the Congregation that is he instructeth us and sheweth that the Priestly Ordinations should not be done but under the conscience of the assisting people that the Lay-people being present either the crimes of bad men may be detected or the deserts of good men predicated that so that Ordination may be just and legitimate which hath been examined by the judgment and suffrage of All. 5. Which thing is after observed according to the Divine Magisteries in the Acts of the Apostles when Peter spake to the Lay-people about Ordaining a Bishop in the place of Judas Peter saith the Text stood up in the midst of the Disciples for the multitude was together in one And it was not only in the Ordinations of Bishops and Priests but of Deacons also that we note the Apostles to have observed this Of which also in their Acts it is written and the twelve saith tbe Text called together the whole Laity of the Disciples and said to them And the whole business is managed thus diligently and cautelously the whole Laity being convocate lest any unworthy person should creep into the Ministry of the Altar or the place of Priesthood For God himself manifesteth by the Prophet O see saying They have made themselves a King but not by me that unworthy men are sometimes ordained by mans presumption and that these things are displeasing to God which come not of a legitimate and just Ordination 6. For which cause it is diligently to be observed and held as of Divine Tradition and Apostolical Observation which is held also with us and in a manner or almost through all the Provinces that to the right celebrating of Ordinations all the next Bishops of the Province come together to the Lay-people to whom the Bishop praepositus is ordained and that a Bishop be made the Lay-people being present who most fully know every mans life and discern every mans acting by his conversation which we see done also with your selves in the Ordination of our Colleague Sabinus that by the suffrage of the whole fraternity and by the judgment of the Bishops who at the present met and who wrote Letters of it to you the Episcopacy should be delivered to him and hands should be laid on him instead of Basilides Nor can it rescind the Ordination which was rightly perfected that Basilides after his crimes detected and his conscience laid bare by his own confession going to Rome deceived our Colleague Stephen who lived far off and was ignorant of the matter of fact and of the silenced truth that he might compass to be unjustly replaced in his Bishoprick from which he had been justly deposed 7. The effect of this is that the offences of Basilides are not so much abolished as cumulate that to his former sins the crime of deceit and circumvention is added For he is not so much to be blamed that was negligently deceived as he to be execrated that fraudulently deceived him But if Basilides can deceive men he cannot deceive God For it is written God is not mocked Nor will fallacy profit Martial to keep him who is involved in great offences from a rightful losing of his Bishoprick Seeing the Apostle warneth us and saith A Bishop must be without crime as the Steward of God Wherefore seeing as you wrote beloved brethren and as Faelix and Sabinus our Colleagues assevere and as another Faelix of Caesar Augusta an honourer of the Faith and a defender of the Truth signifieth by his Letters Basilides and Martial are contaminated by a wicked Libel of Idolatry And Basilides besides the blot of this Libel when he lay sick blasphemed God and confessed that he blasphemed and because of the wound of his conscience voluntarily deposing his Episcopacy turned himself to a repentence begging pardon of God and being satisfied if he might but communicate as a Lay man And Martial besides the filthy and dirty feasts of the Gentiles and the oft frequenting of their Colledges and the deposing his Sons in the same Colledge after the manner of the exterior Nations in prophane Sepulchres and burying them with aliens did also by publick acts with the Ducenary Procurator testifie that he obeyed Idolatry And seeing there are many other and great offences in which Basilides and Martial are held guilty in vain do such men endeavour to usurp to themselves the Office of Bishops when it is manifest that such kind of men may neither be Guides of the Church of Christ nor ought to offer Sacrifices to God Especially when Cornelius also our Colleague a pacifick and just Priest and honoured by God's vouchsafement with Martyrdom did with us and all the Bishops settled in the whole world decree that such men be not admitted to Repentance but that they be prohibited from Clergy Ordination and Priestly honour 8. And let not this move you most beloved Brethren if with some in the last times their slippery Faith do nod and their irreligious fear of God do shake or pacisick Concord persevere not It was foretold that these things would be towards the end of the world and by the joyntwitness of the Apostles it was foretold that the world declining and Antichrist drawing near all good things would fail or decay and evil and adverse things increase or prosper And yet though it be in the last times neither is Evangelical vigor so fallen in the Church of God or doth the strength of Christian Virtue or Faith so languish but that there remaineth a portion of Priests which yields not to these ruines of things and shipwrack of Faith but as strong and stable do with observation of fear maintain the honour of the Divine Majesty and the Priestly dignity We remember and hold that when the rest did yield and fall Mathatias did valiantly defend the Law of God And that when the Jews failed and departed from Divine Religion Elias stood and strove sublimely That Daniel neither deterred by the solitude of a strange Country nor by the infestation of daily persecution did frequently and valiantly give glorious testimonies or Martyrdoms and that the three young men neither broken with years nor threats did faithfully stand out against the Babylonian fires and even in their captivity conquered the conquering King 9. The number or party of prevaricators or trayors that now rise up in the Church against the Church and have begun to spoil both Faith and Verity shall see it that yet with the most there remaineth a sincere mind and entire Religion a soul devoted to none but their Lord and God and that other mens perfidiousness doth not depress the Christian Faith to ruine but doth more excite it and exalt it unto glory Even as the blessed Apostle Paul exhorteth and saith What if some of them have fallen from Faith shall their unbelief make void the saith of God God is true and every man a lyar And if every man be a lyar and God only be true what else should we Gods sevants do and specially his Priests
not oppose Sect. XVIII We find proof thar ordinarily Churches were first planted in Cities there being not then in the Villages Christians enough to make Churches But we find no proof that when there are Christians enough to constitute Churches they may not be planted in Villages also Nor yet that there may not be more Churches than one in the same City For so Grotius saith There were even then when Christians were comparatively but few and that they were as the Jewish Synagogues in this respect And Dr. Hamond largely asserteth that Peter had a Church of Jews and Paul another of Gentiles at Rome and that so it was in other Cities Sect. XIX Much less is it by Divine Institution that Bishops and their Churches or Seats be only in such as we now call Cities which by their priviledges are distinct from other great Towns and Corporations whenas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then signified a great Town or Corporation such as our Market-Towns and Corporations now are Sect. XX. But it is the Law of God that all things about Churches and Church-affairs which he hath left to humane prudence should be done according to such general Rules as he hath prescribed for their regulation SECT IV What Princes and Pastors may do in such matters I. THese foresaid General Laws of God do both give the Rulers their Power for determining things committed to them and also limit their power therein II. These General Laws are that All things be done to Edification the circumstances fitted to the End the Glory of God and the Publick Good the promoting of Truth and Godliness that all be done in Love to the promoting of Love and Unity and that all be done in Order and Decently and as may avoid offence or scandal to all both those without and those within Gal. 6. 15 16. Phil. 3. 15 16. 1 Cor. 14. 3 5 12. 26. 17. Rom. 14. 19. 15. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 23. Ephes 4 12 16 19. 2 Cor. 12. 19. 6. 3. 11. 7. 1 Cor. 8. 13. III. Therefore no Rulers Civil or Ecclesiastical have their power to scandalize and destroy but only to edifie being the Ministers of God for good Rom. 13. 3 4 5. 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. IV. The great Dispute is handled excellently against the Papists for Kings by Bishop Bilson of Christian Obedience Bishop Andrews Tortura Torti Bishop Buckeridge Spalatensis and many more whether the Kings of Christian Kingdoms have not the same power about Church-matters as the Kings of Israel and Judah had David Solomon Hezekiah Josiah c. which cannot be answered by an only Yea or Nay without a more particular consideration of the compared Cases V. We suppose it certain that Christian Kings have no lesser power than the Kings of Israel except 1. What any such King had as a Prophet or in peculiar by an extraordinary grant 2. And what alteration is made by alteration of Church-offices Laws and Worship which may make a difference of which hereafter VI. And 1. It must be remembred that God then reserved the Legislation to himself which he exercised by Revelation and by special Prophets And so the Prophet Moses delivered them that Law which no King had power to abrogate suspend or alter by adding or diminishing Deut. 12. 32. Jos 1. But they had a mandatory power and of making some subordinate By-laws as Cities and Corporations have from and under the King VII 2. Yea great and special Mandates were oft sent from God by Prophets against which the Kings of Israel had no power VIII 3. The Executive or Judicial Power was divided part was in the Kings and Magistrates and part was in the Priests and Levites which the King could not usurp himself as appeareth in Uzziahs offering Incense nor yet forbid the Priests to use it according to God's Law nor change or abrogate their Office For he and they were subject to God's Laws IX 4. God himself settled the High Priesthood on the line of Aaron and all the Priesthood on the Tribe of Levi and it was not in the power of the King to alter it X. 5. God stated the High Priesthood on the Priests during life Numb 35. 25 28. Jos 20 6 c. which Law the Kings had no power to violate XI 6. There are more particular Laws made by God for the duty of the Priests describing their office and work than for any other particular case as many hundred Texts will tell us And none of these Laws might be altered or suspended by the Kings of Israel Nor those by which God stated some of the Judicial Power in the Congregation Num. 35. 12. to 26. XII 7. Solomon's putting out Abiathar and putting in Zadok is not contrary to any of this For supposing the words 1 King 2 35. to be not only a history of the bare matter of fact but a justification of it de jure 1. It poseth learned men to resolve how Zadok and Abiathar are oft said to be both High Priests before and Zadok still put before Abiathar 2. It is certain that Zadok had the right both of Inheritance and especial Promise Numb 25. 11 12 13. 1 Chron. 6. 3 4 c. And what Solomon did was that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled How the possession came into the hands of the line of Ithamar Expositors cannot find It is like it was by occasion of the confusions of their oft Captivity and Anarchy in the interspace of the Judges 3. Even the Priests were the King's subjects and might be punished for their crimes so it were according to God's Laws And if Abiathar forfeited his life he forfeited his Office XIII 8. The Priesthood then depended not on the institution or will of the King or People He might not put out a lawful Priest that had not forfeited his Life or Office He might not have put any one in his place that had not right from God or that was unqualified He might not have forbid the Priests the work appointed them by God But yet if he had injurioâ—slâ— deposed one Abiathar and put in a Zadok the loss had been little to the Church But if he had deposed so great a number of the Priests and Levites as that a great part of God's commanded work must needs thereby have been lest undone and Religion so far destroyed or had as Jeroboam put of the basest of the people or uncapable persons into the Priesthood the loss had been greater and the thing unwarrantable and such as he had not power from God to do XIV And the quality of Moses Law and its Works as different from the Laws of Christ and the Works thereof must be considered that we may discern the difference of the Cases A man that did attempt to draw the people to Idolatry was then to be put to death yea the City to be destroyed that concealed him Deut. ch â—3 so were they that blasphemed and such as committed other heinous
Church Because the charge is more odious and injurious and tendeth more to destroy Love IX 7. To accuse a Church its Doctrine Ministry Worship or Discipline falsly as guilty of such corruption which maketh it unlawful for any Christians to have communion with it or falsly to pretend such faults for his own and others separation from it is a great sin though not so great as to unchurch it X. 8. To hold that every Error in the Doctrine Worship Discipline Pastors or People of that Church yea though settled and continued and foreknown not forced on us to consent to or practice is sufficient cause to make Communion with the Church unlawful is to hold a principle which would infer separation from all the known Churches in this world XI 9. To draw others to such separation by such false accusations or opinions is worse than to do it silently ones self and the more the worse XII 10. The more such accusations strike at the heart of Christian Love which is the life of holy Societies and of Holiness it self and the more they draw men from Piety and to hate and abuse and wrong each other the greater is the sin XIII 11. When men erroneously and causlesly gather separated Members from true Churches where they should continue into Antichurches or Societies where their business is to make others unjustly odious that differ from them this is to gather Schismatical Societies And if they pretend themselves wiser than the Generality of the true Orthodox Churches in the world and so separate from them they were for this called Hereticks at first But if it be but upon a quarrel with some particular neighbour Church or Pastor it was called a Schism XIV 12. If any proud or passionate or erroneous person do as Diotrephes cast out the brethren undeservedly by unjust suspensions silencings or excommunications it is tyrannical Schism what better name soever cloak it XV. 13. If any should make sinful terms of Communion by Laws or Mandates imposing things forbidden by God on those that will have Communion with them and expelling those that will not so sin this were heinous Schism And the further those Laws extend and the more Ministers or People are cast out by them the greater is the Schism XVI 14. If any should not only excommunicate such persons for not complying with them in sin but also prosecute them with mulcts imprisonments banishments or other prosecution to force them to transgress this were yet more heinously aggravated Schism XVII 15. All those would be deeply guilty of such Schism who by talk writing or preaching justifie it and cry it up and draw others into the guilt and reproach the Innocent as Schismaticks for not offending God XVIII 16. If any should corrupt such a Church or its Doctrine Worship or Discipline in the very Essentials by setting up forbidden Officers and Worship or casting out the Officers Worship or Discipline instituted by Christ and then prosecute others for not communicating with them this would be yet the more heinous Schism XIX 17. If either of the last named sorts would not be content with mens Communion with them but would also silence and prosecute such as will not own justifie and consent to all that they do by subscriptions declarations covenants promises or oaths this would yet be a more aggravated Schism XX. 18. If the men that do this should be mere obtruders and usurpers that have no true Pastoral power over those whom they persecute as the Pope over other Kingdoms and Churches this were yet more aggravated schisme XXI 19. If such Usurpers will claim a dominion or Monarchy over all the world and unchurch degrade and unchristen all that will not be their Subjects or will impose sinful termes of Vnion upon all the Christian World and declare all Hereticks or Schismaticks that receive them not and so cast out most of the Christians on Earth and all the sounder Churches this is one of the most heynous sorts of Schism that the mind of man can think of Which is the grand Schism of the Roman Papacy worse than all their interior Schisms when they had many Popes at once XXII 20. If such shall send agents and emissaries into the Dominions of Christians Princes or States to draw the Subjects to that Schisme and make them believe that Princes are by right the Subjects of the Pope and that men shall be damned if they will not take him for the Bishop or Vice-christ of all the World and keep up a rich and numerous Clergie in Christian Kingdomes for this use and make Decrees to exterminate or burn Christians and to depose temporal Lords that will not obey them and execute their lawes This is to maintain and prosecute a Schisme against Religious and Civill peace by open hostility to Princes and People and to mankind XXIII 21. If because the Roman Emperours and Clergie setled five Patriarchs in the Roman Empire of which the Roman Bishop was the first and by Councils called General of that Empire did make Church Laws to bind the Subjects any therefore will teach that these Patriarchs and the Pope as Principiâ—m unitatis must be Rulers in the dominions of other Princes and that such Councils must govern them by their Decrees and that the Universal Church must be united in any one mortal head whether Personal or Collective such as General Councils and so would bring Christian Princes and people under the Laws and Government of forreigners and brand those as Schismaticks that will not fall in with such an Universal Church Policie This were also a very heinous sort of Schism For the Universal Church never did nor will be united on such termes And therefore to make such terms of its unity is to make an Engine to divide it and tear it all into pieces XXIV 22. If any will confine the Power or Exercise of the Church Keyes into so few hands as shall make the Exercise of Christs Discipline impossible as by laying that work on one which multitudes are too few to do or shall make Churches so great and Pastors so few as that the most of the people must needs be without true Pastoral oversight teaching and publick worship and then will forbid those people to Commit the Care of their souls to any others that will be Pastors indeed and so would compel them to be without Christs ordinances true Church Communion and Pastoral help This would be Schismatical and much worse XXV 23. If any Pastors will deny Baptism which is their investiture in the Christian Church to the Adult that refuse to receive the transient Image of the Crucifix or any thing equal to it as a Dedicating means to consecrate them to God and to signifie their Covenant Engagement to Christ and as a badge and symbol of the Christian Religion it seemeth to us to be Schismaticall when Christ himself instituted Baptism without such a Covenanting Image to be the test and bond of his Churches unity But
the Office Power but only the Ministerial Deliverers and Investers And therefore it is Christ and not they that must describe it XLI 9 No Prince or Prelate hath power from Christ to set over or impose upon any Church or Christian people any person as a Pastor who through Ignorance Heresie Malignant opposition to piety or utter defect of Ministerial ability is uncapable of the Office or unfit to be trusted by the people with the Pastoral care and conduct of their soules Nor is it Schism in them to refuse to commit their soules to such nor to chuse and use better when they may do it without greater hurt to others then their gain will compensate XLII 10. Princes or other Magistrates are not appointed by God to be the ordinary Electters and Imposers of Pastors on all the Churches and the people bound to consent to whomsoever they elect But Christ hath given the Bishops the power of free ordaining and the people the power of free consenting and made Magistrates the Goâ—ernours of them that have this power Even as he hath not given power to Princes to chuse Wives or Husbands Servants or Masters Tutors or Pupils Physicians or Patients for all their Subjects but hath antecedently given such Subjects power to chuse for themselves and to Princes to be civil Rulers of such as have this Choice by which Governing Power they may regulate their Choice in subordination to Christs Universal Laws and may punish them for gross misdoing Therefore it is no Schism for Pastors to ordain or People to chuse the Overseers of their souls without or against a Magistrates will or command as such submitting to his Government XLIII 11. When faithful Pastors truly ordained and elected or consented to are in possession if a lawful Magistrate cast them out not only of the Temples and Tithes but also of their Pastoral Relation and Oversight and put others in their places of untried and suspected parts and fidelity 1. The Princes imposition maketh not such the true Pastors of that Church before and without the Peoples consent 2. Nor will it alwaies bind the People to consent and to forsake their former Pastors nor prove them Schismaticks because they do it not For 1. God in Nature and Scripture hath given them that consenting power antecedent to the Princes determination which none can take from them As he hath in nature given men the Choice or Consent at least with what Physician they will trust their lives God hath not put all sick mens lives so far in the Princes power as to bind them to trust and use whomsoever he shall chuse For men are nearest to themselves and their lives are at their own wills in the first instance before they are at anothers And mens souls and everlasting happiness are preciouser to them than their lives and it is first under God their own wills by which they shall live or die though all their friends should do their best to make them willing of what is best 2. They are supposed related duely to their tryed Pastors in the bond of fidelity which they may not unnecessarily violate 3. Otherwise one Roman Emperor might have undone all the Churches and Souls in the Empire in a great degree by imposing on them insufficient heretical or malignant Pastors Where it must be noted 1. That God doth ordinarily work on souls according to the quality of the means To say that He can do otherwise is impertinent while we see that he doth not nor hath promised it We see that Heathens and Infidels are not converted without Preachers We see that Heretical Preachers make Hereticks and Schismatical ones make Schismaticks and ignorant ones leave the people ignorant In several Countries the people are Greeks Papists Lutherans c. as they are taught We see that one clear convincing experienced serious Preacher turneth more souls among us from ignorance errour fleshly lust and worldly wicked hearts and lives than abundance of raw young Readers or Preachers that ignorantly say over a dry prepared speech in a School-boys mode and tone It is not every Preacher of whom it can be said as Dr. Ames doth of old Mr. Midsley a Nonconformist of Lancashire That he was the means of converting many thousand souls from Popery Ignorance and a wicked life Nor whose labours are blest as Mr. Dods Mr. John Rogers Mr. Thomas Hookers Nonconformists or Mr. William Fenners a Conformist and such others were Even as we see by experience that a few skilful prudent experienced Physicians cure more than abundance of young beginners who too oft kill more than they cure We see that the Abassian Armenian Greek and most Popish Countries are lamentably ignorant and usually proportionably vicious for want of a learned pious skilful and laborious Ministery History tells us that the Kingdom of Nubia forsook Christianity for want of competent Teachers The industry of the Jesuits and Friars in China Japan Congo and other Countries telleth us how much they laid on the diligent use of means Jos Acosta tells us how much the West-Indies suffer in Religion by the ignorance and wickedness of the Priests How barbarous and sad a state the Empire of Moscovy is in for want of able faithful Pastors while the Emperours put down Preaching and confine them to Liturgies and Homilies as is affirmed commonly without contradiction How miserable a state the Roman Church yea the Papacy was in in the ninth and tenth Ages even Baronius Genebrard and the greatest flatterers of the Pope lament and this for want of able faithful Pastors and Teachers among them 2. No man hath his power to destruction but to edification The bonum Publicum is the end of Government Therefore it is not Schism in Subjects not to cast their souls on notorious peril of damnation in obedience to any mortal man 3. Every man especially experienced Christians have more sense and knowledge of what is profitable and congruous to them than standers by have how learned soever As ignorance maketh a few short plain oft repeated words in a familiar style more profitable to low-bred persons than an accurate learned Discourse would be so mens several tempers and vices maketh that matter and manner of Preaching profitable to them which to others seemeth otherwise And as a nice Lady must not tie her family of labouring persons to the matter and measure of her diet nor revile them as gluttons or fools if they like it not no more must learned men confine plain people to wordy Orations whether Learned or Pedantick and say This is best for them Much less must they silence causlesly such Teachers as truly profit them or tie them to Homilies or Liturgies only and say Here is as much as is necessary to salvation Nor is it any Schism in the people if they refuse to be so confined by them and denied such helps to their salvation as God hath sent them and made their due 4. Order is an excellent means of edification and
2d so many went one way who under Martian went another way even in point of Heresie When Mavia the Saracen Queen chose Moses a Monk to be her Bishop as the condition of her peace with the Roman Empire Moses would not be ordained by Lucius not because he was an Arrian but because he was a persecutor and hurtful to other men for Religion and so he would be ordained Priest by some that were banished to a certain Mountain Socr. l. 4. c. 29. When the Emperour was gone from Antioch where in person he went to disperse their Meetings and yet they held on the people thrust out Lucius whom he had set up and set up Peter again whom the Emperour had banished But such instances are too many to be recited Yea under Orthodox Princes the people would cleave to their injured Pastors though against the Emperours will as they of Miliane did to Ambrose and the Joannites to Chrysostom who even long after his death separated from the Bishop and kept up their separate Meetings against the will of Prince and Prelates till milder Bishops instead of persecuting them restored Chrysostom's bones and name to honour and reconciled them It will still be objected as before that most of these instances were but the peoples rejection of Arrians But again we answer 1. In other instances they usually chose their Pastors and cleaved to them though prohibited 2. These Arrians were such as subscribed the Ariminum Creed which was so ambiguously compiled that abundance that renounced Arius did think that for obedience and peace they might put a fair sense on the words and so subscribe them And we meet with persons in our times that think words imposed on them by Superiours may and must endure stretching to a sense as far from their usual acceptation as the foresaid words were stretched by the Ariminum Subscribers 3. They that never accused and convicted the refused Bishops of Arrianism yet adhered to their former Bishops 4. It seemeth then that the people are left Judges as to the guiding of their own practice what Bishops to refuse as heterodox and whom to own as Orthodox And indeed the saying of Cyprian is well known that The people have the greatest power both to chuse a worthy Priest and to refuse or forsake the unworthy 6. All Protestants believe that it is no Schism in France or other Papist Countries to chuse Pastors and meet for the Worship of God though forbidden by the Civil and Ecclesiastick Governors of the place Obj. That is because that the Princes are Papists Ans A Papist King is to be obeyed in lawful things what Protestant denieth that Obj. But it is because that the Churches and Worship in those Countries is such as it is not lawful to be present at Ans 1. This Objection granteth that when the commanded Assemblies or Worship are such as it is not lawful to be present at 1. The people are discerning Judges 2. And may lawfully meet else where under Pastors of their own choice 2. But let the Question be not whether we may be present in their Churches but whether we may set up other Churches when we are necessarily kept from those established by Publick Power and it will go far 7. When the Form of Worship and Concord called the Interim was by Charles the 5th imposed on the German Protestants being drawn up by Julius Pflug Sidonius and Islebius Agricola men pretending to moderation as not imposing the Mass c. the Protestants judged it lawful to gather Assemblies and keep up Churches contrary to such an Edict of the Emperour One half of them held on their former way till banishment or other violence hindred them Melancthon and the others that thought the things commanded not utterly unlawful conformed only to prevent the utter desolation of the Churches but not in conscionable obedience to the Emperours Edict as if it had been any Schism to do otherwise if they could have been endured As may be seen in Melancthon's own words in his Epistles and elsewhere 8. The most of Protestants at this day hold that it is no Schism to keep up Churches of their several Parties against their Princes will and prohibition Those called Arminians in Belgia so think Episcopius writeth at large that if Ministers be forbid to Preach and People to Assemble in their case they must go on though they suffer death for it saving that prudence may direct them sometime to avoid a present storm The Churches under the Duke of Brandenburgh are generally contrary to his judgment in Religion And should the Princes of Saxony Brunswick Hassia c. or the Kings of Sweden or Denmark turn Calvinists their Clergy would be far from thinking it their duty to cease their Assemblies of the Lutheran Profession and Worship Bishop Andrews is so far from tying all Ministers to the Kings will that he saith cohibeat Regem Diaconus si cum indignus sit idque palam constet accedat tamen ad Sacramentum i. e. Let even a Deacon restrain the King if he come to the Sacrament being unworthy and that be openly manifest Bishop Bilson of subjection p. 399. saith The Election of Bishops in those daies belonged to the people and not to the Prince and though Valens by plain force placed Lucius there yet might the people Lawfully reject him as no Bishop and cleave to Peter their right Pastor Mark that he layeth it not on his Error but on his entrance without the peoples Election and that they might reject him as no Bishop We see here the full concurrence of such English Bishops as were the most Learned and zealous defenders of Episcopacy and loyalty The same Bishop ibid. p. 236. Saith more plainly Princes have no right to call or confirm Preachers but to receive such as be sent of God and give them Liberty for their Preaching and security for their persons and if Princes refuse so to do Gods labourers must go forward with that which is commanded them from Heaven Not by disturbing Princes from their Thrones nor invading their Realms as your father doth and defendeth he may do but by mildly submitting themselves to the powers on Earth and meekly suffering for the defence of the truth what they shall inflict This is the summ of all that we here intend so pag. 313. he saith we grant that they must rather hazard their lives than baptize Princes which beleive not or distribute the Lords mysteries to them that repent not but give willful and open signification of impiety c. So Beda Hist Eccl l. 2. c. 5. Tells us that Melitus Bishop of London with Justus was banished by the heirs of King Sabbaâ—eth because he would not give them the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which they would have had before they were baptized Yet all this is no justification of causeless disobedience to Magistrates that circumstantiate sacred things according to their Office nor will it justifie any Schismatical societies Vespae habent
to forbid it 2. If the Gospel be hid from the mind though not from the Ear it is hid to them that are lost 2. Cor. 4. 3. And without holiness none shall see God Heb. 12 14. Christ will come in flaming Fire to render vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospel 2. Thes 1. 10. 11. All they shall be damned that obey not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness 2. Thes 2. 11. 12. They that live after the flesh shall die and they that have not the spirit of Christ are none of his Rom. 8. 9. 13. It is not then easie to think of a greatet hurt than to forbid men such means without which experience assureth us that few comparatively are thus inlightened and renewed to God and with which more Comparatively are renewed To say that God can bless to us an ignorant heartless Carnal Teacher is no answer while experience certifieth us that Comparatively he doth not do it If the people would chuse such Pastors Rulers must do their best to change their minds and to provide better for them But that 's not the case that we are now speaking to If people would run into Sects and Heresies Rulers may punish and restrain false Teachers that dangerously corrupt the Christian doctrine and seduce the peoples souls But they may not therefore silence the faithful Ministers of Christ And adhereing to such Ministers doth not any hurt of it self Nor any way tend to the furthering of so much hurt as the contrary would do 3. For who knoweth where to bound his obedience to such silencers as aforesaid If a thousand or two thousand faithful Ministers must cease Preaching when so forbidden why not 3000 why not 4000 If half a Kingdom can you satisfie the consciences of the other half that they must not do so too and so all Christian Kingdoms conform to Moscovie when the Prince commandeth it And if 1000 or 2000 or 3000 Parishes must choose the apparent hazard of their souls and refuse such helps as experience certifieth us they greatly need in obedience to man why must not the rest of the Parishes do so also May I give away the needfull helps to my salvation because others have them as if their salvation might satisfie me instead of my own 4. We acknowledge it a very great Mercy of God to have a Christian Prince and that every Kingdom should be Christian and that Princes must do what they can to accomplish it And that they are the Governours of Paâ—tors as well as of Physicians as is aforesaid and that it is most desireable that the Church and Kingdom should be commensurate and none in their Kingdoms reject the Gospel and that Pastor or people who will do any thing contrary to this or will not further it with all their power are great transgressours But yet the old saying is true owned even by the Papists vid. Pet. De Marcâ— De Eccl. Const that Ecclesia est in impe rio And none but prosessed consenters are Christians And the Temple is a prison and not a Church as men are there forcibly driven against their wills so far is it from saving the souls of any Yet constraining the ignorant and Heretical to hear sound Teachers we are far from opposing But when Paul hath said Not a Novice If Rulers will silence better Teachers and set up Novices that are unskilful in that great and sacred work and never felt that work of faith love and heavenlyness on their own souls which they must Preach to others this will do more hurt than the peoples choice of better men 5. Yea if men of such doctrine could once make Princes and people believe that the people ought to receive only such Pastors as Princes choose for them it may do more harm than all our sects do For sects cannot cast out religion at once Nay usually they perish themselves by their own divisions and shame before they can ruine the Church But Princes might change Religion as oft as the Moon changeth And if good Princes were but the tenth part as rare as they thought that said In uno annulo c. what then would become of Religion in the World LIV. And though we profess our great detestation of Church-Schisms and our lamentation for the sad case of these Nations and the Christian world by reason of them believeing that Schism should be odious to all Christians yet we are past doubt that aggravating some differences and breaches passionately by odious names hath been Schismatical by makeing the distance seem much greater than it was and rendering Dissenters odious to others and teaching Adversaries and ignorant persons to reproach men as guilty of more Schism than they are guilty of indeed Among the Papists if they unite in the Pope they pass not for Schismaticks or Hereticks who differ in all those many and great points which H. Fowlis Montaltus the Jesuits Morals Mr. Clarkson c. reeâ—â—e viz. about Murder Adultery Fornication King killing seldom Loving God c. And among us a man that doth but scruple certain Oaths Subscriptions Covenants Declarations or a Ceremony is charged by some with Schism LV. The Distance of Doctrines or Objective Religion must be distinguished from the passion and peevishness of subjective distance of mens minds e. g. Suppose Grammarians differ about a Criticism whether Vergilius or Virgilius be the truer spelling and Philosophers differ de vacuo de definitione spatii temporis c. de causa motus projectorum c. and Divines differ of the translation of a Text of the antiquity of the Hebrew points of the time of Easter day of a Ceremony or Form of Prayer of the lawfulness of a Lay-Chancellors use of the Church-Keys Would not an impartial stranger say How concordant and happy are these men that differ in no greater matters And if they all fall together by the ears about such things as these it is an aggravated Subjective Schism and a shame to such wranglers who deserve the remedy of scolds But sure they that peaceably and calmly differ about the aforesaid things viz. whether we are bound to Love God once a year whether the Pope may excommunicate and depose Kings that will not extirpate all Protestants Whether an excommunicate King may be murdered as no King c these are far more distant really in point of Religion than the other LVI And we must lament that we find in Church-History and by too much experience that there hath been and is in too many Pastors such a selfishness and high esteem of their own judgments and so little sense of the common weakness of mankind and the lowness of our highest degrees of knowledge and so little Love to others as to themselves that by envy and impatience they raise or increase Schisms in the Church by making a causless outcry against Schism or making little differences seem great They that cannot bear with Persons and Congregations who in little matters
though we hear that some of them take us as not sincere for keeping up a difference and giving no more reasons of it The thing which we so greatly desire leave to do but dare not be so bold yet as to venture by it to displease them who condemn us for not doing it lest their anger would be sharper to us if we do it so great is our difficulty between this Soylla and Charybdis But we hope we may adventure to open some part of the Matter of Fact which Conformity and Nonconformity are concerned in that so men may conjecture at the Case themselves which will be no reflexion on the Government barely to tell what they command nor a challenging any of our Superiours to a disputation nor a charging them as faulty that cannot bear it 1. Matters of Fact to be foreknown to the true understanding of the Cause 1. THE root of the difference between the Old Nonconformists and the Conformists was that one sort thought they should stick to the meer Scripture Rule and simplicity and go far from all additions which were found invented or abused by the Papists in Doctrine Worship and Government and the other side thought that they should shew more reverence to the customs of the ancient Church and retain that which was not forbidden in the Scripture which was introduced before the ripeness of the Papacy or before the year 600 at least and which was found lawful in the Roman Church and common to them with the Greek that we might not seem singular odd and humorous or to go further from the Papists than reason and necessity drave us And the Laity seemed no where so sensible of the difference as between the way of Ceremony and unceremonious simplicity and the way of our many short Liturgick Prayers and Offices and the way of free-praying from the present sense and habits of the speaker while pacificators thought both seasonably good 2. The sad eruption of this difference among the Exiles at Frankford while Dr. Cox and Mr. Horn and their party strove for the English Liturgie and the other party strove against it for the freer way is at large reported in a book called the troubles at Frankford 3. Queen Elizabeth and King James discountenancing and suppressing the Nonconformists they attempted in Northamtonshire and Warwickshire a little while to have set and kept up private Churches and governed them in the Presbyterian way But that attempt was soon broken and frustrate by the industry of Bishop Whitguift and Banctoft And the Nonconformists lived according to their various opportunities some of them conformed some were by connivence permitted in peculiars and small impropriate places or Chappels that had little maintenance in the publick Ministry which kept them from gathering secret Churches some of them had this liberty a great part of their lives as Mr. Hildersham Mr. Dod Mr. Hering Mr. Paget Mr. Midsley senior and junior Mr. Langley Mr. Slater and Mr. Ash at Bremicham Mr. Tailor Mr. Pateman Mr. Paul Bayne Mr. Fox of Tewksbury John Fox and many more Some had this liberty all their lives as Mr. Knewstubs Dr. Chadderton Dr. Reignolds Dr. Humphrey Mr. Perkins Mr. John Ball Mr. Barnet Mr. Geeree Mr. Root Mr. Atkins Mr. Gilpin John Rogers and many others some were fain to shift up and down by hiding themselves and by flight and these preached sometimes secretly in the houses where they were and sometime publickly for a day and away where they could be admitted so did Mr. Parker Mr. Bradshaw Mr. Nicols Mr. Brightman Mr. Brumskil Mr. Humphrey Fen Mr. Sutchff Mr. Thomas and many more and after their silencing Mr Cotton Mr. Hooker and many more that went to America Mr. Cartwright was permitted in the Hospital at Warwick Mr. Harvey and Mr. Hind at Bunbery in Cheshire and many more kept in having small maintenance being in peculiar or priviledged places Mr. Rathband Mr. Angier Mr. Johnson Mr. Gee Mr. Hancock and many others oft silenced had after liberty by fits Mr. Bowrne of Manchester Mr. Broxholm in Darbyshire Mr. Cooper of Huntingtonshire at Elton and many others suffered more and laboured more privately Dr. Ames was invited to Franekera some were further alienated from the English Prelacie and separated from their Churches and some of them called Brownists were so hot at home that they were put to death Mr. Ainsworth Johnson Robinson and others fled beyond seas and there gathered Churches of those that followed them and broke by divisions among themselves The old Nonconformists being most dead and the later gone most to America we cannot learn that in 1640 there were many more Nonconformist Ministers in England than there be Counties if so many 4. The Conformists shortly fell into dissension among themselves especially about three things Arminianism as it was called and Conciliation with the Church of Rome and Prerogative Dr. Heylin in the Life of ArchBishop Laud doth fully open all these differences and tells us that Archbishop Abbot was the Head of one party and in point of Antiarminianism even Archbishop Whitgist before him with Whitaker and others had made the Lambeth Articles driven the Arminians from Cambridge King James had discountenanced them in Holland and sent six Divines to the Synod of Dort who owned and helpt to form those Articles And he tells us that Bishop Laud had no Bishops on his side but Bishop Neale Bishop Buckeridge Bishop Corbet and Bishop Howson and after Bishop Mountague and thought it not safe to trust his Cause to a Convocation the major part called then The Church of England 1. Cryed down Arminianism as dangerous Doctrine 2. Cryed down any neerer approach to the Papists and the Toleration of them 3. And were much for the Law against absoluteness in the King and Dr. Heylins and Rushworth's Collect. will tell you the full story of Manwaring Sibthorp and Archbishop Abbots refusing to license Sibthorp's Book and the Consequents of all Thus these two Parties grew into jealousies the Old Church-men accusing the New on these three accounts and the New ones striving as Dr. Heylin describeth them to get into power and overturn the Old 5. In this contention the Parliaments also involved themselves and the Majority still clave to the Majority of the Bishops and Clergy then called the Church of England And in all or most Parliaments cried up Religion Law and Propriety and the Liberty of Subjects and cried down Arminianism Monopolies Connivence and Favouring of Papists and their increase thereby expressing by Speeches and Remonstrances their jealousies in all these points till they were dissolved 6. The writings of Bishop Jewel and much more Bishop Bilson and most of all Mr. Richard Hooker and such as were of their mind shew us what Principles there and then were by the Laiety that followed them received We will not recite their words lest our intent be misunderstood neither Bishop Bilsons instances in what cases Kings may be resisted by armes Nor Mr. Hookers that
maketh Legislation the natural right of the Body politick and governing power to be thence derived to depend upon the Body and to returne to it by escheats when heirs fail and that the King is singulis Major and universis Minor c. His eighth Book was in print long before Bishop Gauden published it who yet vindicateth it to be Hookers own 7. In 1637 1638 1639. A. Bishop Land useing more severity against dissenters than had been used of late before and the visitations more enquiring after private fasts and meetings and going out of mens own Parishes to hear and such like and also the Book for sports on the Lords daies being necessarily to be read by all the Conformable Ministers in the Churches and Altars Railes and Bowing towards them being brought in and in many places afternoon Sermons and Lectures put down the minds of men before filled with the aforementioned jealousies were made much more jealous than before And after the imprisonment of some the stigmatizing of some and the removall of many beyond the Seas and the death of more the Nonconformable Ministers were reduced to the paucity before mentioned but the minds of many people were more alienated from the later set of Bishops and the old sort of Conformists more jealous of them and more afraid of Popery c. than before 8. The new Liturgy then imposed on the Scots with the other changes there attempted the designes charged on the Marq. of Hamilton the fear of the Lords losing the Tyths c. which Dr. Heylin mentioneth as the causes or occasions of their arming there with the progress thereof and their entring into England and the advantage thence taken by some English Lords to advise the King to call a Parliament once and again and the discontents and proceedings of that Parliament against the two Ministers of the King for former things with such other matters we had rather the reader took from others than from us We are unwilling to be the mentioners of any more than concerneth our present cause and the things are very commonly known 9. On the 23. of October 1641. The Irish suddenly rose and murdered no less than two hundred thousand persons and Dublin narrowly escaped them of which we refer the Reader to the examinations published by Dr. Henry Jones since a Bishop in Ireland and to the history of Sir John Temple and to the Earl of Orery's Answer to Mr. Welsh 10. The dreadfulness of this Massacre so far exceeding the French the news sent over that the Irish said that they had the Kings Commission and the foregoing jealousies of the people and the Parliaments Declarations raised in multitudes of the people a fear that the Irish when they had ended their work there would come over hither and do the like and that they had partakers in England of whom we were in danger and that there was no way of safety but to adhere to the Parliament for their own defence or else it would quickly be too late to complain 11. In 1642. the lamentable Civil Warr brake out At which time as far as ever we could learn by acquaintance with some of them and report of others excepting an inconsiderable number the Houses of Lords and Commons consisted of those that had still lived in conformity to the Church of England and the Episcopal Government and were such Conformists as Dr. Heylin describeth Archbishop Abbot and the Clergy and Parliaments of his times to have been Crying out of the danger of a new partie that said they would shake our Religion Liberties and Property And such were they when the War began Presbytery being then little known among them 12. Their fear of being overpowred by the party of whom they seemed to think themselves in sudden danger caused some of them to countenance such Petitionings and clamours of the Londoners Apprentices and others as we think disorders and provocation of the King 13. The first open beginning was about the Militia And whether the Lord Lieutenants whom the Parliament chose were not almost all Episcopal Conformists we intreat the Reader but to peruse the Catalogue in the ordinance for that Militia and to ask any that well knew them as some of us did many of them and he may certainly be satisfied 14. The same we say 1. Of the far greatest part of the General Officers Collonels Lieutenant-Collonels and Majors of the Earl of Essex's Army 2. And of the Sea-Captains 3. And of the Major Generals of Brigades and Counties through the Land 15. When the Parliament's Armies were worsted and weakened by the King and they found themselves in danger of being overcome they intreated help from the Scots who taking the advantage of their straits brought in the Covenant as the Condition of their help which the Parliament rather accepted than they would lose them which at first was imposed on none by force But to pass by all other Considerations was judged by many wise men to be an occasion of division as making the opposition to Prelacy to be the terms of the Kingdoms Unity and Concord when they might know that the King and a great if not the greatest part of the Kingdom were of the contrary mind and so it was thought to be as the Papal terms of Unity a means of unavoidable division But others thought that because it tied them to no endeavours but in their Places and Callings they might take it 16. The Assembly of Divines at Westminster were men that had lived in Conformity except about eight or nine of them and the Scots But being such as thought Conformity lawful in case of deprivation but the things imposed to be a snare which should be removed if it could be lawfully done they also received the Covenant but were divided about the sense of the word Prelacy many professing their Judgment to be for Moderate Episcopacy whereupon the describing additions Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons were added And upon such a Profession that it disclaimed not all Episcopacy Mr. Coleman is said to have given the Covenant to the House of Lords And they complained of the Parliament which tied them to meddle with nothing but what they offered to them 17. This Covenant and Vow was taken by the Parliament and by their Garrisons and Souldiers that would volunrarily take it as a test whom they would trust the rest being had in suspension And after the wars by such as were ordained Ministers and by the Kings adherents when they made their compositions so far was it afterward imposed But many Ministers and Gentlemen refused it and so did Cromwel's Souldiers and in many Counties few did take it 18. How far the Parliament was from being Presbyterians may partly be seen in the Propositions sent from them by the Earl of Essex to the King at Nottingham and partly by their defeating all the desires and endeavours of those that would have Presbytery setled through the Land We know of no places but London and
We are agreed that to commit a sin by passion or sudden surprize is not so wicked as to do it on deliberation Nor is the doing it only so bad as undertaking to justifie it and encourage others to do the like XVIII We are agreed that God is jealous about holy things and that wilful corrupting his Church worship or discipline to the disgrace of religion and encouragement of wickedness is a heinous sin Especially to Approve such things XIX We are agreed that to make a deliberate Covenant that I will sin against God and to subscribe and declare this is a heinous aggravation of the sin e. g. When the high places were kept up in Judea if any had Covenanted to keep them up and purposed to transgress the wilfulness had been the greatness and dangerous signification of such sinning XX. We are agreed that Repentance is Gods condition of forgiveness and that for a man to resolve and Covenant to sin and to profess it openly to all the Church and that oft times and so to renounce Repentance is alas XXI Most sober Christians are agreed that Christians should be united upon the terms which Christ himself hath made in the baptismal Covenant and in their obedience to his Laws and that Papall Usurpations and imposing of things unnecessary as necessary to Union Communion or Ministration hath been the great cause of Schisms through the Christian world for about 1000 years at least And that they who will still obey such dividing Imposers do continue Schisms in the world by encouraging the causes of them XXII We are on both sides agreed that it were heinous hypocrisie and prophaneness if we should make our sacred Ministerial work the pretended reason for our sinning and should swear declare or subscribe that which we take to be false and do that which we take to be sin that we may have leave to preach against sin in others and so offer God a Sacrifice of iniquity and put a beam into our own eye that we may have leave to Preach against the mote that is in our brothers eye XXIII We are afraid of making Separatists and Anabaptists and tempting men to avoid us as scandalous men XXIV We are afraid lest by such wilful sin we should by a carnal interest to defend what we have once done be tempted to impenitence and to persecute the just XXV We are agreed that they that will run into willful heinous sin as they deserve to be forsaken of God so they cannot expect such a blessing on their Ministry as Conscionable upright men may do XXVI It is agreed that the ancient Christian Pasters Preached against the will of Princes for 300 years and after that against the will of Christian Princes Constartius Valens Theodosius Junior Vaientinian c. And not only Apostles said that God was to be obeyed rather than men but such as Timothy who was ordained by man were charged before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living and dead at his appearing and Kingdom to preach the Gospel and be instant in season c. XXVII We are agreed that the Children of Christians when they grow up know no more of God of Heaven of Christ without teaching than the Children of Heathens do And therefore that the opening and applying the Gospel is needful in England as well as in America XXVIII It is so far from saving unbelievers or ungodly persons that they are the Children of Christians and in the visible Church that it maketh their case more miserable if not worse than that of Sodom and Gomorrah XXIX As of old every single Church had usually many Presbyters and Deasons with the Bishop so it is undeniable that many of our Parishes have work enough for many Ministers and only want of maintenance is pretended for our present paucity with the want of worthy men XXX It is granted us that to alienate consecrated persons from the holy Ministry causlesly is greater Sacriledge than to alienate consecrated Lands Goods or Temples which are but means to the use of the said Ministry We are not here accusing our silencers of this heinous Sacriledge Their Righteous Judge and ours will quickly pass the final sentence But we dare not we will not sacrilegiously silence and alienate our selves lest we forsake our Lord and betray mens souls and be doomed as the slothful servant that hid his talent Mat. 25. and bring down more plagues upon the Land We fear when we read 1 Thes 2. 15 16. the signs that wrath was come to the utmost on the Jews even their forbidding men to preach the Gospel of salvation lest we should contribute to such a dreadful desertion of this Land SECT XVII The Case of the Ministers since they were silenced and their Practice with the Peoples WE humbly crave of those narrow Seers who venture to censure the generality for somewhat which they dislike in some persons that are neerest to themselves that they would truly understand the case and practice of their Brethren before they any further in Sermons and Writings provoke the Magistrate to execute the Laws upon them as Schiâ—maticks Seditious or what accusation is readiest at hand I. That the elder sort of the Nonconformists are ordained by Bishops and most of the rest by such Pastors of Churches of Cities Corporations and other Parishes associate as the times then allowed and that in this Ordination be the Ceremonious part right or wrong they are all by Consent or Covenant devoted to the sacred Ministry and that not for a time as hirelings but for life this is denied by none that we know of II. It is known to all Faithful Ministers and others who converse with the common sort of men that a great part of the people of England are ignorant of the very Essentials of Christianity and a great part dull and worldly neglecters of all serious religiousness and a great part senâ—ual drowned in filthy fleshly sins Besides the ignorance weakness and unwarrantable opinions and passions of many that are more seriously religious than the rest And that it is a hard work to cure one ignorant erroneous vitious soul And each one is precious and not to to be left in sin as desperate considering the everlasting consequents III. It is certain that most great Parishes especially in Cities and great Towns have more souls which call for Ministerial help than Conformists and Nonconformists if they lovingly joyned are able well to afford necessary help to IV. The Ministers that dwell in Cities or Corporations when they were cast out did quietly surrender Temples and Tythes But many of their people claimed the continuance of their Relation and Ministry and many professed that they could not trust their souls to the Pastoral guidance and care of many of those who were placed in the Temples in their stead and charged the neglect of their souls on such as refused V. The Bills of Mortality shew us that the 7 Parishes within the walls of
the state be prudently to be chosen we only say so that Gods establishment be not violated whatever we might think best we presume not herein to give Laws to the Lawgivers nor to obtrude our Counsel uncalled on our superiours much less seditiously to oppose their Lawful institutions § 34. But to those that think that Gods foresaid General Laws of order concord edification do make such a policy ordinarily necessary in the Churches as imitateth the Jews or the civil form of Government we humbly offer to their consideration 1. If so then it would have been the matter of an Vniversal Law with its due exceptions And then Christ the only Vniversal Lawgiver would have made it For if he have not made all necessary Vniversal Laws his Laws are imperfect And then there should be some other Vniversal Lawgiver to supply that defect But there is no other upon earth whether Pope or Council 2. It is contrary to the nature of undetermined circumstances to be alwaies the same and so to be fit matter of such Vniversal or fixed Laws The cases will vary and then so will the duty 3. There will be great diversity of the interest and ingeny of the Judges of the case in several Countries and ages And therefore though some think the said imitation of the civil state alwaies best vet others will not § 35. But if such a settlement were certainly best let it be remembred 1. That the Jews had not under the chief High-Priest one in every City or Tribe like Diocesane Bishops 2. That their Synagogues had discipline within themselves ever where there was but a Village of ten persons there was a Presbyter that had the power of judging offenders § 36. What man doth prudently set up man may prudently alter as there is cause Greg. Nazianzen earnestly wisheth that there were no difference of Place or seats among the Pastors of the Church And therefore he neither thought their Government of each other to be of Divine right nor of prudential necessity or use Else he would have been against it And the whole Greek Church did and still doth take the seats of preeminence to be but of mans appointment or else they would never have changed them and set Constantinople so high as they did And the Council of Calcedon expresly determineth that Rome was by the fathers made the chief seat because it was the seat of the Emperour which was mutable § 37. The Councils in those daies were about Popes or Patriarchs and could depose them And yet it is most evident to any man considerately reading such history that all the Councils called before Christian Emperours gave them more power and conjoyned their authority did meet only for acts of Agreement and not of Regiment over each other Many such synods are mentioned by Eusebius And the Right Reverend Arch-bishop Usher declared his judgment so in general that Councils had but an agreeing power and not a Regent power over the particular Bishops Yet these two things must be supposed 1. That the Pastors in a synod are still Rectors of their slocks and their Canons to them may be more authoritative than a single Pastors words 2. That Gods Law bindeth us to keep love and concord and the Agreements of Councils may determine of the matter in alterable points and so even absent and present Bishops may concordiae gratiâ be obliged by Gods Law to keep such canons as are made for concord and so they may be the matter of our duty But seeing the Church for 300 years judged Councils to have no proper Governing power over particular Pastors and Bishops or Patriarchs singly had ever less power than Councils it followeth that then a Churches Government of disparity and supraordinate Bishops like the civil or like the Jews was not then taken to be of divine right nor then of any right at all § 38. And as to the doubt whether it began after 300 years to be a prudential duty or at least most desirable when we hear what is said on both sides we think it not easie to judge either how much in such a case Christ hath left to humane prudence nor which way the scales of prudence herein will ordinarily turn On one side it is said 1. That it is absurd that there should be no appeals for injured persons to a superiour power 2. And that the dissensions of the Church else will be remediless and all will be broken into heresies and sects 3. And that Apostolical men of a higher rank than meer Presbyters will else have no convenient opportunity to excercise their Governing power if it be not tyed to fixed seats § 39. On the other side they plead 1. That it is safer for the Church to have Religion in the power of many Bishops or Pastors than that one High Priest or Patriarch should have power to corrupt it or silence the faithful preachers or persecute the people when ever he proveth a bad man Yea they say it must be rare if he be not bad seeing it is certain that the most proud and worldly men which are the worst will be the most earnest seekers of rich and honourable places and he that seeketh will usually find 2. They say Christ directly forbad this to his Apostles Luk. 22. That which they strove for was it that he forbad them But that which they strove for was who should be the chief or greatest and not who should tyrannize 3. They say that all Church history assureth us that there have been more Schisms and scandalous contentions about the great superiour Bishopricks far than any of the rest It is a doleful thing to read the history of the Churches of Alexandria Antioch Constantinople and Rome Gregory Nazianzen giveth it as the reason why the contention at Cesarea was so lamentable because it was so high an Archbishoprick The whole Christian world hath been scandalized torn and distracted by the strife of Bishops of and for the highest seats Their famous General Councils which we justly honour for their function and that which they did well were shamefully militant even the first and most honoured Council at Nice was with great difficulty kept in Peace by the personal presence wisdom and authority of Constantine preaching peace to the preachers of peace burning their libels of mutual accusation silencing their contentious wranglings and constreining them to accord Nazianzens descriptions of the ignorance and insolence and naughtiness of the Clergy Orat 1. and of the shameful state of the Bishops Orat. 32. must make the readers heart to grieve The people he describeth as contentious at Constantinople yet as endued with the Love of God though their zeal wanted knowledge pag 528. But the Courtiers as whether true to the Emperours he knew not but for the greatest part perfidious to God And the Bishops as fitting on adverse thrones and feeding adverse opposite flocks drawn by them into factions like the clefts that Earthquakes make and the pestilent