any before they were heard I was not their Judge alone nor will I be at This time Onely that it may appeare I attended their pleading as it becomes any in a Court of Justice I will give the world an account what Those men say for themselves and so I shall leave them to be judged by wise men First they conceive there be some Ordinances which are proper onely to the Church and Church-Officers belonging onely to Church Assemblies such as is the Administration of Sacraments the Conferring of Orders and all of this nature These they thinke Sacred such as may not be touched by any but Church-Officers and of These they say let Vzzaâ— take heede how hee touch the Arke though it shake But there are other Ordinances they say of a Middle nature as they are exercised in a Church Assembly by Church-Officers They may truly be called Church-Ordinances yet are such as may be used Out of Church Assemblies and therefore probably by Other thâ—n Church-Officers As Praying Reading the Scripture Catechising Exhortation and the like which as they conceive are not confined to the Church onely or Church-Officers 1. Because Heathens and Publicans may be admitted nay ought to be invited to These Ordinances And it seemes no Mortall sinne for a Lay-man in China to call together a company of Heathens and preach to them the Christian Religion yet here is no True Church till a Congregation will Embrace This Doctrine and joyne in serving God 2. They conceive Our State by publike authority hath and doth allow so much as This. For they see Clerkes even in publike Assemblies Read Psalmes Prayers and oft some parts of Scripture Deacons preach yea and Baptize and helpe to administer the Lords Supper and yet no man takes them for complete Ministers yea of old and perhaps now also by Law they are not at all Clergy men 3. Former Preachers have taught them that every Master of a Family may and must read pray Catechise and the like in his owne Family if he have none there that can doe it better than himselfe Therefore These seeme rather to come under the Notion of Private Duties rather than Publike Church-Ordinances though sometime they be performed in Churches yet other times they may be performed out of Churches and by Those that are not publike Church Officers Therefore These poore men through their weaknesse thinke such Ordinances Free to be performed by any Christian whether of the Clergy or Laity And their Zeale makes them conceive If God give gifts of Understanding Memory Judgement Utterance and an Earnest Desire to doe good with These lest they wrap up their Talent in a Napkin They have the Maine to wit an inward Call to performe these duties in their owne Families or else where if They have an outward Call too For they solemnly professe they hold it not fit to presse or intrude themselves on any Congregation But if any will come of themselves either to their owne Families or send for them and desire to heare them among some Good men they take this for a Call an Outward Call to performe Those duties to that Congregation For they thinke the wayes of Gods Spirit are free and not tied to a University man so that having an Inward call they conceive the desire of any One Congregation is Outward call sufficient though the Bishop call not Yea some Exercises in Gods worship They thinke there be which are warranted from the Gift that enables and not from the Call that invites so that a man whom God hath enabled with Parts and Gifts might use them though no man Living call him And this also is the Judgement of many Learned men as of That Ingenuous Worthy Learned man Master Thorndick of late Touching on That of the Corinths So long then as they Encroach not on Ordinances appropriate to Church-Officers they thinke they sinne not in performing other duties where there are none that can or will performe them better They have learned Latine Enough to say Bonum quo Communius eo melius They have read of Moses wishing all the Lords People were Prophets and that God would poure out his Spirit on them all Yea they have heard that God promised to poure out his Spirit upon all Flesh all Beleevers as well Lay as Clergie so that Young men should see Visions and Old men dreame Dreames and though This were begunne to be accomplished Even in Our Saviours time yet They perhaps through ignorance Expect it should be yet still more and more accomplished every day till Knowledge Cover the Earth as Waters fill the Sea even till there be no more neede that any man should teach his neighbour for all men shall know the Lord and They poore men Expect a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein there shall neede no more Temples of stone but all Good men shall be Prophets Priests and Kings In the meane time they say Waters must flow out of the bellies of all that beleeve till at length the Great Waters of the Sanctuary flow forth without measure Yea they are much encouraged from the Practise of the Church in the Acts where all the members Every beleever being scattered by persecution went about Preaching If it be Objected that This was an Extraordinary Case at the first beginning of the Church and in time of Persecution c. They Answer that they conceive almost as Extraordinary a Case in This Land at This Time Where the Church is so much unsetled and hath beene so much persecuted In some places they see no Ministers scarce any in some whole Shires as in Cumberland Westmorland Northumberland and especially in Wales Where the Church is even yet scarce ne vix so much as well begunne to be planted or the Gospel Preached In Other places where there is some shew of a Church some Ordinances some Ministers Yet even here they thinke the Church calleth for many more Ministers at least for much more and much better preaching then it yet hath Specially since the late Cruell Tyranny of some Lording Prelates hath almost quite put downe Ordinances silenced Good Ministers and forbidden Preaching Having so detained the Truth and smothered it by unrighteousnesse that there is scarce left the Face of a True Church They conceive This an extraordinary Time an extraordinary Case and Call for all that are Enabled by God with Parts and Gifts fit for such Exercises And they conceive 30. or 40. or an 100. Good men of any one or more Congregations to be as Fit Judges of their parts and abilities every way as One Lord Bishop and his Ignorant perhaps Drunken Chaplaine who make scruple of admitting any to Orders but Bowers and Cringers sincks of Superstition Yet when they please they can poze in an Alehouse and lay hands well quickned with angels on Tapsters Coblers Butchers and many such that are so farre from the smell of a Colledge that they never saw an Abcee or Primer to purpose much lesse
a Ferula in a Grammer Schoole In the last place they solemnly professe they are ready to heare or read any that either by writing preaching or private discourse shall informe them better than now they see or know They would thanke any man that will satisfie their Consciences and convince their judgement For they professe they are not acted by vaine-glory or faction but Conscience and desire of propagating Truth and spreading the Gospel as God shall give them opportunities And supposing such parts gifts and abilities fit for those duties They conceive no man may upbraid them with poverty or former living in a trade which yet they thinke not altogether incompatible to Preaching for they have read of Saint Paul and others intermixing his Sermons with making of Tents Yea though they have not such parts and gifts as Saint Paul yet they thinke the worke of Preaching much more compatible with all works of the Hands than with any one other study of the braine or minde and yet they see many Civill Lawyers take Livings and have Cure of Soules Yea and all their Lord Bishops have Two Callings Two severall opposite Studies and yet for all Those Two They can spend as much or more time at Cards and Dice or worse than at either of their Callings Nor are they so tied to their Outward Callings but if the Church shall thinke it fit they are ready to give up all and apply themselves wholly to the study of Scriptures and worke of the Ministery In the meane time they follow their Callings not living idlely or going up and downe Tatling as Busibodies but being diligent to serve God both with their hands hearts also yea and tongues too if God shall call them and give opportunity as well as abilities I would not be mistaken by my Reader All this time I am speaking Their words not my owne All that I desire is that they may have a faire Hearing before they be severely censured And I move this the rather because they are still ready to say Most that condemne them never heard them I could not but doe what in me lies to remove This scandall It may be Expected I should now shew my owne Opinion and answer all These Things which Those poore men say for themselves But I must confesse I am already almost tired with relating the Arguments of One part onely so that I dare not set on the Other Neither indeed doe I thinke it needfull Most of That which They say being such that it is not like to doe much hurt and so I thinke it not needfull to refute it What must be refuted may much better bee done by Others of better Parts and founder judgements for I know some that in One poore discourse of Truth are by their wit able to finde all the seventeene Intellectuall Sinner how much more in a discourse of Error Only by the way I cannot but shew how weakly These poore Preachers answer some strong objections brought against them As This in the First place That by This Course All Errors and Heresies shall quickly come to be vented and maintained in the Church when every man may Preach that will and what he will without Controule To This Argument All Their Answer that I can remember is This. First that They maintaine not that Any man may Preach that Will No They say it must be One of Parts Gifts and Abilities fit for a Preacher and that not only in his owne fancie but in the Judgement of many Godly men Who being many are as like to be fit and able to judge of Abilities on Their Triall as any One Bishops Chaplaine that yet useth to present to his Lord after little or no posing One whom he never heard speake much lesse Preach or Pray before he came for Holy Orders Secondly they say They maintaine not that any such man so Gifted and Called being judged fit by the votes of many may yet Preach what he will No they are as much limited and kept within bounds as if they were licenced by the Bishop For if he Preach false Doctrine Either in matters of Church or State they say the Bishops Keyes or at least his Long Sword may reach him as well in a Parlor or some little Pulpit as if he were a Licentiate in a Great Cathedrall And if he Preach no false Doctrine must he suffer say they for Preaching True It is true No wise man living will blame much lesse punish or fine a man that speakes a good True Discourse of Law or Physicke though he be Licentiate in neither But These poore men consider not the Case is not the same in Preaching a True discourse in Divinity Yet let us give way and they will speake more Againe they say Suppose they did hold which they doe not that Any man Living might Preach that would and what he would yet perhaps there would not follow so great Inconvenience as some imagine For All such supposed Preachers are either Wise men or Fooles If Wise they will Preach Wisely and so doe Good If Fooles Foolishly and so doe no Hurt or at least very little hurt For it is not for a Foole to broach an Heresie and maintaine it or spread it much No Arrius Pelagius Arminius and such were men of the Greatest Parts but set wrong Yea suppose some of These Non Licentiate Preachers be men of the greatest parts possible and so possible to become dangerous Heretiques Doth the Heresie spread it selfe the more for not being Licensed Might not This Great man doe as much hurt yea much more if he were Licensed than now he is not If any answer It is True He is like to do more hurt if Licensed but therefore the Bishop in wisedome will not License him They rejoyne First is it probable One Bishop in This case will shew more care and conscience than twenty or thirty Good men in a Congregation where This parted Man would preach But againe Suppose there be never a Good man in all his Auditory or that all the Good men there will not have care to suppresse This man from doing hurt How shall how can the Bishop do This How can he keepe him from venting and spreading his Heresie First when this man comes for a License to the Bishop No man can tell how he meanes to Preach when hee is Licensed except the Bishop perchance be a Prophet also as well as a Priest and King Either he hath Preached before his comming for This License or he hath not If he have not No Bishop can tell how he will preach nor can any wise man living commend him to the Bishop as fit to make a Good Preacher since He that is the Best Scholler living and perhaps as good a man as any yet may prove but an ill preacher If he have preached before and done well without License then it seemes it is lawfull to preach without a License for probation no doubt though most of late have denyed This But
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE A DISCOVRSE OPENING THE NATVRE OF THAT EPISCOPACIE WHICH IS EXERCISED IN ENGLAND Wherein With all Humility are represented some Considerations tending to the much-desired Peace and long expected Reformation of This our Mother Church By the Right Honourable ROBERT LORD BROOKE LONDON Printed by R. C for Samuel Cartwright and are to be sold at the signe of the Hand and Bible in Ducke-Lane 1641. TO THE MOST NOBLE LORDS WITH THE HONORABLE KNIGHTS CITIZENS AND BURGESSES Now assembled in PARLIAMENT IN Epistles Dedicatory sometimes men render an account to the world by what Principles they were Led to such a worke Sometimes they maintaine and strengthen what they have done by New Arguments Sometimes ad captandam Benevolentiam they present their whole Designe in a briefe Epitomy that so they may invite the Reader But I shall doe None of These The first I need not For if the Ten Kings must hate the Whore Eate her flesh and Burne her with her fire Will not every good Christian offer himselfe a ready Servant to This Worke a Willing Souldier under this Standard The Second I cannot without questioning my owne Diligence or which is worse my Readers Gentlenesse Either of which every Writer carefully shunneth The third I will not left I be injurious to my selfe For Humane Nature is ever Novorum avida and the Soule of vast comprehension the Booke therefore would seeme but Crambe bis cocta to All that read the Epistle and but create a nausea to Those that had already gathered all by viewing the Breviate If it be the Glory of a King's Daughter to be clothed in Needle-worke surely This poore Birth will need more then Fig-leaves to make it Beautifull When it is Cloathed with its Best Robes It will not be worthy to appeare in so Great a Presence How much lesse then when presented only in a bare and naked Sceleton The Worke then of These Lines is to lay prostrate at Your Feet most Noble Lords and Gentlemen the Retirements of Your Humble Servant in the Last Recesse If you shall aske mee how I dare take the boldnesse to interrupt Your more serious Thoughts with These Things of Little Worth All I shall plead for my selfe is but This the bow must be sometimes unbent and if then This Pamphlet may be called for it is all I aspire to For Your Protection and Your Patronage not Your Trouble is My Request Of which being no whit Doubtfull with all Humility commending This to Your Noble Favour Your selves and Counsels to the Almighty I crave leâ—ve for ever to remaine Your most obliged and devoted Servant ROBERT BROOKE The CONTENTS of the Sections and Chapters in the following Discourse SECT I. CHAP. I. THe Subject Stated Not a Bishops Name but Office Opposed nor Office in generall but Such Such a Bishop repugâ—nt to State-Policie Antiquity Scripture The Method proâ—unded for the first Section containing Arguments drawne â—â—om State-Policie fol. 1. Chap. II. Of Our Bishops Birth how unsuitable to his Office how Hurtfull to Himselfe and Others How incongruous â— State-Policie 3 III. A Bishops Breeding not fit for his Calling against Rules of Policie Some Objections answered 5 IV. Of Our Bishops Election whether suitable to State-Policie Of his Office Principles or Maximes by which hee governeth and Practice according to Those Principles 11 V. Of the Nature of Indifference what it is and in what iâ— hâ—th place whether in Re or onely in Appearance to our Understandings 19 VI. Where the Power of Indifferent Things seemes to be fixed whether in the Church or not or if in the Church How farre Of the Churches Deciding Commanding Power Of Doubts and how we must deport our selves under Doubts 30 VII Of the Consequents to a Bishops Office His Relations Vpward and Dependances Of his Vote in Parliament Relations Downward How repugnant to State Policie 35 VIII What Good our Bishops can do to the State is examined whether they have beene or can be friends to Monarchy or Civill Government 42 IX How suitable such Episcopacie can be to Monarchy is farther considered Whether the Best forme of Church Government be Monarchicall Whether other Formes may not well stand with Civill Monarchy How Church and State Goverment differ and agree 48 X. Who it is that opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God Who is properly a Papist and what is Popery Why the Pope is most properly Antichrist How such Episcopacy differs or agrees with Popery 53 SECTION II. Considereth how Consonant such Episcopacy is either to sound Antiquity or Scripture Chap. I. Some Antiquities produced by a late most Learned and Reverend Patron of Episcopacie are discussed 65 II. Our Bishops Election Delegation c. Examined by Antiquity 69 III. Of Ordination whether proper onely to Bishops or equally committed to all Presbyters discussed by Ancient Authorities 72 IV. Of the Name and Office of a Bishop in Scripture How little or how much the Scripture makes for or against Bishops Diverse Texts are discussed 75 V. What forme of Church Government seemes most consonant to Scripture Whether Monarchicall Aristocraticall or Democraticall 81 VI. Of the consequemts that may possibly follow the change of Church Government Of the great danger of Schismes Sects and Heresies Of One new Sect to come in the Last Dayes Whether Bishops can keepe the Church from Schismes Sects c. What is or who are the Cause of most Schismes among us 86 VII The danger of Schismes and Sects more fully discuss'd the Nature and Danger of Anabaptisme Separatisme and Unlicensed Preaching The conclusion with an affectionate desire of peace and union 98 ERRATA PAge 4. line 24. Affection for Affectation p. 19. l. 2. Indifferent for indifference p. 26. l. 35. at one any time for at any one time p. 5. l. â—0 Ioy for Ivy. p. 56. l. 11. may be the more for may be more p. 88. l. 2. of all Civill c. for of all Civill c. p. 94. l. 32. Orders for Orders from Rome p. 98. l. 7. dele now A DISCOVRSE OPENING THE NATVRE OF THAT EPISCOPACY WHICH IS EXERCISED IN ENGLAND Wherein with all humility are represented some Considerations tending to the much-desired Peace and long expected Reformation of this our Mother Church CHAP. I. IAyme not at Words but Things not loving to fight with Shadowes It is not the Looke much lesse the Name of a Bishop that I feare or quarrell with it is his Nature his Office that displeaseth me Nor yet his Nature or Office in Generall but Such and so cloathed or rather veyled with such and such adjuncts For to me the Word Bishop-signifies either one that is to Preach Administer the Sacraments Exhort Reprove Convince Excommunicate c. not only in some one distinct Congregation his owne Parish but in many severall Congregations crowded up together in one strange and for long unknowne word a Diocesse Or one who hath to all this added not onely the
I should exceedingly rejoyce if by the Spirit of Meekenesse men of that Learning and abilities which many of them are might bee reduced to That which I from my Soule conceive to bee truth and am perswaded will be so acknowledged by Themselves one day If these then be their Tenets as I suppose they will confesse them to be Is there any thing more Vnreasonable more Vnbrotherly more savouring of Selfe than These Positions Vnreasonable For allow the Church hath all power in Indifferents which I dare not yet yeeld who hath made the Church a Iudge beyond appeale what is Indifferent Is not this to bring necessary and indifferent things all under one notion If the Church shall judge indifferent things to be necessary and necessary to be indifferent which would to me be a sad story But you will say if the Church bee not the Judge of what is Indifferent who may be That Judge I tell you asking of questions is no answering of difficulties But secondly because I love to deale plainely I will tell you who shall be Judge In expounding of Scripture the Scripture but in finding out what is indifferent Recta Ratio must be Judge But who shall tell us what is Recta Ratio I answere Recta Ratio Will any man if the Church shall judge That to be indifferent which is not say it is indifferent or that my conscience is bound in this case Ex. grat I doe confesse the houre when the Congregation shall meete is indifferent if the Church will appoint hereupon Eleven of the Clock at night and Five in the morning in this Latitude under which we are I hope no man will say but that it is ill done of the Church and that neither my conscience nor my outward man is bound further in This than to a passive obedience certainely all force upon me in this case would be sinne in them But they will say this is a thing in its selfe Vnreasonable and so commeth not into the nature of indifferent thing But the Church having such power as is claimed who may dispute it But secondly this action must be considered either in the universall nature of it or else as it is presently to bee put in practise If you value and ballance it in this last sense nothing is indifferent no substantiall nor circumstantiall Being For we being bound to doe That which hic nunc is best That which is so with the circumstances will be our guide and the Church will have can have no power against This. But if you consider things in the universall nature not cloathed with these and these circumstances then it seemeth to have some Indifferency and then if ever it is in the Churches power and yet even then the Church can goe no further than what will be according to Reason For for a Church to say I will because I will is most Papall Tyrannicall and altogether displeasing to Christ but of This more in another place Thus their Tenets seeme to me very Vnreasonable They will doe more than Adam did He gave Names to Things according to their Natures they will give Natures according to their owne fancies Secondly very Vnbrotherly in that they make themselves the Church excluding all others in which act according to their Tenets they exclude all others from Salvation for they say in an ordinary way there is no Salvation out of the Church and They in this admit none into the Church but themselves Moses was upon a mistake reproved by the Jewes in that he made himselfe a Iudge though in that decision he released a Jew Truely I know not by what authority these Bishops stile themselves the representative Church for they must doe it either Iure humano or Divino By the last we doe not yeeld That is the Question in hand by the first they cannot for where doe the people either implicitely or explicitely elect them and resigne up their power to them Is it in their Convocation that they obtaine this priviledge That by the Lawes of this Land is not at all obligatory till confirmed by Parliament Secondly the people choose not These Convocation men but the Clergie and so they cannot represent the whole Church Thirdly the Clergie have no free election for the Bishop will appoint whom they must choose and this too Sub poena anathematis The Angells for the whole Ministery of the Church in the Revelation seeme to receive some particular honour from the Spirit yet not the power of a Representative Body but Quo jure humano aut Diuino Twenty sixe men shall challenge to themselves as proper That which is not so much as by a figurative right given to those Angels I know not And is not this Vnbrotherly to intrude my selfe and exclude all others from Their Right But lastly it savoureth very much of Selfe For certainely he that will out-doe the Pope is growne to a pretty height of pride Now in the Papacy it is a dispute whether the Pope alone or the whole Colledge of Cardinalls or a Generall Councell or the People or All These or Some of These with their joynt forces may stile themselves the Church But Our men without dispute like the Lyon in the Fable challenge All of whom the Poet is verified Aetas Patrum pejor avo tulit progeniem nequiorem And yet whoever takes up Errour at the Second hand will have an ill bargaine though he buy it cheape hee will be no gainer Error being like the Ierusalem-Artichoake plant it where you will it over-runnes the ground and choakes the Heart Thus having with the chaines of Indifferency bound up the Peoples Liberty they deale no better with their Prince Onely Polyphemus-like they leave Vlysses for the last For when the People are devoured Kings cannot escape But because Kings are of more prying Spirits they steale in upon them with Sugared Baites such as That of Theirs No Bishop No King But of This more anon I might instance in many other of their Maximes which I conceive very prejudiciall both to Church and State Policy But I will rather view their Practise according to These Principles of Indifferency In this I shall be very short not meaning to upbraide them with many monstrous miscarriages of late the rather because I am confident that God his Majeâ—tic and The Parliament will not permit them longer to transgresse in This height Onely I cannot but intreat you to observe how by Their Injunctions founded on Those Maximes They have imposed as necessary many things that are but Indifferent some things that are Vnlawfull First many Things but Indifferent they have injoyned as necessary Some to Ministers as Cassockes Gownes Tippets Hoods Caps Canonicall Coats Blackes and many other Some to People as Sitting with their hats off Standing up at Gloria Patri the Gospell and other parts of service Weighty matters indeed for Grave Learned Holy Reverend Divines to spend their time and thoughts upon I might perhaps goe a little higher
sweete way by the power of the Spirit not by force If I erre in This I shall upon better reason recant In the interim hoping that the clearnesse of my thoughts shal with the candid Reader receive gentle interpretation I shall freely declare my opinion in This point Christ as I shall more fully prove hereafter hath cleerly unfolded to us the Two main things of Church affaires 1 The Doctrine 2 The Discipline of his Church Who will come in this case to adde or diminish any thing I appeale to any Ingenuous Reader of what Religion soever he be yea of what sect in any Religion Whether any power ought to force a Church in matter of Doctrine I conceive what is True Doctrine the Scripture â—ust judge and none but the Scripture but what a Câ—â—â—ch will take for True Doctrine lyes only in That Câ—uâ—ch Will Rome admit us to expound to them this place Hoc est corpus meum shall wee admit Rome's exposition Will either of us admit force There is certainly but one Truth but what shall be taken by the Church for Truth the Church must jâ—dge If you descend to Discipline will not the Case 〈◊〉 be the same In Discipline consider three things 1 Admission of members 2 Excommunication 3 Officers to execute these and other Ordinances Whether you will Baptize children and so â—y administring to them the Sacrament of Initiation admit them members of the Church Whether you will admit all for Church members that barely professe though they be open drunkards and very ignorant persons Whether you will have Pastors Teachers and Elders as your superiours in this worke or Bishops Archbishops Primates c. who shall judge but the Church So long as the Church in her Church Tenets intermedleth not with State matters under the notion of Religion I suppose the Civill power is not to interpose It is most true if the Church will broach with the Anabaptists that they will have no Governours nor Government This is a point not of Divinity but Policie and here the Scepter must set a rule or with the Adamites if there be any such allow Communion of wives This takes away property The sword must divide this quarrell or with the Papists that it is lawfull to kill Kings that faith is not to be kept with Heritiques I conceive in all these and cases of the like nature the decision lyeth in the Magistrate for These tenets overthrow either Civill Government or civill converse The Church must not goe out of her bounds But if the Question be how you will expound such a Scripture what Gesture you will use in such an ordinance what man is fit to be excommunicated what deserveth excommunication what is Idolatry what is wil-worship what superstition what is the punishment of those crimes who shall judge but the Church The Prince hath granted to such a Body by Charter such priviledges such offices who can interpose but the power instituting Christ hath given us a platforme of Church government with the offices and officers who may here intermedle but Christ himselfe It is most true when the Church findeth any refractary and thereupon doth excommunicate him he fals into the hands of the Civill Magistrate if he continue pertinacious and not before When Parliaments do consider matters of Religion they do it to deliver the Church from some who would impose upon her who would take the keyes from her that by the help of these keyes they may wrest the Scepter out of the hand of Soveraignty which God forbid And whilst Parliaments labour thus for the Church dealing no further in the affaires of the Church than by Scripture they may certainly they do well but if they once exceed their bounds the issue will be Confusion insted of Reformation Church and State government differ as much as the Sexes Yet as there may betweene These be an happy union Both keeping their bounds whilst the Husband hath the supremacie So may there be between the Church and State a sweete harmony The State having Committed to it the custody of the 10. commandments and yet the Church preserving to her selfe Her rights If the Church swallow up the State as it is in Popery Episcopacy the issue will be slavish grosse superstition and stockish Idolatry If the State overtop the Church there will be ignorance and atheisme But give to God that which is Gods and to Caesar that which is iâ— Caesars and both Church and State will fare the better Thus under favour both by reason and president it is cleere that any Church policie besides Episcopacie though onely one by right ought may stand with Monarchy CHAP. X. WHen I say Any Church Government may stand with Monarchy or other State Policie I desire to be understood of any Church Government Well regulated Which as I cannot conceive of our Episcopacie so I must againe publiquely protest that I verily believe This kind of Episcopacy is destructive not onely to Good Monarchy but all other State Policie whatsoever I meane not now to runne over so much as the Headâ— of my former discourse Every particle of which is to represent how uncongruous and incompatible to True policie of State Our Bishops Place Calling and Office is as now it stands establisht in this Kingdome If any man shall yet dissent from mee in this Cause I shall now onely intreat him to view one place of Scripture which yet perhaps at first glance may seeme to make but little for my purpose but it is an old Maxime among Interpreters Non est haerendum in Cortice Let us therefore a little examine the Text and if I be not in the Right I will gladly learne of any that can better informe me The Place I meane is that which of old in the Primitive Church was wont to be more perused and examined than I thinke it is now or hath beene of late and I cannot much wonder sith I see all men view the Sea and well consider it at distance from the top of a Cliffe or Rocke but when they are once fallen into it they shut their eyes winke and care to see as little as â—ay be of it while they have so much round about them I must not detaine you too long without left you think my Porch longer and bigger than my House It is That of the Apostle to the Thessalonians 2. Epist. 2. Chap. 3. and 4. Verses specially those words Who opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or is worshipped For the understanding of this place we must premise This That it must not be taken as spoken of One single person but a Compages of many either existing together or else succeeding one another yet agreeing together in This Great Apostasie the maine thing here spoken of And in This I have but few Adversaries None I â—hinke but some few of the Romish faction that maintaine the grand Deceiver False Prophet or Apostate â—â—or so I â—â—ther call him than
Advantages Sure we may conclude there is somewhat that stings within Latet Anguis in Herba These Good men doubtlesse found a Sting and they would not kick against Pricks When Saint Paul a Great Philosopher bids us beware lest we be entangled with Philosophy When Solomon who had tasted all the dainty Cates Nature could provide or dresse cries out All is Vanity All is Vanity When Bishops themselves who have fully enjoyed all the sweetnesse a Bishops Honour can afford shall pause and cry It is Enough It is Enough Non iterum bibam veneunm as once Dioclesian of his Empire Sure there must bee something worth reflecting on a faire warning for our Present or Future Bishops O you Judges of the Earth why will you not bee wise O you Senators for such our Bishops are why will you not learne Wisdome God forbid that of You should be said what the Spirit speaketh of some Why should they be smitten They rebell more and more Why should they be reproved They will still doe follishly Yet but for a little while For I am Confident yet within few Yeares if not Months if not Dayes the God of Peace and Truth will deliver his Church of This heavie yoke from which with the Letany Give me leave to conclude Good Lord deliver us SECTION II. CHAP. I. HAving cleerly proved how uncompatible Our Episcopacy is to Civill Government in State Policy let us now consider whether It may shelter it selfe under the Mysterious Covert of Antiquity I could heartily wish that in matters which receive their being from Scripture so immediately as Church Discipline doth wee might make the Scripture which is a sufficient rule our sole guide our sole moderator But as Heretickes in the day of Judgement shall cry to the mountaines to cover them so Heresies now also fly to the craggy rocks of remotest times and in such darke corners hope to shelter themselves Thither also wee will follow them quo fata trahunt we will advance Not doubting but to unkennell those little Foxes hoping even with Goliah's sword to lay Goliah in the dust and bring the five uncircumcised Princes of the Caenaanites to their just censure before the King or Captaines of the Israelites There is a most Reverend man famous for learning especially for that learning which is not open to every eye hath taken upon him the defence of This Cause I shall therefore in few words present to Him my thoughts upon those His determinations Concluding with Philip of Macedon that if I can but win the chiefe City the whole Countrey is gained Then I shall see whether Those things which are pressed by others be not altogether ineffectuall to determine the point which they dispute And so I shall leave the decision of This to the judgement and opinion of the learned Before I consider that Treatise in the parts of it give me leave to say that which is most true and I hope will satisfie all men If every word of that his booke were true yet it is little to the point For the Question is not Whether there have been Bishops ever since Christs time but Whâ—ther these have had power over their brethren or Whether one Bishop hath had Jurisdiction over another And this Question is double First Whether they have had any superintendence one above another Secondly Whether this hath beene mixt with that Lordlinesse which now is used forcing obedience by the edge of the Sword where the Keyes can give no entrance And of this in the whole booke there is not the least hint ne gry quidem Though this also were not enough for our Question which is not only of their Lordly power in Ecclesiasticis but also in Civilibus In the first Querie we shall quickly joyne issue agreeing with our Antagonists that there have beene Bishops viz. Ministers of the Gospel who have had a Scripture power in matter of Government over particular flocks but the other wee doe absolutely and confidently deny First He endeavoureth to prove the succession of seaven and twenty Bishops in the seat of Timothy and this hee essayeth by one single not to say simple witnesse a certaine man named Leontius whose writings have not delivered him famous to us for learning nor his exemplary holinesse mentioned by others famous for piâ—ty Truly a man of greater authority than he as Papias Ignatius Polycarpus who almost all knew the Apostles shall not bee of credit sufficient to sway my faith in this point Not but that they were most worthy men but because all Antiquity hath passed the refining pot of the Index expurgatorius I shall consider well before I subscribe And shall I then give credit to an unknowne Author in those things that were acted almost five hundred yeares before his birth Let the world judge whether it bee equall Neither is this Author quoted from witnesse of his owne but out of a Councell Now how Councells have beene abused those who have ever had place or note in great Assemblies can too well tell where there is almost no Order drawn up but after a serious review reducing the mistakes of the Clerks to the sense of those who did frame the Order which might else come forth most disorderly By what I have already said That other testimony brought from a fatherlesse Treatise of Timothy's Martyrdome cited only by Photius a learned man who lived seven or eight centuries after Christ will be of no weight for Photius doth but say he read it Hear-say in matter of judicature is no good testimony and reports in matter of opinion at the second hand are good to amuse those who defie venerable Antiquity but will never edifie those who desire to bottome their resolutions upon sound Reason The testimonies of Faelix Iohn of Antioch and Theodore are not of age sufficient to bee registred among the Ancients or to be valued because they are old I confesse I set a greater value upon Ignatius and Irenaeus who affirm Polycarpus was made Bishop of Smyrna by St. Iohn but this must not be of undeniable authority For of Ignatius I shall affirme this that All those who are any whit learned in Antiquity know that five of his Epistles are spurious and how unmingled those are which wee allow to be his wee doe not know who look upon Antiquity at such a distance But allow it to bee true that Onesimus was Bishop of Ephesus Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna c. This may be true but evinceth in no measure the Question in dispute Which is not of a Bishop in generall but such a Bishop The Authority of Tertullian also is of the same credit Hee tels us that Polycarpus was placed by St. Iohn at Smyrna and at Rome Clement by St. Peter This no body will dispute though I am not bound to beleeve it But where is the stresse of this Argument In the last place that of Clement Alexandrinus is as much questioned as all the rest But allow it to bee true that
of basest men In good earnest I would thank any man that can shew me one good Antiquity to countenance such Delegation of an entrusted Office to Deputies specially to such Deputies as themselves doe not cannot trust Doth any man dare or can any man think it fit to Delegate the Tuition or Education of a tender Prince committed to his Charge or Care by his Royall Father I beseech you Is not the flock of Christ stiled by the Spirit of Christ An Holy Priesthood a Royall People Shall it then bee fit or lawfull For any man to transmit this Trust to any whomsoever especially to such a crue of faithlesse Hirelings God forbid SECT II. CHAP. III. I shall passe their Sole Iurisdiction also being the Common Theame of all that write of this Question specially when I finde some of themselves disclaime that Epithet of Sole and if they can bee content to leave This out I have lesse to speak against them Wee come to Ordination or to speak as they use though some of them love not to heare of it Sole-Ordination This is the main Master-piece of all Episcopacy All things else in the Church they yeeld equally committed to Presbyters onely Imposition of Hands they say is solely retayned to the Bishop so Downham Bilson and of late One of their owne that offers to yeeld the Cause for one example of Lawfull Ordination by Presbyters without a Bishop One Example what dare he say France Belgium no parts of Germany hath Lawfull Ordination though by sole Presbyters without Bishops Downham is somewhat more moderate and yeelds such Orders Lawfull but in case of Necessity or at least some great Exigency in which hee hath the Charity to include the Reformed Churches abroad though as hee saith They are of age and might speake for themselves But they urge us to shew Antiquity allowing any such Ordination without a Bishop It hath beene shewed and yet never answered that I know that some Councels have intimated enough Presbyters were wont of old to Ordaine without Bishops As that of Ancyra Can. 1â— It shall not bee lawfull for Choriepiscopi or Presbyters to Ordain without consent of the Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the words are in Balsamon though some of themselves translate the words very strangely Which cleerly intimates That before this Canon Presbyters and Choriepiscopi who had not still Ordination from three Bishops though some had so did usually Ordaine without the Bishops leave much more without his presence and that too in Other parishes besides their Owne Else it is strange the Councell should now forbid it if It had never beene done before Nay the Canon doth not now absolutely forbid it which is much to bee marked but onely commands the Bishop's leave should bee asked to all such Ordinations But if This Imposition of hands were a Sole property of Bishops as now some make it the Bishop could not give leave or depute others to doe it For This even among themselves is a received Axiome Episcopus potest delegare ea quae sunt Iurisdictionis non ea quae sunt Ordinis Hitherto also may be refer'd all those Canons that require Presbyters to Lay on their hands with the Bishop in Ordination As Can. 3. Concil Carth. about the yeare 418. and that of Aken 400. yeares after Yea and this was the practice of the Church in St. Cyprians time as appeares by his 6. and 58. Epist. So Ierome in his Epistle to Rome and St. Ambrose among his Epistles Book 10. Yea and This is our Law also which requires â—â—oadjutors to Bishops in Ordination Consonant doubtlesse to the most Antient practice of the Primitive Church even in the â—postles Times as appeares by that of Paul to Timothy on whom were laid the Hands of the Presbytery not of the Presbyterate or one Presbyter as learned Mr. Thorndick not onely yeelds but proves who yet is no enimy to Bishops Neither could I ever finde one good Antiquity against Ordination by Presbyters or for Sole Ordination by Bishops I finde indeed Collythus and some others Un-priested by Councels because Ordained by Presbyters alone but That Act of the Presbyters was done in faction against the Bishop and their fellow Brethren Yea and in most cases if not in all Those Orders so annul'd by Councels were confer'd by One Priest alone and so were indeed as unlawfull as if by one Bishop alone I might adde that some Great men of good Note have strongly maintained all those Councels erred which so Unpreisted Those that had beene Ordained by a Presbyter or Presbyters without a Bishop Amongst These are some of Note in the Popish Church It being a Common Instance among the School-men disputing Whether Orders once confer'd could be annul'd and they all conclude the contrary Yea and many of These also strongly prove that Priests may as well Ordain as Bishops and their Reason seemes very good for say they Seeing a Preist can Consecrate and by Consecration Transubstantiate which is more Why can hee not also Administer the Sacrament of Orders which is lesse Yea and some of them dare affirme Neither Bishop nor Pope can licence Priests to give Ordination except The Power of Ordination bee de jure in Presbyters For They all yeeld the Pope himselfe cannot licence One that is not a Preist to Consecrate the Hoste because none but Preists have That Power of Consecration And a Licence doth not confer Orders without Imposition of hands as They all grant Fâ—r my owne part I ever thought That of Bucer most Rationall Deus non simpliciter singularibus Personis sed Ecclesiae Ordinandi potestatem tradidit For so indeed it seemes the Work of the whole Church who are to Elect to testifie also and seale their Election by Laying on their hands And the Presbytery are but the Churches servants in This Act. I could heartily wish It were reduced to This againe which I fully conceive to be most agreeable to Right Reason Scripture and All Good untainted Antiquity Yet till This be again restored I much desire the Prelates would leave off some of the Ceremonies which I hear they use in it though not by Law I think lest they drive all good men from taking Orders SECT II. CHAP. IV. I Shall now passe from this kinde of Church Antiquity and passe to the best Antiquity the infallible Truth of God in Holy Scripture In it I shall shew there is little for much against Bishops whether we consider the Name or Office of a Bishop as now it is setled The Name I finde but foure times in all the New Testament In Two of which the Name is so indifferently used that it maketh nothing towards an issue of This Question Those are 1 Tim. 3. vers 1 2 3. and 1 Pet. 2.25 And what can be gained from hence truly I see not In the other places it maketh against them as I shall shew more at large by and by But the Word Elder a true Bishop is used
twenty severall times in the New Testament And you shall find the Apostles honouring This Name so much that one of them stiles himselfe an Elder but none calls himselfe a Bishop Indeed Iudas is so called Who as it were Prophetically behaved himselfe so that his Arch-Bishoprick was given to another I doubt not but the Spirit fore-saw this Word would bee quickly mounted high enough so that it brands Iudas first with This stile Of much more â—ajesty is the Word Presbyter which signifies Senior Under the Law Youth was bound to pay Tribute to Gray haires and Senatus of old was so stiled à Senioribus Whereas Episcopus signifies nothing but an Overseer And such indeed Bishops have beene for many yeares Perhaps the Name of Bishop is sometimes though rarely used that the wilfully blinde might stumble But the Name Presbyter very frequent that Those who love Truth and Light might still see such a Glympse that might Enlighten them in the midst of Egyptian darknesse from which I doubt not but God will deliver all Christendom in due time I can finde as little also for the Office of a Bishop as for his Name in Scripture yea much lesse I can finde our Saviour rebuking his Disciples striving for precedency saying Hee that will bee first shall bee last I can finde St. Peter saying Lord it not over the flock of Christ And St. Iohn branding Diotrephes with seeking the Preheminence But where shall wee finde the usurped Office of our Bishops in all the Scripture Can they finde it by a multiplying glasse where ever they see the Name of Bishop though but in a Postscript of St. Pauls Epistles Whither I see many of them fly for their owne Name I must confesse I have found some Praescripts of Davids Psalmes and other Texts to bee now part of Scripture but never yet found any Postscript of such Authority I dare not therefore give it unto These Which first were never that I could learn received by the Church for Authentick Scripture nor ever fully joyned to the Scripture but by some distinctive note till our Bishops times Yea some Antient Copies have them not at all as one very old Greek Copy in Oxford Library if I be not mis-informed Againe These Postscripts have many Improbabilities and some repugnancies as many Learned men observe As That of the first to Timothy From Laodicea the cheifest City of Phrygia Pacatiana Which sure was never so subscribed by St. Paul who would not have spoken of a First Epistle when as yet there was no Second nor appearance of any Againe the Epithet Pacatiana came from Pacatianus a Roman Deputy 300. yeares after St. Paul wrote The Epistle to Titus is thus subscribed or rather superscribed To Titus ordained the first Bishop of Creet from Nicapolis of Macedonia but it should have beene added Whither St. Paul meant to come after the Epistle but was not there at his writing as appeares very probably from the third of the same Epistle verse 12. But what meanes that Phrase Bishop of the Church in Creet was there but one Church in all Creet This sounds not like the Scripture stile which alwayes expresseth Nationall Congregations by Churches in the Plurall But it may very well be Titus was Bishop or Pastor but of one Church in Creet so that wee shall not need to contend about This. Our Adversaries themselves yeeld there cannot bee much urged from these Subscriptions Baronius Serrarius and the Rhemists will ingenuously confesse so much and Bishop Whitgift also against Mr. Cartwright â—he Postscripts failing where will they shew either Name or Office of a Bishop as now it is used I know their strong Fort Tit. 1.5 For this cause I left thee in Creet that thou shouldest set in Order the things that are Wanting and Ordain Elders in every City c. Here they think the Power of a Bishop is set forth at large But what if so Will they bee content to bee limited to This Power if so wee shall the sooner agree I think no man ever thought Good Titus had a Commission heere to draw the Civill Sword or so much as to strike with his Church Keyes Let us a little examine This Commission Which seemâ— but a Briefe of a large Patent which Saint Paul had given him before If we first examine the Date of This Commission wee shall finde it before any Church Government was setled and so an Extraordinary Case not fit perhaps not lawfull to be produced as a constant president Extraordinary Cases of Necessity breake through the Ceremoniall yea Morall Law too The Shew Bread may refresh fainting David Cain and Abel may marry their owne sisters to propagate the World Samuel may be a Priest though not of Aarons House as was shewed before And why then may not an Extraordinary way be taken in the first setling of Church Government where there is yet none setled Any man might now in the conversion of the Americans or Chinois give direction how to admit Members elect Pastors exercise the keyes c. This Titus did and no more But secondly in what manner his Commission was I know not and nothing can be proved from hence till that be agreed upon It is as probable he did it but instructivè exhortativè and not imperativè Timothy received his gift by imposition of Presbyteriall hands If an extraordinary gift was conveyed in an ordinary way Why might not an ordinary calling and affaires of an ordinary nature be managed by an extraordinary man be carried forth in an extraordinary way The contrary is not proved and so This must till then be Ineffectuall to them But thirdly and lastly I beseech you consider by what power he did it by the power of an Evangelist There are two sorts of them 1. Who write 2. Who proclaime the Gospell in an extraordinary way as coadjuters and messengers to the Apostles in this great worke Of this last sort certainly he was A Bishop he was not for our adversaries doe all agree that it is the duty of a Bishop curae sue incumbere to watch over his charge now this he did not for if Creet was his Charge which in no way neither by Scripture nor Antiquity is proved he did not attend it for we finde him continually journeying up and downe he leaveth Creet and commeth to Ephesus from thence he is sent to Corâ—nth after that into Macedonia from Macedonia he is returned to the Corinthians Neither is it to be found in History that he ever returned to Creet Thus if I mistake not the Text is lesse advantageous than the Postscript Some thinke to finde Episcopacy established in that example of Saint Iohn writing to the Angels of the seven Churches But this is Argumentum longè petitum Because Paul endorseth the Letter of a Corporation or an Assembly to the most eminent man in the Congregation Therefore He shall have sole Jurisdiction therefore the Maior shall have sole power without the Aldermen est par ratio
When Paul writes to the Church of the Thessalonians 1 Thes. 5. v. 27. commanding That Epistle to be read to all the holy Brethren the Church of the Thessalonians should have Jurisdiction over other Churches which truely I doe not thinke to be a strong Argumentation Secondly the Word is taken collectively for the Assembly and charge of Ministers and not for One as appeareth evidently Revel 2. v. 24. He saith speaking to the Angel To you and to the rest in Thyatira he puts the Angel in the plurall number which hee would not have done had he written to a single Bishop Thirdly these Epistles are written to the whole Church for the threats and promises are read to them and the Epiphonema of every Epistle is this he that hath an eare let him heare what is spoken to the Churches But yet if this superscription could give any advantage to the Angel it would but extend to his owne congregation The Laodicean Angel hath no influence upon the Philadelphian or the Smyrnite and if that be not proved nothing is gained in the point of Episcopacy except it could be proved that these Angels had in their care many congregations under these particular Churches which never hath nor ever will appeare I hope it is manifest to all men that they cannot establish Episcopacy by Scripture Secondly there is much in Scripture against them For the word Elder and Bishop is all one Tit. 1. ver 7. For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Elders in every City as I had appinted thee for a Bishop must be blamelesse as the Steward of God First he sheweth Titus what manner of man an Elder must be viz Blamelesse and now proveth it because a Bishop must be blamelesse As if I should write to Thomas to live soberly because a Man must be sober it necessarily followeth that Thomas is a man So that Phil. 1. he writes to the Bishops and Deacons at Philippi Is it probable that a little Towne in Macedonia should have many Bishops when one Bishop must have many Cities in his Dioces Those Who translated the Bible foresaw This And therefore Acts 20. They have translated the word Episcopus an Over-seer Yet in other places they translate it Bishop And the Jesuites say Piae fraudes sunt licitae The carriage of the Apostles in severall places is remarkable when they come to a City as Acts 20. They send for the Elders of the Church never thinking of a Bishop he is so inconsiderable a man These places I hope make cleerely against them So now I will endeavour to shew what the Scripture holdeth forth for Church Government SECT II. CHAP. V. IN this search you will agree that the Government is fixed there where you shall see setled the plenary and absolute power of Election of Officers Decision of controversies and Excommunication of those that transgresse This you will find ministerially in the Officers But initiativè virtualiter conclusivè in the People The Officers are called Overseers Rulers and Elders c. Some of these are to preach and administer the Sacraments others to watch over mens manners others to serve Tables and looke to the poore All these are chosen by the People but whensoever by their industry any delinquency is discovered the whole matter is brought to the Church and there the people and Elders doe passe their definitive sentence Examine but where election of Officers decision of controversies excommunication of members are recorded and you shall have them all in the Church not representative but in the whole Church consisting of Officers and other members As first for election Acts 1.15 Peter speaketh to the People and telleth them they must choose one in Iudas his place and ver 23. It is said They appointed Two It is true the lot divided which of them two should be the man a course in the like case not unlawfull to us at this day But the reducing of it to Two was the act of the Church though Peter was amongst them So afterwards Timothy received his Evangelicall gift by the Imposition of Presbyteriall hands which Presbyters were in this worke the servants of one present Congregation Secondly Decision of Controversies either in cases of Conscience or in point of manners In cases of Conscience when Paul and Barnabas had no small difference about Circumcision they sent to Jerusalem where the Apostles Elders and Brethren meeting together joyntly returned that answer which you finde Acts 15 23.24.2◠Some would presse this place this act of the Apostles further and give to every Synod a Commanding Power because it is said Act. 15.28 It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay no further burden upon you Therefore they say a Synod hath a commanding and burdening Power But I cannot consent to that for then the major part of the Churches in Europe Africa Prester Iohns Country might meet and command all the Churches of Christ which God forbid in what they pleased and that jure divino for God when hee giveth a rule to his Church hee speaketh to the whole Church of Christ and not to any particular Congregation I only presse it thus farre That the People were joyned even with the Apostles in that Great Synod The Commanding power of the Synod lay in this that the Apostles speak the minde of the Holy Ghost But such authority is not left in us and therefore no such Obligation upon others Truly if there were such a power left us I should with much scurple resist any act of such Government whereof I could make a good construction For many times the power Commanding is more dangerous than the thing Commanded but there is no such power Neither as I said before doe I presse it with such a designe In cases of Civill converse Mat. 18.17 Wee must make our addresses to the Church and hee that will not heare the Church must be as a Publican In that place the greatest dispute will be What is meant by the Church for some will say Here is meant the Church representativè either in more as the Presbytery or in one as the Bishop and not the Church at large But I would labour to evince the contrary Weigh either the Context or the generall signification of the word Church and I hope the true sense will be manifest For Let us see how Church is taken in the Scripture It is used sometimes figurativè and sometimes properly Figurativè as when a particular house is called a Church As the Church in his house Rom. 16.5 Secondly When by Synecdoche the head is put for the whole as Christ is called the Church 1 Cor. 12.12 Thirdly Collectivè When all the Churches of Christ are called the Church 1 Cor. 10.32 It is used perhaps under some other figures but it will bee long to quote them all Secondly It is used Properly in two phrases First When the Congregation is
called the Church as the Church at Ephesus Corinth c. Secondly When the Congregations are called Churches as the Churches of Galatia and of Iadea Thus it is used Properly Thus Figuratively but no where Representativè scil the Ministers the Presbyters or the Bishops or all these for the Church You shall finde these and the Church contradistinct as To the Saints the Bishops and the Deacons 1 Phil. 1.1 To the Church and the Elders Act. 15.4 I conceive wee are bound to take a word in that sense which is currant in Scripture except that sense cleerely crosse the scope and spirit of the text You shall meet with that word 48. times in the New Testament and no where signifying that which wee call the Representative Church Very often for the Saints themselves As 1 Cor. 1. vers 15.2 Cor. 1. vers 1. 1 Thes. 1. vers 1. Why should we not then take it in the same sense Are not wee then bound to expound the word Church in some of those significations which are frequent in Scripture and not in that sense which is so far from being found in the text that a Contradistinct phrase is as I said before â—ather used Againe From the text and context that will appeare to be the meaning of the Spirit and no other The text is Mat. 18. vers 17. If hee shall neglect to heare Them tell the Church but if hee neglect to heare the Church let him bee to thee as a heathen man and a Publican The context is in the 15. and 16. verses If thy brother shall trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone If hee shall beare thee then hast thou gained thy brother but if hee will not heare thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established In the context and the text there are three things to bee examined before the true sense can bee found out First Who are meant in that Gradation in the 15 16 17. v. Secondly Who is meant by Them v. 17. if hee will not heare Them Thirdly What is meant by Publicans and sinners First Who is meant in that Gradation In the first place is meant the Party in the second is meant the Elders or the Bishops the Officers of the Church If you say They are not there understood yet I am confident you will not I am sure you cannot say they are there excluded If then the Spirit pointed at them with the other members of the Church or them solely It would be an unnecessary thing to bring him afterwards to them againe as to the Representative Church Secondly By Thee v. 17. is not meant only the Party but every Christian every Church member to whomsoever the newes of such a miscarriage shall come Else this will bee a meanes to nourish particular parties sidings which the Scripture doth exceedingly shun If by Gods Law hee should bee a Publican to one of the Church and not another If hee be so to every member of the Church this will bee a hard case That if a Bishop or an Elder one two or more shall passe the bitter sentence of Excommunication hee must be so to mee also though I know nothing of it But some will say that must be done before the Church To which I answer The word saith no such matter And thus those who mis-expound the Scripture must eck out the Scripture to make good their own imagination But secondly Why should it be complained of before the Church if the deciding power be in the Officers Frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora But thirdly and lastly If you will have the whole Church heare it seemeth to mee against all reason in the world that the party deputed should have power the party deputing being present The Steward of a Court Leet or Court Baron is annihilated if the Lord bee there All Officers vaile bonnet when the party giving them power is present Why are Parliaments the representative body of the Kingdome but because the Plough cannot stand but because no plaâ—e can containe the whole body But if all the people could meet in Campo Martio should Those who now are but servants then bee more than servants surely the whole Church being present foure or five by Gods Law shall not rule all seeing Gods Law never appoints any standing Laws against the rules of nature In the third place wee must enquire after the sense of Heathen and Publican sc. the most odious of men Is it possible that any Christian shall bee to any Christian the most odious of men for the sentence of a Judge which hee never heard neither hath right to heare Thus if you will bee bound either by text or context or the common acceptation of the word in the Scripture by Church must bee understood the whole Congregation Againe for excommunication of members 1 Cor. 5.13 S. Paul commandeth Them sc. the whole Church to put away that wicked person and to deliver up such a one to Satan 2 Cor. 2. They restore him They forgive him Thus we see every where That in election of Officers in decision of Controversies in cases of Conscience in Excommunication the whole Church disposeth everything not the Bishops not the Presbyters alone I doe not observe the Church hath power in other things but in these and in all these in election of Officers in decision of controversies and excommunication of delinquents the whole power is in the Church I conceive then I have cleerely and briefly proved these three things 1 That there is little in Scripture for Episcopacy much lesse for such an Episcopacy as Ours 2 Something against them 3 Another Government cleerely delineated SECT II. CHAP. VI. IT being as I conceive it is cleered both from State-policy Antiquity and Scripture how incompatible Civill Government and such Episcopacy are I hope we shall never hereafter be choaked with that Proverbe No Bishop no King I doe most willingly pay very great reverence to a saying delivered to us by many successions from the wisedome of our forefathers But I shall ever crave leave to question that Maxime which may justly seeme to me the birth either of Ignorance or ends Antiquity must have no more authority than what it can maintaine by reason frequent impostures of this nature command us to be circumspect did not our predecessors hold the torrid zone inhabitabilem aestu till Noahs Dove Columbus discoverd Land the world was confined in the Arke of Europe Africa and Asia In Divinity where an error is of most dangerous consequence we have beene too credulous how many hundred yeares did our fore fathers swallow this pleasant bait We must believe as the Church believeth And since the light of Reformation was not particular assurance of our Salvation delivered us as an exact definition of our faith We have ventured our bodies as well as our soules upon these sands
more it is opposed it shines the brighter so that now to stint it is to resist an enlightened enflamed Multitude which still was and still will be Durissima Provincia Their mad outrage in all the three Kingdomes of late hath so incensed the Common People that in all mens eyes they are become most vile and while all men reflect on their constant trade of mischeivous practices the wisest begin to conclude The very Calling hurt the Men as much as These disgrace the Calling Thus we have by too too long great and sad experience found it true That our Prelates have beene so farre from preventing Divisions that they have been the Parents and Patrons of most Errors Heresies Sects and Schismes that now disturbe This Church and State SECT II. CHAP. VII BUt it may bee the Remedy will yet bee worse than this Disease Let us therefore yet more exactly weigh all the Inconveniences that may attend the Change of This Church-Government which wee now dispute The Dangers which some have fancied may hence accrew to the State have beene discussed in the former Section to which more properly they doe belong We have here only to consider such Evils as may have bad influence into the Church and Polity thereof Arminianisme Socinianisme Superstition Idolatry Popery will pack away with Them being Their Attendants as was shewed before What is there then to be feared Anabaptisme Brownisme Separatisme nay every body every Lay man will turne Preacher Suppose all This be true which can be but supposed Would it not bee much better to hazzard the comming in of all These than still to suffer our soules and bodies to be groun'd to powder by these Tyrannicall Antichristian Prelates that under pretence of keeping out Separatisme introduce downe-right Popery and a sinck of almost all Errors and Heresies Yea and these Errors of the Right Hand which These pretend so much to oppose owe their birth to our Bishops also as was but now and might yet more fully be cleered Wee all know that within these ten yeares all the Non-Conformists in England could not amount to more than one or two hundred And now how many thousands there bee yea of such that rise one pin higher than Old Non-Conformity Themselves perhaps know much better than I Yet our Bishops never were more active than in all this time Whence then ariseth this New Non-Conformity or Separatisme but out of our Bishops Commotions I will not say as the Fathers did of old Ex martyrum sanguine pullulat Ecclesia yet I must confesse I begin to think there may bee perhaps somewhat more of God in these which they call new Schismes than appeares at first glympse I will not I cannot take on mee to defend That men usually call Anabaptisme Yet I conceive that Sect is Twofold Some of them hold Freewill Community of all things deny Magistracy and refuse to Baptize their Children These truly are such Hereticks or Atheists that I question whether any Divine should honour them so much as to dispute with them much rather sure should Alexanders sword determine here as of old at the Gordian knot where it acquired this Motto Que solvere non possum dissecabo There is another sort of them who only deny Baptisme to their Children till they come to yeares of discretion and then they baptize them but in other things they agree with the Church of England Truly These men are much to bee pitied And I could heartily wish That before they bee stigmatiz'd with that opprâ—brious brand of Schismatick the Truth might be cleered to them For I conceive to those that hold wee may goe no farther than Scripture for Doctrine or Discipline it may bee very easie to erre in this Point now in hand since the Scripture seemes not to have cleerly determined This particular The Analogy which Baptisme now hath with Circumcision in the old Law is a fine Rhetoricall Argument to illustrate a Point well proved before but I somewhat doubt whether it be proofe enough for that which some would prove by it since beside the vast difference in the Ordinances the persons to bee Circumcised are stated by a positive Law so expresse that it leaves no place for scruple but it is farre otherwise in Baptisme Where all the designation of Persons fit to bee partakers for ought I know is only Such as beleeve For this is the qualification that with exactest search I find the Scripture require in persons to be baptized And This it seemes to require in all such persons Now how Infants can bee properly said to beleeve I am not yet fully resolved Yet many things prevaile very much with mee in this point First For ought I could ever learne It was the constant custome of the purest and most Primitive Church to baptize Infants of beleeving Parents For I could never finde the beginning and first Rise of this practice Whereas it is very easie to track Heresies to their first Rising up and setting soot in the Church Againe I finde all Churches even the most strict have generally beene of this judgement and practice yea though there have beene in all ages some that much affected novelty and had parts enough to discusse and cleere what they thought good to preach yet was this scarce ever questioned by men of Note till within these Last Ages And sure the constant judgement of the Churches of Christ is much to be honoured and heard in all things that contradict not Scripture Nor can I well cleere that of St. Paul 1 Cor. 7.14 Else were your Children Vncleane but now are they Holy I know some interpret it thus If it be unlawfull for a beleever to live in wedlock with one that beleeveth not Then have many of you lived a long time in unlawfull marriage and so your very Children must be Illegitimate and these also must be cast off as Base-borne But it is not so for Your Children are Holy that is Legitimate I confesse This seemes a very faire Interpretation yet I much question Whether This be all the Apostle meanes by that phrase Holy especially when I reflect on the preceding words The Vnbeleever is Sanctified by the Beleever Nor yet can I beleeve any Inherent Holinesse is here meant but rather That Relative Church-Holinesse which makes a man capable of admission to Holy Ordinances and so to Baptisme yea and to the Lords Supper also for ought I see except perhaps Infants be excluded from This Sacrament by That Text Let him that eateth Examine himselfe aod so let him eat As Women are excluded from Church-Government and preaching in Congregations by That of the same Apostle I permit not a Woman to speak Let Women keep silence The second thing we feare so much is Separation or as some tearme it Brownisme for I am not so well studied in these as to give an exact difference betweene them or properly to state or phrase either Yet I thinke this also hath Latitude and admits of difference Before you
passe any severe censure be pleased to Heare these Poore men you call Separatists Know their Tenets and then Judge Their maine Tenets for ought I could ever learne are about some few Points in Discipline in which sure there is lesse danger than in Doctrine of which they dispute not First they would admit none as members of their Assemblies generally to partake with them in all the Ordinances but such which seeme Beleeving Saints and so members of Christs true Church Secondly they conceive every severall Congregation rightly constituted hath within it selfe the power of the keyes committed to it without dependance on other Churches Yet not denying the lawfull association of severall Churches not refusing the advice and counsell of Councells and Synods I shall crave leave to scan the first and see how much it differeth in truth from the received Tenets of the Church of England I doe conceive that England Scotland France all Churches even Rome it selfe will agree in this that a Church is Cetus Fidelium Gathered together in the Name and power of Christ to waite on him in the way of his Ordinances revealed in his Word In this I suppose we all agree where then is that Chasma that great Gulfe of difference which brands so many with the black spot of Separation All the difficulty lies in Stating who are beleeving Faithfull Saints for of these only all agree a true Church consists I beseech you let us call him a Beleever and a Saint whom the Scripture calls so and wee shall soone agree The Pope saith he is a faithfull Saint and a true Member of the Church Who beleeveth as the Church beleeveth The Church of England saith he is a Beleever enough to make a Member of that Church that professeth the truth though in his life he deny it Those men say he is a faithfull Saint who professeth the truth and to all appearance for we cannot see the heart practiseth as he professeth Now all men will agree this last is a Beleeving Saint And these will have none but this to be a Saint and so none but this to be a Member of Christs Church I beseech you Is this such an error to desire Profession and Practise to be conjoyned in one that is to be a Member of the Church of Christ When I desire a good Wife a faithfull Servant a constant Friend a familiar Companion Am I not as desirous to know the Heart as well as the Head the Will as well as Skill Affection as well as Profession And why then may I not doe as much in choosing my Spirituall Friends my constant Companions in the worship and service of God Can any man by right force me to marry such or such a woman to take such a servant to dwell with such a friend to choose such a companion And may any man force me then to bee companion in the neerest and most intimate converse of Spirituall Ordinances with any one or more whom I dare not I cannot I may not trust to be either friends to God or me because what ere their lips professe their life and waies deny God trample on the blood of Christ despise at least profane all his Ordinances I could heartily wish some pitty might bee shewed to these poore mens soules He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his owne Soule And is it not then much better to keepe these men off as they doe in Scotland and other Reformed Churches till they give the Church satisfaction upon good ground of their Repentance and Faith that so they may not hurt themselves by Gods holy Ordinances Sacraments confirme but doe not conferre Grace if they did so the case were altered but now they are like the Paradise of God guarded with the Flaming Sword so that the Tree in the midst of the Garden which is Christ cannot be Touched by prophane hands The other Grand Heresie men so much cry against in Separation is the Independence of their Congregations as it was stated before But why should the Independence of One Assembly to a Province or Nation be more Schismaticall than that of a Province or Nation to the whole World Why may not Geneva be as Independent to France as France may bee to the other parts of Europ's Continent In Geneva why may not one Congregation be as independent to All Geneva besides as Geneva is to all France besides Doth indeed such a Wall or River or Sea so limit and bound the Church within it that it may bee independent on any Church without it and may not one Congregation within this River bee as well independent on all other Assemblies within the same River or Sea Are there not some sparklings of this Truth even amongst us in England Have not we Peculiars some Congregations exempt from the Jurisdiction of the Bishop within whose Diocesse they be And I thinke no Separatist desireth more than this That all Parishes I meane all Congregations should be Independent Peculiars Suppose an East Indi Merchants Ship be cast on some Remote Iland beyond China where there shall be no Inhabitant may not in this Case the men of this Ship gather together choose out some one or more of themselves to Read Preach Administer the Sacraments is not this a true Church and so to bee reputed while they beleeve the Truth and doe what they beleeve Is there any one Essentiall part wanting to this Church so Constituted If it be answered affirmatively that there is yet wanting some Essentiall I rejoyn then it is not a true Church nay so farre from being vera Ecclesia that it is not vere Ecclesia For He is not vere Homâ— that wants something Essentiall to Man nor It vere Ecclesia that wants any thing Essentiall to a Church If it be yeelded that in such a Case there is nothing Essentiall wanting to This Church I will againe suppose that within a yeare or Two another English Ship be cast on the same very Iland and have such another Company or Church I demand now whether it be necessary that Both These Churches must needs joyne together or at least depend One on the Other If it be not necessary I have what I desire If it be necessary Then was not the former Church a Trâ—e Church because it wanted something Essentiall and necessary to a Church to wit Dependance on some other Church If it be said This Church did before depend on the whole Catholike Church I will not gain say it so They meane onely Thus much that This Church was a true member of the True Church or Body of Christ which is but made up of so many particular Congregations as mans Body of its particular members And so This will be no more then to say All the members of the Body are Parts of the Body and conjoyned together but onely subordinate to the Head For I suppose no man will say One of my hands is dependant on the Other but both as all