some others of that order Secondly supposing Smyrna to be a Metropolis as no doubt if it were Tertullian knew and supposed it to be then his styling Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna is aequivalent to his calling him a Metropolitaâ— or Archbishop As acknowledging Canterbury to be a Metropolitical See in England the affirming William Laud to be constituted Bishop of Canterbury is all one as to affirme him Archbishop 3. Thus when Chrysostome saith of Titus that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an intire Island and the judgement of so many Bishops was committed to him what is this but to affirme Titus Arch-bishop of Crete And yet Eusebius who believed this and adverted to it as much as Chrysostome uses this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was Bishop of the Churches of Creet calling him Bishop distinctly though by the mention of the Churches in the plural 't is evident he meant the same that we doe by Arch-Bishop 4. So againe Eusebius of Irenaeus that he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was Bishop of the Provinces of France which must needs signifie Archbishop of Lyons for so he was And 't is certaine that other of the Antients use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arch-Bishop of those which were no otherwise qualified for that title as when Saint Cyprian the Bishop of Carthage under which the whole Province of Africk is comprehended is by the Councel of Constantinople called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arch-Bishop of the region of Africk 5. The same answer will competently suffice for the reconciling Christ's style and ours for supposing Ephesus to have been a Metropolis the writing to the Angel of that Church implyes writing to those other Churches in the Cities subordinate to Ephesus and need not be more fully exprest as when the Apostle wrote to the Church of Corinth and not onely so but to all the Saints and so all the Churches in all Achaia 2 Cor. 1. 1. 't is certaine that the former Epistle was written to those very same Churches viz. all under the Metropolis of Corinth and yet it is inscribed to the Church of God which is at Corinth 1 Cor. 1. 1. without mentioning of Achaia save onely in a general indefinite phrase with all that in every place call on the name of Jesus 6. Secondly the word in Christ's Epistle being not Bishop but Angel is not at all lyable to this exception For why may not an Arch-Bishop be as fitly called an Angel as a Bishop would be nay if it be remembred what was formerly cited out of Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. 6. that there are seven Angels which have the greatest power by him styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first-borne rulers of the Angels parallel to the phrase in Dan. 7. 10. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the head Lords or chiefe Princes or as we ordinarily stile them the Archangels of which number Michael is there named to be one There will then be more than a tolerable propriety of speech in Christ's style a most exact critical notation of their being Arch-Bishops and withall a farther account of Tertullian's calling Polycarp a Bishop of Smyrna though he were Arch-Bishop just as the Archangels in Daniel are more than once called Angels in the Revelation 7. For a close of this mater they are pleased to adde their Character not over-benigne of those by whom this device as they style it was found out for the honour of Archpiscopacy that they did aspire unto that dignity 8. If hereby be meant the Lord Primate of Ireland in his discourse of the Original of Bishops this character can have no propriety in it he having quietly enjoyed that dignity many yeares before the writing hereof If it be designed for a reproach to me I shall elude the blow by not thinking it such For as at a time when Episcopacy it selfe was by the Parliament abolisht and that Act of severity actually put in execution it had been a great folly in any to hope that he should ever attaine to that Office of Dignity in the Church and what ever other follies I have been guilty of truly that was none of them so I thinke there could not a point of time more commodiously have been chosen in the space of above 1600 yearâ—s wherein a man might have better secured a Discourse for Bishops and Metropolitanes from the Censure of aspiring to either of those Dignities that was that wherein that Book was published 9. To this if I adde by way of retortion that it is evident that they which write this Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangeliei doe aspire every one of them to their
by the view of them And the first they produce is this 25. The Apostles went about ordeining Presbyters in every Church Act. 14. 23. 26. But surely this is an infirme argument Every Church signifies without question more Churches than one viz. Derbe Lystra Iconium Antioch v. 20. 21. And if in each of those one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be supposed to be ordeined that certainly will satisfie the importunity of that Text and the mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders in the plurall viz. foure Elders in those so many Churches And if because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the singular number they therefore thinke that those plurall Elders must be ordeined in each of those Churches This is too grosse a mistake for Scholers to be guilty of it being certaine that that is not the importance of the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any more than of the English Church by Church or in every Church i.e. more Elders in more Churches one in every one 27. Their next proofe is from Act. 20. 17. Paul called for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus one of these seven Churches and calls them Bishops and commits the whole government of the Church to them The like may be said of the other six Churches 28. What may be said of Ephesus I grant may be said of the other six Churches but the Text no where affirmes it of Ephesus and so the analogy will no way prove it of the rest All that the Text saith is this And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church This is not to say the Elders as that signifies Presbyters in our moderne notion of the one City and so Church of Ephesus but the Elders i.e. Bishops either of the Asian Church of that whole Region or at least of the Ephesine Province the neighbouring Bishops of the Churches or Cities that were under that Metropolis of Ephesus who by St. Paul's sending his summons to Ephesus the chiefe City of the one and chiefe Metropolis of the other which consequently had daily meanes of communicating intelligence to those other Cities might thus most commodiously be advertised of St. Paul's comming and provide to meet him at Miletus 29. That this is no strain'd interpretation or answer is elsewhere evidenced and may summarily appeare by these two testimonies one of Irenaeus here formerly mentioned l. 3. c. 14. ab Epheso reliquis proximis civitatibus convocatos esse that they were called from Ephesus and the rest of the neerest Cities adjoyning to it This is an expresse evidence which being allowed puts the whole matter out of question And although in a matter of fact a testimony of so credible a person that lived so neere the times being an auditour of Polycarpe the first Bishop of Smyrna and is not contradicted by any contemporary is of a competent authority and need not any other Topickes to assist it yet for the removing all possible prejudices from it and rendring it yet more indubitable I shall a little farther enlarge for the confirming of it 30. And 1. the Apostle at his meeting with them v. 18. begins in this style yee know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I have been with you at all seasons An addresse to them either as to the Elders of Asia indefinitely as many as could conveniently come to Miletus at that time or at least as to more than to the Elder or Elders if that could be truly pretended of one City of Asia peculiarly or exclusively to all others 31. So againe v. 25. And now behold I know that yee all among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdome of God shall see my face no more This evidently addresses the speech not onely to the inhabitants of one City but to all those as many as were then present among whom hee had gone preaching the Faith of Christ and that we know was done by him to the other Cities and not onely to that of Ephesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in passage though not so solemnly as at Ephesus going through all the Region and preaching the Gospell to all saith Oecumenius on 2 Joh. And so t is expresly said Act. 19. 21. that after the two yeares and three moneths spent at Ephesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he staid and spent some time in Asia And accordingly v. 26. Demetrius truely saith that not onely at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia Paul had perswaded and turned away the people 32. Secondly then the Faith being before this time successefully propagated through all Asia and not onely in this one City of Ephesus there were without question Churches accordingly gathered and compacted in many other Cities as well as in Ephesus before this time of Paul's parting never to see them againe And not onely in the other Metropolis six more of which are owned by the Objectors Smyrna and the rest Rev. 1. but also in the lesser Cities which were not Metropoliticall and yet more especially in those Cities which were neerest Ephesus and which as belonging to that Metropolis had frequent resort thither to the Assises which were there kept Act. 19. 38. and so must be supposed to have received speciall influences from the Apostle's residing there for the space of two yeares and three moneths Act. 19. 8. 10. 33. To which purpose it must againe be remembred that as Timâ—thy is by Eusebius styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop of the Province that belongs to Ephesus l. 3. c. 4. which is all one as to make that a Metropolis over other Cities and accordingly in the order of Metropoliticall Sees at the end of Codinus the Bishop of Ephesus is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primate of all Asia so Ignatius in Traâ—an's time is by joynt consent of the antients affirmed to have written Epistles to two Churches Magnesia and Trallis which are known to be Cities under this Metropolis of Ephesus and to have named the Bishops of each Damas of the one and â—olybius of the other 34. And as there is no question among any but that Ignatius wrote such Epistles to those Churches Salmasius cites that to the Trallians expresly as the Epistle of Ignatius which certainly he would never have done if he had doubted whether ever Ignatius wrote to them and indeed all that is questioned by him and D. Blondell is but this whether the Epistles now extant under his name be genuine or no not whether Ignatius as all writers accord wrote seven Epistles of which these which we now speake of are two so there is no ground of imagining that they were of a later plantation than that which is here recorded to be wrought by St. Paul Act. 19. All Asia having then heard the Faith v. 10. and received it in a remarkable manner v. 20. and a great dore saith St. Paul being opened to him at Ephesus peculiarly which must needs have influence on the Cities next adjoyning to it in
requiring and so not be so eminently worthy of the double honour as he that actually doth both so certainly he that rules well in any Church and beside the care belonging to rule undergoes that other double hard travell so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies of preaching the faith to Infidels and confirming and instructing believers doth very highly deserve the double honour and alimonie And this as it is the exact meaning of that Text so it utterly supersedes all force of this objection or exception against our understanding it of the Presidents or Bishops in the Praelaticall sense Fourthly For the word Presbytery 1 Tim. 4. 14. by which they say I understand Episcopacy I answer that I interpret it of some combination either of Apostles or Apostolical persons and Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Theodoret's phrase such as were vouchsafed the Apostolicall grace i. e. of Paul assuredly 1 Tim. 2. 6. and perhaps of Barnabas perhaps of some other Apostolical person with him in like manner as both Peter and John style themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders and Ignatius styles the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Presbytery or Eldership of the Church and as of Ignatius himselfe S. Chrysostome affirmes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the hands of more Apostles than one were laid on him in his ordination to the Bishoprick of Antioch To which matter the Scholion of Chrysostome is expresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he speakes not here of Presbyters but Bishops adding the reason because Presbyters did not ordaine Bishops and so Theophylact and Oecumenius Lastly for the other two places of not-rebuking and receiving an accusation against an Elder though in those places it were clearely for my interest to interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Presbyter in our moderne sense for then as Epiphanius saith there is an evidence of proofe that the Bishop hath power over the Presbyter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Timothy over the Elder saith he but never the Elder over Timothy Yet I confesse my selfe inclined by other considerations to foregoe that advantageous sense of the place Because Timothy being placed in the prime Metropolis had power over the Bishops of lesser Cities and that as hath oft been shewed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power of â—udging as well as of ordeining Bishops which is elsewhere evidenced to be the opinion of S. Chrysostome in order to the understanding of this place And so still the crime is not very great or reproachfull which I am said to have confest it amounts no higher than the former confession had done that Timothy was Archbishop of Ephesus and yet this you see without any necessity to extort it from thee save that of speaking freely what I conceived most probable For otherwise nothing could be more for the advantage of the maine cause I defenâ— than that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders should signifie Presbyters in these two places Sect. IX A fourth confession of Titus being Archbishop of Creet THeir fourth charge is that I am forced to confesse that Titus was Archbishop of Creet and that he received no commission from S. Paul to ordaine single Elders but onely for ordeining Bishops in every City It seems say they this Author slights the Postscript where Titus is called the first Bishop of Creet and slights all those antient Fathers that are cited by his owne party to prove that he was Bishop of Creet But he must be an Arch-Bishop and so must Timothy also or else these assertions of his will fall to the ground Now that they were neither Bishops nor Arch-Bishops hath beene sufficiently proved as we conceive in the former discourse That Titus was Arch-Bishop of Creet I confesse again that I cannot but believe till I am shewed how the contrary were possible i. e. how he that was fastned in and as Eusebius saith had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Episcopacy of a whole Island which had an hundred Cities in it and was there placed that he might ordeine Bishops under him in each of those Cities Tit. 1. 5. 7. and as the antients adde exercise jurisdiction over them should be other than an Arch-Bishop That this was his condition hath been shewed already And for the inconveniences that it is prest with they will prove very supportable For I shall not at all be obliged thereby to slight either Postscript or Fathers but give the disputers example to pay them all reverence being very well able to discerne the Bishop through the Archbishop having never imagined that the styling Michael an Archangel was denying him to be an Angel He certainly was an Angel and that of an higher degree or else could never have been justly called an Archangell and 't is just so with Titus if I had not thought him a Bishop I could never have affirmed him an Archbishop and they that in common speech give him the title of Bishop doe no way intimate their thoughts to be contrary to mine for every Archbishop is certainly a Bishop though every Bishop be not an Archbishop And therefore if all the danger of my assertions falling to the ground be consequent to this of Titus or Timothies proving to be no Archbishop I shall deeme them competently safe for each of them were unavoidably such Timothy Archbishop of Ephesus the prime Metropolis of all Asia and Titus of the whole Island of Creet and accordingly to those two peculiarly as such directions are given for the ordeining Bishops and Deacons in every City And the proofes which were offered to the contrary have I suppose already been answered and being not here thought fit to be recited the replyes shall not be so impertinent as to appeare without their antagonists Onely because it is here inserted as part of my inconvenient confession that Titus received no Commission from Saint Paul to ordaine single Elders which I believe I no where say any otherwise than that the Commission cap. 1. 5. was to create Bishops in every City I shal freely tell them my opinion of that viz. that a greater power may very fitly be said to comprehend under it the lesser of the same kinde and consequently that both Timothy and he which had Commissions to ordaine Bishops in every City had also by the same commission power to ordaine single Presbyters where those were usefull to be ordained as is evident by the qualification of Deacons and Widows after-mentioned in one certainly and as I conceive in both Epistles for that supposeth their Commission to extend to the ordeining of those who yet had not been named in them if we may guesse by that of Titus cap. 1. 5. And so much also of that part of my confession which is as free and unforced as the former had been and I believe as fafe to the affirmer Sect. X. A fift charge of contrariety to Scripture answered Of visitation of the sick belonging to Elders James 5. BUt the fift and
of many Cities each of which had a Bishop over them as when in the Councel in Trullo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyprian is said to be Archbishop of the Region of the Africanes Region there signifying the whole Province under that Metropolitane and so Cyprian himselfe makes it his observation Jampridem per omnes provincias singulas urbes instituti sunt Episcopi Antiently through all the Provinces and each of the Cities Bishops were instituted Where the Bishops in the several Provinces as those differ from the Bishops in each City are undoubtedly Archbishops And if that place so very agreeable to this of Clemens may be allowed to give us the meaning of it we see what it will be and how distant from these mens conclusion that the Apostles instituted Bishops in every City and in each Region or Province and in the Metropolis or chiefe City of it a Metropolitane or Archbishop But then 2. if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should signifie as they would have it a company of villages or little townes lying neer together so as to be here used in opposition to the Cities yet could it not be from hence concluded that the Apostles constituted Bishops in those villages The words are they preached through regions and Cities and constituted their first fruits earlyest converts into Bishops and Deacons which will be perfectly true though all the Bishops and Deacons constituted by them had their fixt seats of residence in the Cities For that they constituted Bishops in the Regions is not here affirmed Much more might be said in this matter to shew that the utmost concessions that the adversaries could demand from hence would no way hinder or disadvantage our pretensions but onely give the Chorepiscopi a greater Antiquitie in the Church than either they or we have reason to thinke they had of which whole matter the reader may see a full discourse Dissert 3. c. 8. Sect. 25. c. and of it somewhat we shall anon have occasion to repete from thence The second Testimony of Clemens is set down by them in these words That the Apostles knowing by Jesus Christ that there would a contention arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about the name of Bishop being indued with perfect foreknowledg they appointed the aforesaid that is the aforesaid orders of Bishops and Deacons c. Here they require two things to be noted 1. that by name is not meant the bare name of Bishop but the honour and dignity as it is taken Phil. 2. 9. Ephes 1. 21. Heb. 1. 4. Rev. 11. so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The controversie among the Corinthians was not about the name but dignity of Episcopacy for it was about the deposition of their godly Presbyters pag. 57. 58. 2. That the onely remedy appointed by the Apostles for the cure of all contentions arising about Episcopacy is by committing the care of the Church to Bishops and Deacons Afterwards the Church found out another way by setting up one Bishop over another But Clemens tells us that the Apostles indued with perfect foreknowledge of things ordained only Bishops and Deacons for a remedy of Schismes To this they adde to supersede farther citations our of this Epistle It would be too long to recite all that is said in this Epistle for the justification of our proposition let the Reader peruse pag. 57. 62. 69. 72. and take notice that those which are called Bishops in one place are called Presbyters in another and that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughout the whole Epistle What this whole Epistle will yeild toward the proof of their proposition which is That after Christs Ascension the Church of God for a certaine space of time was governed by a Common Councel of Presbyters without Bishops I thinke it reasonable for any that hath not read it to conjecture by these two testimonies which these who assert the proposition and here undertake to prove it have thought fit to cull out of it having withall nothing more to collect for their turne from the rest of the Epistle particularly from the comparing those foure pages 57. 62. 72. but only this that they which are called Bishops in one place are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders in another Now this last they know is the very thing that I contend as from the Scripture so from this and other antient writings that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop and Elder are words of the same importance all the question is whether at the first both imported Bishops or both Presbyters in our moderne notion That there is no one circumstance so much as offered by them to consideration which may incline it their way is evident by their owne words neither of their two notes pretending to it only their conclusion affirming that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of the same importance The whole matter therefore will still divolve to this one Quaere whether when Clement saith of the Apostles that they constituted none but Bishops and Deacons by Bishops a College of Presbyters in every City be to be understood or rather one Bishop with his Deacon or Deacons in every City For the clearing of this one difficulty for this being evinced all that their two notes affirme is directly on our side against them I shall here intirely set downe the whole place last produced of which they have left out one halfe It is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Apostles knew by our Lord Jesus Christ that must be by revelation from him that there would contention arise upon the name or dignity of Episcopacie i. e. about the authority of Bishops in the Church some opposing it and casting them out of their Offices as here in the Church of the Corinthians and through all Achaia was actually come to passe at this time and occasioned this Epistle to them For which cause therefore the Apostles having received perfect foreknwoledge that there would be such contentions on this occasion did for the preventing of them constitute the forementioned Bishops and Deacons of those which should come in to the Faith in their new plantations and after them so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in Barnabas's Epistle Sect. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the people that should be after and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 13. 42. that which should follow the next after gave a Series or Catalogue or manner of succession i. e. set downe a note of them which in each Church should succeed the present Incumbent that when they dyed other approved men might succeede to their office or ministery What can be more manifest than that the dignity which the Apostles conferred on the Bishops in each City and Province which in the former Testimony hath been cleared to belong to single Bishops not to any College of Presbyters was by them foreseen that it would be matter of Contention occasion of Sedition in the Church for the prevention of
Justice would purchase a place to any we had commended him in a principall manner as Elder of the Church for so he is Here nine yeares after he had been Bishop and Archbishop of Lyons about the yeare of Christ 177. he is styled by those Letters Elder of the Church by which it appeares that in his time Elder was the title of Bishop in our Moderne sense and consequently so it may fitly signifie in his own writings and so must needs do there when 't is applied to those who were acknowleged Bishops at that time when by the Presbyterians acknowledgement Episcopacy was come in in that notion wherein we now understand it A second proofe of this is that what in one place out of Papias he saith of all the Seniores or Elders which in Asia converst with St. John that Clemens Alexandrinus who lived in the same time affirmes of the Bishops or Elders of Asia meaning by both of them the Bishops in our notion of the word Clemens Alexandrinus wrote his Stromata about the yeare 192. which is five yeares before Irenaeus Martyrdome in the 5. of Severus Now of this Clemens it is certaine 1. That he acknowleged the three Orders in the Church which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the three degrees or promotions in the Church of Bishops Presbyters Deacons and consequently must by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understand Bishops in our moderne sense Secondly that when he makes the Relation of John's meeting with the Bishops of Asia which is the same matter which Irenaeus produceth out of Papias he calls them in the same period both Elders and Bishops indifferently For speaking of St. John he hath this passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comming to a City not farre off and looking on the Bishop which was constituted over all seeing a young man he said This person I commit to thee And the Elder took him home brought him up baptized and at last gave him confirmation Here it is evident this Elder of Asia one of those which in Irenaeus conversed with Saint John is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bishop constituted over all in that City and agreeably when Saint John comes back that way againe he calls to him by that title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Bishop render us the depositum which both I and Christ delivered to thee in the presence of the Church over which thou art set Where againe he that is called Elder both by him and Irenaeus is also by him called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop set over the Church And so that is a second evidence of it Thirdly In his Epistle to Victor Bishop of Rome he speakes of his Predecessors thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Elders which were set over the Church which thou rulest Anicetus Pius Hyginus and Telesphorus and lib. 3. cap. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The blessed Apostles having founded and built the Church of Rome put the Episcopal office into the hands of Linus Anacletus succeeded him Clemens Anacletus Evarestus Clemens Alexander Evarestus then Xystus the sixt from the Apostles after him Telesphorus then Hyginus then Pius after him Anicetus after Anicetus Soter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now in the twelfth place Eleutherus possesses the Bishoprick from the Apostles Here 1. it is evident that every one first named as Elders are yet single persons one succeding another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set over or ruling the Church of Rome Secondly That for twelve successions together they are by Irenaeus lookt upon all as of the same ranke succeeding one another and the first as well as the last called Bishop which must conclude it to be understood by him in such a notion as is equally competible to all and so must be in our moderne notion if the great Asserters of the Presbyterian cause say true that about the yeare 140. i. e. certainly before Elutherius was Bishop of Rome there were Bishops over Presbyters all the world over Lastly Irenaeus speaking of some unworthy voluptuous Elders expresseth their faults in such a manner as cannot fitly belong to any but Bishops Principalis concessionis tumore elati sunt they are puft up with the â—ride of the principall place the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the principall chair which as Bishops belonged to them â—or though it is as possible that Presbyters should be guilty of the pride the tumour and elation as that Bishops should be guilty of the same yet the occasion of it there mentioned the principalis consessio the chiefe place of dignity is peculiar to the one and not reconcileable with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or equality of the other These evidences have readily offered themselves to shew what Irenaeus meanes by Presbyteri when he useth that and Bishops promiscuously viz. by both Bishops in our moderne notion and he that shall reade over that author diligently and compare his dialect with Polycarpe and Papias with whom he accords the former using 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Bishops as hath largely been insisted on and the latter for Apostles and Bishops single Governors of each Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Andrew Peter Aristion John Marke all Elders will doubtlesse finde many more proofes that thus he used the word and I shall adventure to undertake meet with no one indication to the contrary Sect. V. Testimonies of Tertullian Seniores Majores natu for Bishops so in Firmilian AS for Tertullian I shall need say no more but that it is the confession of the great Patron of Presbyterians that he doth aperte tueri communiusu receptam ordinis in Episcopos Presbyteros Diaconos distinctionem Openly defend the received common distinction of the Ecclesiastick order into Bishops Presbyters and Deacons and he that can yet doubt of it let him examine his citations de Praescript cap. 41. de Baptisme cap 17. de Monogam cap. 11. de Fuga c. 11. And that de Baptismo as high cleare as that which was most quarrell'd with in Ignatius Dandi Baptismum jus habit summus sacerdos qui est Episcopus dein Presbyteri Diaconi non tamen sine Episcopi authoritate propter honorem Ecclesiae quo salvo salva pax est The Bishop hath the right of giving Baptisme after him the Presbyters and Deacons yet not without the authority of the Bishop for the honour of the Church which being preserved peace is preserved So that of him it is as cleare as of Irenaeus or Clemens that he must understand Bishop in our Moderne
the same as hath beene cited from Ignatius that all the world over the Bishops were ordained by the Apostles according to the minde of Christ In his Dial. adv Luciferian Ecclesiae salus in summi sacerdotis dignitate pendit cui si non exors quaedam ab omnibus eminens detur potestas tot in Ecclesiis efficientur Schismata quot sacerdotes and Si quaeris quare in Ecclesiâ baptizatus nisi per manus Episcopi non accipiat spiritum sanctum disce hanc observationem ex â—a authoritate descendere quod spiritus sanctus ad Apostolos descendit The safety of the Church depends on the dignity of the chiefe Priest or Bishop to whom if a peculiar power be not given above all that others have there will be as many Schisms as Priests in the Churches If you demand why he that hath been baptized in the Church may not receive the Holy Ghost but by the hands of the Bishop learne that this observance dâ—scends from that Authority in that the holy spâ—it descended on thâ— Apostles 〈◊〉 Testimoâ—y as it shewes the necessity of a singular Bishop to avoid Schisms in the Church and so must affixe the institution of them on the Apostles who made provision against that danger and that I suppose is his meaning in that place which the Presbyterians make most use of so it directly derives the authority by which Bishops stand in the Church distinct from Presbyters and above them from the descent of the Holy Ghost on the Apostles Lastly adv Jovinian 〈◊〉 Episcopâ— Presbyter Diaconus non sunt meritorum nomina sed offiâ—iorâ—m Nec dicitur si quis Episcopatum desilerat The Bishop and Presbytâ—r and Deacon are names of offices neither is it said If any man dâ—siâ—e a Bishoprick applying those Texts of Saint Paul concerning the qualifications of Bishops to the Bishop as in his time he stood distinct from Presbyters All this I supose may suffice to give authority to my collection and conclusion from plaine words of Saint Hierome that his meaning was as plaine and undubitable that Episcopacy was delivered downe and instituted in the Church by the Apostles themselves And I cannot conceive what can be invented to avoid the evidence of these testimonies yet because I promised it I shall now adde that one argument ex abundanti and much more than is necessary to the same purpose viz. to prove that this was Hierome's meaning which I pretend it to be And that such as by these objectors cannot with justice be denyed to have a full irrefragable force in it having themselves made use of it against us which they ought not to have done if by themselves it shall now be denyed when it is produced by us In the close of their Appendix they have set downe several propositions declaring the judgement and practice of the Antient Church about ordination of Ministers and their first proposition being this that in the first and purest times there was ordination of Presbyters without Bishops over Presbyters their proofe is this For these Bishops came in postea and pâ—ulâ—tim afterward and by little and little as Jerome saith And Panormitan lib. 1. Decretal de Consuetud cap. 4. saith Olim Presbyteri in communi regebant Ecclesian◠〈◊〉 sacerdotes pariter conferebant omnia sacramenta Of old the Elders ruled the Church in common and ordained Priests and joyntly conferred all the Sacraments These two testimonies of Hierome and Panormitan being brought to prove the same proposition concerning ordination by Presbyters and the time of Bishops coming in to the Church It must sure be reasonable to resolve that what Panormitan hath defined in this matter that was Saint Hieromes sense also Now what that is will be discerned by setting downe Panormitane's words at large as they lye in the place cited by them The businesse he hath there in hand is to prove that custome is not of force so farre as to prescribe that an Ordinary Clerk as Presbyter shâ—uld performe an Episcopal act Ea quae sum ordinis Episcopalis non possunt acquiri per ordinem inferiorem ex consuitudine quantamcunque veâ—ustissimâ Those things that are of Episcopal order cannot be any custome how antient soever be acquired by any Inferiour order The reason is quia consuetudo non facit quem capacem because custome doth make no man capable Then he makes this observation that Ritus Apostol orum circa sacramenta habent impedire characterus impressionem The rites or practice or Institutions of the Apostles about the Sacraments have power to hâ—nd â—the impression of the Character nam immediate post mortem Christiâ—omâ—es Presbyteri in communi regebant ecclesiam non fuerant inter ipsos Epiâ—scopi sed idem Presbyter quod Epiâ—copus pariter conferebant omnia sacramenta sed postinodum ad Schismata sedâ—nda fecerunt seu ordinaverunt Apostoli ut crearentur Episcopâ— certa sacramenta iis reservarunt illa interdicendo simplicibus Presbyteris For immediately after the death of Christ all thâ— Elders in common ruled the Church and so there were no Bishops among them but a Presbyter was the same that a Bishop and they joyntly conferred all the Sacraments But after a while for the appeasing of Schismes the Apostles caused or ordained that Bishops should be created and reserved to them some Sacraments or holy Rites forbidding single Presbyters to meddle with them and he concludes Et vides hic quod talis ordinatio habet impedire etiam impressionem Characteris quia si Presbyteri illa de facto conferunt nihil conferunt and here you see that such an Ordination is able to hinder the impression of the Character because if Presbyters doe de facto confer them they confer nothing Where as Panormitan cited by them to prove Ordination without Bishops and specious words pickt out of him to that purpose doth yet distinctly affirme that Presbyters which confer Orders without a Bishop conferre nothing all their Ordinations are meere nullities and what could have been said more severely against their practice and their designe in citing him than this so he plainly interprets St. Jeromes assertion of the occasion and time of Bishops being set over the Presbyters that it was done by the appointment of the Apostles themselves and so that consuetudo custome in Jerome opposed to Christ's disposall is no more than postmodum ordinaverunt Apostoli after a while the Apostles ordeined opposed to immediatè post mortem Christi immediately after the death of Christ And then by the way as the Reader may hence discerne what force there is in this Testimony of Panormitan to support their first proposition concerning the Ordination of Presbyters without Bishops over Presbyters for which besides St. Jeromes postea and paulatim and part of this testimony of Panormitan they produce no other and as by what was formerly said of the Testimonies of Cyprian and Firmilian their chiefe supports for their second proposition
have already been utterly demolished so also the Testimonies of Isidore Hispalensis and the Councell of Aquen produced for the proofe of their third Proposition concerning the Presbyters having an intrinsick power to ordaine Ministers will immediately vanish in like manner For as it is evident that that place in that councell of Aquen is for nine Chapters together transcribed out of Isidore and consequently the Testimonies out of him and that councell are but one and the same thing twice repeated to increase the number so 't is as evident that what is by them said is taken from St. Hierome and can no farther be extended either in respect of the authority or the matter of the Testimony than in St. Hierome it hath appeared to extend And therefore as the * words cited by these men out of them are no more than these that solum propter authoritatem Clericorum ordinatio consecratio reservata est summo sacerdoti That Presbyters have many things common with Bishops onely in respect of authority or for the preserving it intire and the unity of each Church which depended on that in St. Hierom's opinion the Ordination and consecration of Clerks i. e. of all Presbyters and Deacons was reserved to the chiefe Priest i. e. the Bishop which how farre it is from concluding what it was brought to prove the intrinsick power of Presbyters to ordaine Ministers I leave to any Reader to passe judgement And yet truly this doth it as well as their one other antient Testimonie that of Leo set out in their front out of his 88. Epistle concerning the Consecration of Presbyters and Deacons and some other things Quae omnia solis deberi Pontificibus authoritate canonum praecipitur All which that they should be due to the Bishops and to none else it is commanded by the authority of the â—anons Who would ever have thought fit from such words as these which affirme this privilege to be reserved peculiarly to the Bishops and that the authority of the Canons so requires to conclude that the Presbyters had this intrinsick power As if all that the Canons deny Presbyters were infallibly their due to enjoy and the Argument demonstrative that it was their Originall and intrinsick due because the Canons deny it What they adde of Ischyras Prop. 6. that being deposed from being a Presbyter because made by Colluthus who was but a Presbyter himselfe and not a Bishop this was done not because the act of Colluthus was against the Canon of Scripture but onely because it was against the Canons of some councels is somewhat of the same nature with the former and will be best judged of by the relation of the Fact which in the story of those times is thus made by Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He adventured on a thing worthy of many Deaths for being never admitted to the Priesthood and assuming to himselfe the name of an Elder he dared to doe the things belonging to a Priest A censure which certeinly sets the fault somewhat higher than the transgressing of the Canons of some Councels Two Testimonies more I shall touch on before I returne to the pursuit of my proposed Method and then I shall render the reason of this Excursion For the confirmation of their second Proposition concerning Ordination one Testimony they produce from the Synod ad Quercum Ann. 403. where it was brought as an accusation against Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he made Ordinations without the company and sentence of the Clergy Another from the councell of Carthage Can. 20. Vt Episcopus sine Concilio Clericorum sâ—orum non ordinet That a Bishop ordeine not Clerkes without the Councell of his owne Clerkes and Can. 2. Cum Ordinatur Presbyter Episcopo eum benedicente manum super caput ejus tenente etiam omnes Presbyteri qui prasentes sunt manus suas juxta manum Episcopi super caput illius teneant When a Presbyter is Ordrined as the Bishop blesseth him and layes his hand on his head let all the Presbyters also that are present lay their hands on his Head by the Hand of the Bishop And the conclusion deduced from these Testimones and the forementioned of Cyprian and Fermilian is this that Ordination by Bishops without the assistance of his Presbyters was alwayes forbidden and opposed How truly this is inferred from the Praemâ—sses will soone be judged by a view of the Testimonies For the first this is the truth of the Story Theophilus a guilty person and as such cited to answer what was objected against him making use of the envy under which Chrysostome then laboured shifted the Scene and becamse his judge nay as Photius tells us he and the rest of that Conventicle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that were Chrysostome ' s greatest enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were at once Judges and Accusers and Witnesses of all that was charged against him And therefore we already see what heed is to be given to the accusatiâ—n of those Fathers ad quercum and how valid an argument can be deduced from it And we shall the better guesse at it if we consider also what other particulars were in the same manner that this was charged against him set downe by Photius in his Bibliotheca The 23. charge was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Bath was heated for him alone and that after he had bathed Serapion shuts the passage into the Bath that no body else might bath The 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he ate alone living like one of the Cyclopes and betwixt these two new found crimes comes in this in the midst being the 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he ordained many that had no Testimonialls which being set down by Photius as the summe of that charge referres us indeed to the ground on which their charge was built of his ordaining without a Councell and against the minde of his Clergy those testimonialls and so the approbation of the person by the Clergy being generally a good preparation to the receiving Orders but doth not at all prove that a Bishop might not ordaine without assistance of his Presbyters or that it was alwayes forbidden any more than it proves that eating or bathing alone was alwayes forbidden also As for that of the 4. Councell of Carthage Can. 20. They have set downe but halfe the Canon the whole runnes thus Vt Episcopus sine concilio Clericorum non ordinetâ— ita ut civium conniventiam Testimonium quaerat That the Bishop ordain not without his councell of Clergy so that he seeke the liking and testimoniall of the Inhabitants Which againe onely serves to shew the use of the assistent Presbyters to helpe the Bishop to a due knowledge of the person to be ordained and this they know we Praelatists assent to and approve of but is no argument of the unlawfulnesse of sole ordination or of any power that the Presbyters have in the conferring of Orders So
Secondly that though the one Angel of the Church be the person to whom each part of the Epistle is addrest yet in it are set downe the sins and fate of the whole Church i. e. of all the believers in it Thus when the people of Israel or Judah were fallen into foule sins and provocations against God it was ordinary for God to send a Prophet to the King of either of them and admonish him what reformations were to be wrought and what judgements were a comming in case of neglect In which kind of messages of the Prophet delivered to the King 't is certaine that the whole people were concerned and so without question was it here Rev. 2. 10. the Devill shall cast some of you i. e. some Members of that Church into prison c. and so ver 13. among you i. e. among you of that Church or City 10. And indeed if each of those Churches had been governed by a Consistory of co-equal Presbyters and those as is pretended by our adversaries signified by the Angel yet there would be as little reason to doubt but the sins of the people as well as the Clergy were here reprehended by Christ and the judgement threatned to one as well as to the other And to this can be no reason to inferre the Angel to be no singular person the Church ruled by one making up a multitude as well as if it were ruled by a Presbytery 11. As for the place cap. 2. 24. concerning Thyatira that hath a different appearance For the Greek copie ordinarily reading it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I say unto you in the plural and to the rest which are in Thyatira the you in the plural is by the Objectors thought necessarily to belong to the Angel of that City as the rest to the community of the people To this place therefore we have formerly answered that the reading in the Antient Manuscripts particularly in that belonging to the Kings Library at Saint James's leaves out the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and and reads thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to you I say the rest which are in Thyatira And this takes away all force from the objection for the former part of the Epistle belonging to the Angel who permitted Jezabel and to them that committed fornication with her the But in the front separates the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you the rest from the Angel and those other formerly spoken to and therefore the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you cannot possibly be the Angel wherein all the strength of the Objection consists 12. But this Answer though taken notice of is disliked For say they he that shall view the Antecedent and Consequent and consider that ver 23. it is said I will give to every one of you c. and then followes but I say unto you and then in the conclusion of the verse I will put upon you no other burthen will confesse that the old copies are better than that which is said to be Tecla's Manuscript 13. And here I shall desire the Reader to beare me company in obeying their directions and observe what the Antecedents and Consequents can afford to the prejudice of that Antient copy 'T is most true that v. 23. we read I will give to every one of you and that then it followes v. 24. But I say unto you and in the conclusion of the verse I will put upon you But I demand what will they conclude from hence That by the word you in all these places the same persons are to be understood and that those persons are the interpretation of the Angel v. 18 These two things they must conclude or else they will faile in their designe which is to shew that by the word Angel the collective body of Rulers is meant But the first of these is evidently false whatsoever reading be retained for besides that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But doth clearly separate the second you from the first and makes them distinct persons The very matter of the speeches will convince it For in the 23. v. the you are those that were corrupted by Iezabel v. 20. 22. who are now to be exemplarily punisht and destroyed I will kill her i. e. Iezebels children with death as also those that had committed Fornication with her v. 22. and all the Churches shall know that I am the searcher of hearts and I will give to every of you according to your workes But the second you and so also the third are the quite contrary to these As many as have not this Doctrine and who have not knowne these depths of Satan and consequently who are not to be punished nor so much as admonished but onely confirmed in their present practice to hold fast what they have already 14. So contrary is it to all appearance of truth that the Antecedent and Consequent should favour their pretension 15. This matter is so evident the contrary conditions and fates of the you in v. 23 and the you in v. 14. that if the ordinary reading were to be retained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that rendred to you and the rest in Thyatâ—ra so as to difference you and the rest another Antecedent to the Relative you must necessarily be sought out and then that can be no other but the Churches incidentally mentioned v. 23. who had not been charged for this crime For as for the Angel v. 18. if hee were not so remote 6. verses off and if the singular number could be the Antecedent to the plurall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you as it cannot yet still he is charged for suffering the Woman Jezabel and so is numbred among the gulity persons that are to repent or be punisht and not to have no other burthen laid on them save only to hold fast what they have as is said of the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you v. 24. 16. But the truth is that of making the Churches the Relative is so inconvenient and yet no other way imaginable to reconcile the ordinary reading and the whole sense is so much more cleare and current in the reading of the King's M S. But to you the rest in Thyatira those that had not beene guilty of the misbehaviours censured and threatned in the former Verses that I professe I cannot discerne any appearance of reason to quesion the truth of it much lesse to conceive that the ordinary copies are better which yet however they read it must oppose the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you to those before mentioned and so cannot apply it with any appearance of probability to the Angel or consequently pre-judge ours or confirme their pretensions Section IX Of the Elders at Ephesus Act. 20. A Second reason to prove the Angel to be a collective body is this because it is certaine that the Church of Ephesus was a collective body and that there were many Presbyters to whom St. Paul at his finall departure from them committed the charge of that Church