Certain Observations, Section 4
SECTION IIII.
NOw thou ſeeſt, Chriſt an Reader, the unlawfulneſſe of Dioceſan Biſhops in the Church of Chriſt, becauſe they exerciſe a ſpirituall authority, without any licence from Chriſt the King of his Church, to whom all authority is committed, and given by the Father, and from whom all that are lawful and profitable to the Church, receiue their inſtalling. Frō hence then any one may gather the nullity of a Dioceſan Church, which is a little to be ſtood upon, before we come to the things following a Dioceſan Biſhop. And firſt to ſhow what we underſtand by it for our better proceeding. By Dioceſan Church I underſtand the conjoyning of many Congregations under one mans government, commonly called the Biſhop of the Dioceſſe. That this is plainly divers from; nay, contrary to the conſtitutions of the Church of the Apoſtles, it may appear by theſe grounds following.
1 Neither Chriſt nor his Apoſtles left any ſuch canons for ordering of the church: which certainly they would not hauehave omitted, if they had judged this form beſt and fitting: For they ſet down both by precept and example what reſpect and regard is due to other Churches; much more would they hauehave ſet down what reſpect men owe to their Dioceſan. And particularizing the duties of ſervants to their Maſters, and people to their Miniſters. Did they not adde ſome precepts how Miniſter and People ſhould obey their Ordinary? This argument holds firmly, eſpecially conſidering the Apoſtle Iohn ſurvived all the other Apoſtles; who ſaw the ſtate of the Congregations, and wrote the prophecie of the future eſtate of the Church, what it ſhould ſuffer. Without queſtion if there had been any ſuch innovation, he would hauehave mentioned it.
2 Our Saviour Chriſt Mat. 18, from the reproofe of one or two, referres it to the Congregation, not to a Dioceſan Biſhop, and ratifies in heaven what they doe in his name he…re on earth: If they could produce any ſuch promiſe, and direction for their Dioceſan Biſhops, we would with all willingneſſe ſubject unto them; for we ſtand out for Chriſt, not for our ſelues.
3 The Apoſtles wrote unto the Churches as Pariſhionall, not Dioceſan Gal. 1.2, to the Churches of Galatia, 1 Pet. 5.2, which argues that …n theſe dayes they were free and entire, not having ſuch dependance of an other by bond and duty.
4 Every Congregation had power to exerciſe all diſcipline; to elect their own officers, and to depoſe, as occaſion and neceſſity required, 1 Cor. 5, Rom. 16, Cenchrea had her Deacon, and was a Church, Ioh. epiſt. 3, Acts 14.
5 The Apoſtle Iohn reproved Diotrephes that affected ſuperiority 3 epiſt. and that he caſt out ſuch as the Church would hauehave received, or rete…ned.
6 There is no ſuch title given to any in all the Scriptures as argue they had any ſoveraignty or rule over other Congregations: Now titles are Symbola rerum, notes and evidences of things ſignified by them, and the Scripture giues each other for the purpoſe and office fitting titles.
7 It was in uſe in the times of the primitiue Church, as both the Acts of the Apoſtles, and the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtory witneſſe, that one Church ſhould help an other in all duties, both in ſoule and body, without exerciſing authority one over another: ſo did Ieruſalem, Antioch, and Samaria. When they doubted in like manner of any queſtion, if private anſwer, could not ſatisfie publique Synods were appointed, Act. 15, other conſociation then this, the Church knew none, till at leaſt three or foure hundred years after Chriſt, neither can an Author of credit be brought to the contrary, as witneſſe Centuriae Magdeburgenſes.
Now as this Dioceſan Church hath no ground in Scriptures, nor in antiquity, till things began to decline, ſo neither can it hauehave any being in true reaſon, as may appear by theſe Reaſons.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe whole Chriſt is where his Word is preached and Sacraments adminiſtred. There is his whole Kingdom. This is Bucers Argument to proue Diſcipline in every Congregation, and not to hauehave them depend one upon an other: in every Congregation there is the Word and Sacraments.
2 It is moſt fit in all ſenſe, that the Miniſters which teach ſhould alſo exerciſe Diſcipline, as thoſe which hauehave moſt exact knowledg of the perſons amongſt whom they liue: Secondly, as they that are to giuegive account for the people: And thirdly, that preach to them, and therfore are to govern thē outwardly, which is leſſe then to preach. Fourthly, as they that are hereby to maintain there reſpect and place by the ſword which the Lord hath given them.
3 This conceit rayſed up by the Pope, and partly holds him up till this day. For if there may be Dioceſan Churches, why not univerſall? Both ſpr…ng and are grounded upon the ſame ſandy foundation of carnall policy, and from time to time ſtill nouriſhed by Ambition. Why doe men then take the one, being alike, and leaue the other?
4 This excludes that holy communion which every Congregation might hauehave one with an other, as it was in the Primitiue times; when they ſent to the neighbour Churches, who were not ſlack either to ſend Miniſters or letters, wherby they might be informed, and receiue ſatisfaction in all doubts: wheras now many Churches are bound to one mans pleaſure and arbitrament, whom by his definitiue ſentence determining matters, (though never ſo unrighteouſly) men are bound to obey as their ordinary, without further adoe.
5 The Lord was wont, howſoever the Apoſtles and Prophets were ceaſed, yet to raiſe up men of excellent gifts and graces, who like the Iudges amongſt the Iſraelites with their light, after a ſort directed the whole Church; not by any authority: but as the Modern Divines, Calvin, Beza, Bucer, P. Martyr, and the reſt; by manifeſting the good will of the Lord. Now men by bringing in this deviſe of theirs, hauehave ſtopt the courſe of Gods bleſſing, as much as in them lies.
6 This hath brought the people to exceeding trouble, bondage, and coſts, it brings in a rabble of Appa…ators, that ſell ſin, and procure pardons for others: which doings, & officers, with the Proctors and the reſt, what blemiſh are they to our Proteſtant reformed Churches? To conclude all with that place before mentioned, Acts 20, Miniſters are to take heed to all their Flock, which theſe cannot doe. Secondly, they muſt be ſet over the flock by the Holy Ghoſt: Now what hee doth, hee doth by the Word, which is flat againſt theſe, therfore there is no Dioceſan Church. Thirdly, neither can whole Dioceſſes and Provinces come together to hear their Shepheards and Paſtors, which were fit: wheras thus in all their life many neither ſee nor know him that pretends to be over them as their Biſhop.
7 Is not this a tying of the Church to places and perſons, to binde men to Biſhops ſeas, like that ſea of Rome?
Wherfore, Brethren, yee that hauehave been deceived, think not ſcorn to learn from one inferiour farre in gifts, in theſe things: But hearken to the Lord, that it may goe well with you. You ſee you hauehave no evidence for theſe places, but preſcription and poſſeſſion, which though with men they may ſeem good, yet with the Lord, they are nothing: he reſpects not cuſtom, nor long continuance of time, but the right, and that which was from the beginning. Wherfore look, as the men that had marryed them wiues of the heathens at Nehemiaes command, put them away: ſo ſince you hauehave undertaken a ſtrange charge, ſuch as the Lord forbids, dare not to continue not. He that will forſake father and mother, houſe and lands for Chriſts names ſake, ſhall receiue an hundred fold even in this life, beſides aſſurance of heaven. A great reward is in this promiſe of God, and ſhould be valued by you more worth then all the preſent honours and poſſeſſions you are endowed by man with all. Wherefore conſider what an offer the Lord makes to buy your places of you, wheras he might throw you out as uſurpers: at a deare rate, he offers an 100 fold. If men ſhould make but ſuch an offer that were well able to perform it, and thereto binde themſelues, would not your hearts be glad like the Levite, who having ſerved Micah, being offred a great place, to be Prieſt to the Tribe of Dan, made no queſtion? Why, think brethren, God is moſt true, and all-ſufficient, and he that writes this hath experience of it, wherfore neglect not ſuch great kindneſſe of the Lord offered unto you. And look as David ſaid to the men of I… dah. Why are yee laſt to bring home the King? ſo may I ſay unto you, why are yee ſo backward to bring Chriſt into his Kingdom? As your places were the means to ſet up Antichriſt in his Throne; ſo let your voluntary forſaking of them be a meanes to pull him down. Oh think what a blow it would giuegive him, and how it would ſhake and overthrow the very foundation of his houſe. You know not how many might be woon by this: you know well Sampſon, that hee might be avenged on the Lords enemies, laid down his life. So, much more, ſhould yee part with your ſtate and pompe, which is but vanity, and will fade like as the graſſe and floure of the field. You know one of your Predeceſſours, who left off his Biſhoprick, as too heavy a burden for him. How ſhould your names flouriſh in all after ages? Wheras if you doe continue, you make your ſelues guilty of the ſinnes committed in and by thoſe callings before. You ſhall fulfill the meaſure of your iniquity: you ſhall corrupt other Nations for a while, as the Pope did, and then know for a certainty, that either you ſhall be given over as doggs, as hee hath done the beaſt of Rome, or elſe the hand of the Lord will be in terrible manner againſt you. You cannot but diſcern how unprofitable; nay, how hurtſome you hauehave been unto the Church of God, if you well conſider but the preſent times. Oh let not coveteouſneſſe or ambition make you ſtop your eares, or be like the ſtiffenecked Iewes, that gnaſht their teeth at the ſharp reproofe that Stephen gaue them. But hearken to me, that God may hearken to you. Take theſe things from louelove in him that writes, who ſeeks your good, and having begged it at the hands of the Lord, hopes at leaſt in ſome to ſee it come to paſſe.