Of National Churches, Chapter 10
Chap. X. Whether an Univerſal Church-Government be of Apoſtolick Succeſſion in the continued parts of their Office?
§ 1. THough thoſe that take it for mutability and backſliding to change their Judgments after that the School, or their Leaders or Intereſt hath once fixed them, do cenſure me for changing and repenting, that temptation ſhall not prevail with me, to deny Learning and Repenting, till I know at what Age we muſt fix our ne ultra, or who be the Teachers that we muſt believe as infallible, while we diſpute againſt Humane as well as Papal Infallibility.
§ 2. I therefore penitently confeſs that I was long averſly ſuſpicious of National Churches, and National Church-Goververnours, becauſe I could not ſee how thoſe that held theſe could confute Popery: For I thought that by the ſame reaſon that Presbyters muſt have Biſhops over them, and Biſhops, Arch-Biſhops, and they Metropolitans or Patriarchs; theſe alſo muſt have ſome body over them, to Ordain them, and to Govern them. And becauſe I denied the latter, I denied alſo the former, and thought Epiſcopacy would infer Popery.
§ 3. And leſt any ſhould fall by the like temptation, and Papiſts ſhould plead my Principles as for them, or ſhould infer that if National Churches and Prelacy be Jure Divino, Univerſal Church Soveraignty is ſo alſo, I ſhall here tell thoſe that may have the like temptations, how I eſcaped this: And I will add the reſt of the difficulties that ever ſeemed to me to be of conſiderable weight to tempt an impartial man to Popery, and tell the leſs ſtudied how to anſwer them better than the moſt can do.
§ 4. I have long known that Popery doth not eſſentially conſiſt in the other Errours about Doctrine or Worſhip, as Images, praying to Saints and Angels, Maſſes, Relicts, Merits, Juſtification, Free-will, Purgatory, Tranſubſtantiation, &c. If a Greek, or Armenian, or Abaſſine, hold theſe and no more, he is not therefore a Papiſt. You may call them Integral parts of Popery if you will, but not eſſential. The Eſſence is only the Opinion of Univerſal Humane Church Soveraignty, and a Church Univerſal Unified and formally Conſtituted thereby.
§ 5. This is conſiderable, 1. Quoad Rationem Rei; 2. And quoad Rationem Nominis.
1. As to the Thing, it is ſuch a Soveraignty feigned, whether in a Monarchy, Ariſtocracy, or any mixt or other Form, as being an Uſurpation of Chriſt's Office, and making a Vice-Chriſt, which is an Antichriſt.
2. As to the Name, it is called Popery from them that place this Soveraignty in the Roman Pope (though it would be the ſame thing, if they placed it in the Biſhop of Conſtantinople.)
§ 6. Of theſe there are three ſorts of Papiſts: 1. Some place it in the Pope alone: 2. Some in the Pope and a General Council or Clergy agreeing: 3. And ſome in a General Council, the Pope being only Principium Unitatis, as having the primam ſedem, priviledged ordinarily to call them, and moderate. And in the Intervals of ſuch Councils, in an Ariſtocratical Colledge of all the Biſhops in the World, governing per literas formatas: This laſt as moſt irrational I have at large confuted: It is the other two that deſerve further confutation.
§ 7. And ſeeing it is the ſumma Poteſtas, or Soveraignty that is the unifying and denominating Form of a Political Society, it clearly followeth that thoſe that now go under the name of Papiſts or Roman Catholicks, are indeed of three diſtinct ſort of Churches, and not as they pretend of One. But names not underſtood delude the ignorant, ſaying it is but One Church, maketh it not One.
§ 8. They uncharitably and very hurtfully miſtake, 1. Who ſay that Popery eſſentially began when God and Conſtantine exalted the Biſhops, and Pride in many abuſed that mercy. 2. And they that ſay it eſſentially began when Image-worſhip began. 3. And they that date it from the aſſumed Name of Univerſal Biſhop, or Head of the Univerſal Church (which Leo I. aſſumed and Phocas gave Boniface) as long as they meant not the Univerſal Church on all the Earth, but only the Univerſal in the Empire, which was long meant.
§ 9. Now among all temptations to Popery, I never found any of difficult weight but theſe.
I. The Apoſtolical Office continueth in its ordinary continued Part and Work. But Univerſal Church Government is an ordinary continued Part and Work of the Apoſtolick Office. Ergo Univerſal Church-Government (continueth) (that is, de jure divino.)
II. The Superiority of one National Church Government is Jure Divino. Ergo, ſo is the Superiority of an Univerſal Church Government.
III. The Roman Policy ſeemeth greatly advantageous for the Preſervation, Honour and Propagation of Chriſtianity in the World, and hath much upheld it.
IV. The ſcandalous diviſions of the Reformed and other Churches, are ſo diſhonourable and weakening, and dangerous to Chriſtianity, as ſeemeth to make the Roman Policy and Unity neceſſary.
V. The Errors of the Proteſtants in their Oppoſition to Popery, are ſo many and groſs, and their unjuſt accuſations of the Papiſts ſo palpable, eſpecially their Expoſition of the Revelation ſo Partial, Erroneous and Hoſtile as ſeemeth much to make their Cauſe more ſuſpected than the Papiſts.
§ 10. Theſe Reaſons which prevailed with ſuch great Men as Eraſmus, Caſſander, Grotius, and many others, need a more accurate anſwer than moſt Proteſtants are prepared to give, which we ſhould find were the Papiſts by Liberty of Religion let looſe to open Diſputes among us: I have tryed ſome Judicious Miniſters with the firſt of theſe, and have had but ſuch anſwers as are defective and inſufficient.
§ 11. The Anſwer which ſatisfieth me is this.
We muſt diſtinguiſh, 1. The Apoſtles Power as Promulgators of Chriſts Law, and a Legiſlative Power to make Laws of their own.
2. Between a Legiſlative and a Judicial and Executive Power.
3. Between an Univerſal and an Indefinite Power and Exerciſe.
4. Between a Power to be uſed perſonally, disjunct, each one his part in his own Province, and a Power in many conjunct making one Political Perſon or Supreme, as in an Ariſtocracy.
5. Between proper Regiment, where Authorit as Imperantis is the formal Object of the Subjects Obedience; and Contract or Conſent for Brotherly Agreement and Communion. And ſo between a Confederacy and a Political Society; and between Inequality in Teachers and Perſwaders, and Inequality in Commanders.
§ 12. This much preſuppoſed, we muſt enquire what the Apoſtles Power was, that we may know how much of it is continued as ordinary.
And, I. Names uſed by Chriſt and the Holy Ghoſt, were not uſeleſs to the notifying of the things ſignified by them. And Apoſtolus ſignified much more than Epiſcopus. To be an Apoſtle was by Chriſts own Mouth, or ſpecial Revelation from Heaven, to be one ſent Indefinitely to be his ſpecial Witneſs and Meſſenger to publiſh his Goſpel to Infidels, and work Miracles to confirm it, and gather Churches hereby. But a Biſhop as ſuch had not this Miſſion and Power.
§ 13. II. The Apoſtles Power to ſpeak of Chriſt, his words and works as Eye and Ear-witneſſes, is not continued to Succeſſors; no more than the confirming Power of Miracles.
§ 14. III. The number of Twelve and Seventy two were a National Form fitted to the Jewiſh State, and not an Univerſal: And this National Form went before that part of the Apoſtles Work and Power, which was to be Univerſal or Indefinite.
§ 15. IV. The Apoſtles made no Univerſal Laws of their own, but only promulgated the Laws of Chriſt; which by his Word and Spirit he taught them: And to that end, he promiſed and gave them his Spirit to lead them into all Truth, and bring all to their remembrance; and they were ſent to all Nations (indefinitely) to Convert them and Baptize them, and to teach them to obſerve all things that Chriſt had commanded them.
The Cryer is not the Law-maker, though he proclaim the Law.
The Obligations to Infant-baptiſm and the Lords day, alledged by ſome as Apoſtolical Laws, are from Chriſt himſelf (as I have proved elſewhere at large) the Apoſtles being Authorized Witneſſes and Promulgators. And had they done it by the extraordinary promiſed Spirit, it had ſo been Chriſts own Law-giving; no other having that promiſe of the Spirit to make a new Word of God, or Univerſal Law, by bringing all his Commands to remembrance, and leading them into all Truth.
The determinations, Acts 15. were alſo the delivery of the Law of Chriſt, the Holy Ghoſt giving them the certain underſtanding of it: And it's like that as two of the four Caſes (Fornication and Idol-Communion) were of known Morality, ſo the other two (ſtrangled and Blood-eating) if not ſo, were not of Univerſal Obligation; but only to thoſe Gentiles that lived among the offended Jews.
The like may be ſaid about the Inſtitution of Deacons, and Biſhops of ſingle Churches: If they did not Inſtitute them as in Chriſts Name, by his Command or Spirit, but had Authority from him to do it as Apoſtles. It was under the promiſe of the Spirits Infallible Guidance, and a Temporary Work, in which they have no Succeſſors: For Chriſts Church would never be formed, nor his Laws and Word ſetled perfect, if we muſt have Men in all Ages, to add to his Church Ordinances and Officers, and to make him new Laws and a new Word: How big would his Bible be then at the laſt? Why have no new Scriptures as his been ſo made theſe 1600 years. I hope our Volumes of Councils will not go for ſuch.
§ 16. V. The occaſional determination of Queſtions about mutable Circumſtances (as long Hair, the Vails, the Love-feaſts, the time of Collections for Charity, and divers ſuch were not Univerſal but Local, and not of Immutable but occaſional Mutable Obligation; and were but ſuch as National and Congregational Governors may determine, without any Univerſal Supreme Power. The Genus or Rule by which they muſt be determined (Edification, Love, Concord, Peace, Decency, Order,) being Gods Laws.
§ 17. VI. There is great difference between what the Apoſtles did as Segregate or Diſ-junct each one in his Province, and what they did as an Ariſtocratical Perſon or College unitedly. They Ordained Elders, gave the Holy Ghoſt, ſetled Churches, decided Controverſies, wrote Books and Epiſtles, ſingly each one in his Province, and met not to write any one Book or Epiſtle by a Major College-Vote in one Body. And though their Books now oblige all the Church that have them, yet, 1. At the firſt writing they obliged only the Churches or Perſons to whom they were written, and only after by parity of Reaſon bind others that have them. And every ordinary Paſtor that writeth a Book that is ſound Divinity, bringeth an Obligation on all that read it, to obey it according to the Evidence of truth. The Obligation of the Apoſtles Books and theirs, is Extenſively, Indefinite or Univerſal to all that read or hear it: But the Degree of the Obligation Intenſively is greater from the Apoſtles Writings, becauſe of their extraordinary Spirit.
§ 18. VII. The deciſion, Acts 15. was not by a General Council nor a Pope; No ſuch Council was called: But they were ſent and appealed to, as Men of moſt infallible fitneſs to decide that Caſe; and if they did it as a College, it was only as a National Church College, ſuch as de formâ the Jews Nation had, in which relation they were firſt ſetled: For as Twelve they were only ſo related; others being added to be ſent with them to the Centiles. And beſides and after that, we never read that they did any thing but in their ſeparate Provinces and Perſonal Capacity.
§ 10 VIII. And as they never did as an Univerſal Ariſtocratical College, by Vote make new Univerſal Laws to the Church, much leſs by any ordinary continued Power, ſo neither did they as ſuch a College, exerciſe Judicial or Executive power, but did it in their ſingle Capacities only in their proper Provinces; and that was partly by an ordinary power (of Reproof and Excommunication) which continueth; and partly by an extraordinary miraculous power, of delivering to Satan for Corporal puniſhment, which power is ceaſed with them (Tho' Papiſts in a mock-imitation, deliver the Excommunicate to the Secular powers, to be kill'd, as if theſe were Devils.) As for the Univerſal Laws that tell whom to Excommunicate, they are Chriſts own Laws, and Rules of Judgment: To which if men may add the like, no wonder if they make Sin and Hereſie as they pleaſe, and Excommunicate and deliver to Satan (their Magiſtrates) whom they will; and if he that was an Orthodox Saint this year, be burnt (without change) as an Heretick the next; and it be never certain till the end of the World, what is Hereſie or Sin, and what not.
§ 20. IX. It being certain then that the Apoſtles did not, as an Ariſtocratical Supreme power over the Univerſal Church, Exerciſe Legiſlation, Judgment and Execution, much leſs by any ordinary continued power, it followeth that they have no Succeſſors that have ſuch power; and all Government being contained in theſe three parts, there is de Jure no Univerſal Governour.
§ 21. X. The power of Moſes and Aaron were of equal extent, and both of Divine Inſtitution; but Aaron was under Moſes Government: And Chriſt gave the Twelve and Seventy at firſt no larger Provinces or Power: And when he added more and ſent them to the Gentiles, he commanded every Soul to be ſubject to the Princes power as of God: Therefore their power in the Empire was limited and ſubject to the Imperial Government, and ſo in other Lands: They were bound to fear God and Honour the King. They might by Doctoral and Nunciative Authority perſwade Emperors, and deliver Gods Commands, and ſo ſtill may any ordinary Teacher, but not by Imperant, Judicial and Executive power Govern them, unleſs by ſelf-ſubjecting they make them their Governors as Pupils do their Tutors and Patients their Phyſicions. Yea they could make no Man a Chriſtian but by Perſuaſion to voluntary conſent; and till they were Chriſtians, they could not Govern them as Chriſtians: And they were not Governors of the World but Monitors, and Perſuaders.
§ 22. XI. Indefinite (and were it poſſible Univerſal) Concord, Love and Communion; All Chriſtians muſt endeavour; which Miniſters do with greater Obligation and Advantage than the People, and Apoſtles above both.
And Kings and States are as much obliged to it as Biſhops: But they are not on that pretence to make one Univerſal King or Senate, to be a Soveraign Power to them and all the Earth or Church: But only by Diets or Confederacies to join their Powers and Endeavours to ſo good an End: And ſo is it with Biſhops and Churches.
§ 23. If they ſay, That it is Union and Concord with the Pope or Rome, or their Councils that we are bound to, let them but renounce their pretence to Government of all, and we ſhall eaſily decide the other difference: If we muſt not Unite to them as Governors, but as Brethren, they are as much bound to Love and Union with us, as we with them. And Chriſt is ſufficient to be the Center of Union to the whole Body, and hath made them the ſufficient and only Laws of Univerſal Concord among themſelves.
§ 24. Obj. To be obliged by Gods Law to Concord, and to have Councils and Biſhops determine in what we muſt agree, inferreth our Duty to agree in thoſe Points which cometh to all one as Government by them.
Anſ. 1. If they be not Governors but Equals, we have as much power to propoſe Articles of Agreement to them, as they to us.
2. There are no Articles of Univerſal Agreement in all the Churches on Earth, neceſſary, but what Chriſt hath made ſuch. And to pretend to make ſuch, and Uſurp his Prerogative, is a ſin that we muſt not agree with.
3. The vanity of their talk of true Univerſal Councils I have oft at large detected.
4. We grant ſubmiſſion to the true power of National Governors and Councils, but Univerſal we know not.
5. Juſt National Laws muſt be obeyed: But Conciliar Canons of Concord by Equals, bind us not to Agreement, when miſtake maketh them againſt the common Good and Ends of Concord. Nor do Mens Laws or Agreements bind us to any thing againſt the Laws of God.
§ 25. XII. We all own an Univerſal Church Government, Partite, or Exerciſed by parts, as all the Phyſicions Medicate all England, and all the School-maſters teach them, and all the Judges and Juſtices judge them: And ſo Cyprian meant that Epiſcopatus unus eſt, of which each one hath a part: That is, 1. In ſpecie institutâ. 2. Quoad Objectum, All the particular Churches governed make one Univerſal Church. 3. Quoad Finem. But no Man, nor any Senate or College, or Council, as una perſona politica, is Soveraign. We have no Univerſal King but Chriſt.