Last Legacy in Select Admonitions and Directions, Treatise · Section 25 – Section 27
Of Biſhops.
Page 832. of Mr. Baxter's Directory, Q. 56. Mr. Baxter tells you in the Margin of thoſe Reaſons for a larger Epiſcopacy, That in the Apoſtles Days there were under Chriſt in the Univerſal Church, many general Officers that had the care of gathering and over-ſeeing Churches up and down, and were fixed by ſtated Relation unto none. And moſt Chriſtian Churches think, that though the extraordinary Gifts, Privileges and Officers ceaſe, yet Government being an ordinary part of their Work, the ſame Form of Government which Chriſt and the Holy Ghoſt did ſettle in the firſt Ages, tho' not with the ſame extraordinary Gifts and Adjuncts were ſettled for all following Ages: 1. Becauſe we read of ſettling that Form, (viz.) general Officers as well as Particular, but never of any Abolition. 2. Becauſe if we affirm a Ceſſation without Proof, we ſeem to accuſe God of Mutability, as ſetting a Form of Government for one Age only. 3. And we leave room for audacious Wits to queſtion other Goſpel-Inſtitutions, as Paſtors, Sacraments, &c. 4. It was general Officers that Chriſt promiſed to be with to the end of the World, Matth. 28. 20. And in this Premonition he ſays, he doth not diſpute the Lawfulneſs of Arch-Biſhops, over Parochial-Biſhops, as Succeſſors to the Apoſtles, and other general Officers of the firſt Age, in the ordinary continued parts of their Office. And in his Plea for Peace, p. 263. Some of us incline much to think, that Arch-Biſhops (i. e.) Biſhops that have over-ſight of many Churches, with their Paſtors, are lawful Succeſſors of the Apoſtles, in the ordinary part of their Work. So alſo, Firſt Plea, p. 35. and of his accepting two parts of Epiſcopacy, not varying the Species in the Preface to the ſecond Plea.
In Church-Hiſtory, p. 37. and in Plea for Peace, p. 66. the Biſhops in Cyprian's time had the beſt ordered Churches in the World; and the Biſhops were the moſt Godly, Faithful, Peaceable company of Biſhops ſince the Apoſtle's times. In Preface to the Second Plea, we offered Arch-Biſhop Uſher's Model, and when his Majeſty would not grant us that, he preſcribed the Epiſcopacy of England, as it ſtood with little Alteration, this we joyfully and thankfully accepted, as a hopeful means of a common Conformity and Concord.
See more p. 3. of his Apology, and p. 161. I ſhewed, that there are in Directory, p. 832. ſuch general Officers in the Church; as an Army, that is headed by the general himſelf, and a Regiment by the Colonel, and a Troophy a Captain; there was no parity then in the Church-Officers.
In the Preface to the Five Diſputations, p. 9. Two ſorts of Epiſcopacy are allowed, firſt, ſuch as St. Hierome ſays were brought into the Church for a Remedy againſt Schiſm; the Biſhop of this Conſtitution was to preſide over Presbyters, and without him nothing was to be done in the Church that was of Moment. S. 58. of Church Hiſt.
The Second is that which ſucceeds the Apoſtles in the ordinary parts of Church-Government, while ſome Senior Paſtors have the care of Superviſing many Churches, as the Viſitors had in Scotland; and are ſo far Epiſcopi-Epiſcoporum, having no conſtraining Power of the Sword.
But a Power to admoniſh and inſtruct the Paſtors, and to Regulate Ordinations, Synods, and all great and common Circumſtances that belong to Churches: For if there were one Form of Government, in which ſome Paſtors had ſuch extenſive Work and Power, as Timothy, Titus, and the Evangeliſts had, as well as Apoſtles, we muſt not change it without Proof, that Chriſt himſelf would have it changed. Many wiſe Men think, that the Presbyterians rejecting all Epiſcopacy, ſetting up unordained Elders, and National Churches headed by National Aſſemblies, are diviſive and unwarrantable, as their making by the Scots Covenant, the renouncing of Epiſcopacy, to be the teſt of National Concord was diviſive. Page 72. of the Third Defence, Part the laſt.
Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Hoper, Jewel, Davenant, Uſher, Moreton, Abbot, Hall, Potter, Charleton, were all Pious as well as Learned Biſhops, and ſo were many Conformiſt Miniſters, Sibs, Preſton, Fenner, Bolton, Whately, Dent, Crook, Pike, Stock, Stoughton, Taylor, &c. My Judgment is, that a Peace with the Divines of the Epiſcopal Judgment is much to be deſired, and earneſtly endeavoured. If it be Objected, that he calls the Biſhops their Silencers and Perſecutors, p. 104. of his Apology he ſays, no Biſhops have Silenced us by Spiritual Government, that we know of, but only as Barons by the Secular Laws, to which ſome of them gave their Votes, for Mr. Baxter acknowledgeth all did not.
As for Biſhops (viz.) a Dioceſan,Five Diſp. p. 20. ruling all the Presbyters, but leaving the Presbyters to rule the People, and conſequently taking to himſelf the ſole, or chief power of Ordination, but leaving cenſures and abſolution to them, except in caſe of Appeal to himſelf; I muſt needs ſay, that this ſort of Epiſcopacy is very ancient, and hath been for many Ages of very common reception through a great part of the Church— And if I lived in a place, where this government were eſtabliſhed, and managed for God, I would ſubmit thereto, and live peaceably under it, and do nothing to the diſturbance, diſgrace or diſcouragement of it. (You may ſee how far Mr. Vines and Mr. Baxter did agree in the notion of a Biſhop over many Presbyters.)P. 352. Of which Grotius in his Commentary on the Acts, and particularly chap. 17. ſaith, that as in every particular Synagogue, many of which were in ſome one City (in Jeruſalem 480.) Sigonius de Repub. Heb. l. 2. c. 8.there was foreign, ſuch was the Primitive Biſhop. And doubtleſs the firſt Biſhops were over the community of Presbyters, as Presbyters, in joynt relation to one Church or Region; which Region being upon the increaſe of Believers divided into more Churches, and in after-times, thoſe Churches aſſigned to particular Men; yet he the Biſhop, continued Biſhop over them ſtill. For that*Mr. Baxter. you ſay, he had a negative Voice, that is more then ever I ſaw proved, or I think ever ſhall, for the firſt 200 Years; and yet I have laboured to enquire into it. That makes him Angelus Princeps, not Angelus Praeſes, as Dr. Reinolds ſaith. Calvin denies that, and makes him Conſul in Senatu, or as a Speaker in the Houſe of Parliament, which, as I have heard that D. B. did ſay, was but to make him foreman of the Jury. As touching the Introduction of ruling Elders, ſuch as are modelled out by Parliament, my judgment is ſufficiently known. I am of your Judgment in the point, There ſhould be ſuch Elders, as have power to Preach as well as Rule. On this Mr. Baxter reflects, p. 353. Though Mr. Vines here yield not the negative Voice to have been de facto, in the firſt or ſecond age, nor to be de jure; yet he, without any queſtion yielded to the ſtating of a Preſident, durante vitâ, if he prove not unworthy, which was one point that I propounded to him; and I make no doubt, but he would have yielded to a voluntary conſent of Presbyters, de facto, not to ordain without the Preſident. And the difficulties that are before us, de facto, in ſetting up a Parochial Epiſcopacy, which he mentioneth, I have cleared already in theſe Papers, ſhewing partly, that the thing is already exiſtent, and partly how more fully to accompliſh it.
The Inſtances which he gives, are in the Epiſcopacy of the Proteſtant Churches in Poland, from Adrian Regenvolſcius, Hiſt. Eccleſ. Sclavon. l. 3. p. 424. N. B. Whereas from the firſt Reformation of the Churches in the Province of the leſſer Polonia, it hath been received by Uſe and Cuſtom, that out of the Elders of all thoſe (Diſtrictus) Diviſions, which are 36 in Number, one Primate, or Chief, in Order, who is commonly called Superintendent of the Churches of leſſer Poland, and doth preſide over the Provincial Synods, be choſen by the Authority, Conſent, and Suffrage of the Provincial Synod, and that he be inaugurated, and declared (not by impoſition of Hands, to avoid the ſuſpicion of Primacy, and the appearance of Authority and Power over the other Elders) only by Benediction, and fraternal Prayers, and by reading over the Offices which concern this Function, and the Prayers of the whole Synod, for the ſake of Government and good Order in the Church of God, &c.
The other inſtance is of the Churches of the Bohemian Confeſſion, who have among the Paſtors of the Churches, their Conſeniors and Seniors, and one Preſident over all, related by the ſame Regenvolſcius, p. 315. The Elders or the Superintendents of the Bohemian and Moravian Churches, &c. are for the moſt part choſen out of their Fellow-Elders, and are Ordained and Conſecrated to the Office of Seigniory by Impoſition of Hands, and Publick inauguration, &c.
Mr. Baxter diſlikes our Species of Dioceſan Biſhops, becauſe of their Chancellors, which is very groundleſs for the power of Legiſlation, the Foundation and Form of Government, which being wholly in the Biſhops and Clergy, who in Convocation have the ſole Power of making Canons for the Government of the Church; and there being no Cenſure to be inflicted but according to thoſe Canons, the Lay-Chancellor are but inferior Officers, intruſted by their Biſhops with ſome part of the Executive Power; the Biſhops themſelves, as well as their Chancellors, having the Canons to direct and overrule them in the Execution; and if there be any extra-judicial Proceſs, there lye Appeals from them both. Moreover, the Chancellors being bred up to the Study and Practice of the Canon and Civil Laws, are moſt fit for Executing the Canons, being acquainted with the Nature of Evidences, Probations, and judicial Proceſs, which meer Presbyters cannot be preſuſed to underſtand ſo well; and this Office of Chancellors being allowed by the Laws of the Land, they may be ſubmitted to as they are the King's Officers, by Mr. Baxter's own Conceſſions. This may ſatisfie the impartial Reader againſt thoſe bitter Invectives of Mr. Baxter, againſt the Species of Dioceſan Biſhops, as being Anti-Chriſtian, and the Military Inſtruments of the Devil.
Thoſe that treated with the Biſhops,Defenſe, P. 65. 1660. did yield to ſuch an Epiſcopacy, as the old Nonconformiſts would ſcarce generally have conſented to, i. e. to Biſhop Uſher's Model.
Epiſcopacy is not ſuch an upſtart thing, nor defended by ſuch contemptible Reaſons, as that the Controverſie is like to die with this Age; undoubtedly there will be a Godly and Learned Party for it, while the World endureth. And it is a numerous Party: All the Greek Church, the Armenian, Syrian, Abaſſine, and all others, but a few of the Reformed. For Denmark, Sweden, part of Germany and Tranſilvania, have a Superintendency, as high as that I plead for, p. 11. If you know no Godly Perſons of the Epiſcopal way, I do, and as my acquaintance increaſeth, I know more and more, and ſome I take to be much better than my ſelf; I will ſay a greater word, that I know thoſe of them, whom I think as Godly, Humble Miniſters, as moſt of the Non-conformiſts, whom I know, p. 12. And I believe there are many hundred Godly Miniſters in the Church of England, and that their Churches are true Churches. And I am confident, moſt of the Miniſters in England would be content to yield to ſuch an Epiſcopacy, as you may find in the Publiſhed Judgments of Biſhop Hall, Uſher, Dr. Forbes, Hodſworth, and others. Preface to the Five Diſputations, p. 9.
Chriſt. Direct. the Second Edition, p. 189. Part 3. Q. How doth the Holy Ghoſt ſet Biſhops over the Church? Anſw. By making the Office it ſelf ſo far as the Apoſtles had any hand in it, Chriſt himſelf having made their Office. The Holy Ghoſt in the Electors and Ordainers, directeth them to diſcern the fitneſs of the Perſons, and ſo to call ſuch as God approveth of and calleth by the Holy Ghoſt in them, which is done by the ordinary help of God's Spirit, in the wiſe and faithful Electors and Ordainers; the Holy Ghoſt doth qualifie them for the Work, by due Life, Light and Love, Knowledge, Willingneſs and Activity, and ſo inclining them to it, and marking out the Perſon by his Gifts, which was done at firſt by extraordinary Gifts, and ever ſince by ordinary, ſpecial, and ſaving in ſome, common, and only fitted to the Churches Inſtruction in others, ſo that whoever is not competently qualified is not called by the Holy Ghoſt, when Chriſt aſcended he gave gifts to Men, ſome Apoſtles, &c. Eph. 4. 78, &c.
Of Sacriledge.
Q. 171. What is Sacriledge? Chriſt. Direct. p. 916.Anſ. It is a robbing God by the unjuſt alienation of Holy things. As depoſing Kings, ſilencing true Miniſters, the unjuſt alienating of Temples, Utenſils, Lands, Days ſeparated by God himſelf and juſtly conſecrated by Man.
Mr. Vines his Letter to Mr. Baxter, p. 35. of the 5 Diſput. concerning Sacriledge.
As for your Queſtion about Sacriledge, I am very near you in the preſent Opinion. The point was never ſtated nor debated in the Iſle of Wight; I did for my part decline the diſpute, for I could not maintain the cauſe as on the Parliament ſide; And becauſe, both I and others were unwilling, it was never brought to open debate. The Commiſſioners did argue it with the King, but they went upon grounds of Law and Polity, and it was only about Biſhops Lands; for they then averred the continuance of Dean and Chapter Lands to the uſe of the Church. Some deny that there is any ſin of Sacriledge under the Goſpel, and if there be any, they agree not in the definition. Some hold an Alienation of Church-goods, in caſe of Neceſſity, and then make the neceſſity, what, and as extenſive, as they pleaſe. The moſt are of Opinion, that while the Church lies ſo unprovided for, the donations are not alienable, ſine Sacrilegio. If there were a Surpluſage above the competent maintenance, it were another matter. It is clear enough, the Donors wills are fruſtrated, and that their general intention, and the general uſe (Viz. the maintenance of God's Worſhip, and Miniſters) ſhould ſtand, though the particular uſe might be ſuperſtitious. I cited in my laſt Sermon before the Parliament a place out of Mr. Hilderſham, on Pſal. 51. touching Sacriledge, it did not pleaſe. If his deſcription of it be true, then you will ſtill be of your own mind. I dare encourage no Purchaſers, &c.