A Treatise of Episcopacy, Part 1 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. The true Original of the warrantable Epiſcopacy in particular Churches, was the notorious diſparity of abilities in the Paſtors: And the original of that tyrannical Prelacy into which it did degenerate, was the worldly Spirit in the Paſtors and people, which with the world came by proſperity into the Church. Quaere, Whether the thing ceaſe not, where the reaſon of it ceaſeth?
GOd doth not carry on his work upon mens Souls, by names and empty titles; but by ſuch real demonſtrating evidences of his Power, Wiſdome and Goodneſs, as are apt to work on the Reaſon of man. And therefore he that would make his Apoſtles the Foundations or chief Pillars and Inſtruments in and of his Churches, would accordingly endow them with proportionable abilities, that in the Miracu'ous demonſtrations of Power, and the convincing demonſtrations of Wiſdome, and the amiable holy demonſtrations of goodneſs, they might as far excelothers as they did in authority.
And nature it ſelf teaceth us to difference men in our eſteem and affection, as they really differ in worth and lovelineſs. And this Law of Nature is the Primary Law of God. And the holy Scriptures plainly ſecond it, telling us oft of the diverſity of Gods gifts in his Servants, which all make for concord, but not for equality of eſteem; and that there are greater and leſſer in the Kingdom of God, and that Gods gifts in all men muſt be honoured, Math. 12. 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. Heb. 5. 10. 11. 12. & 6. 1. 2. 3. 4.
And God that would have his various gifts variouſly eſteemed, did in all ages himſelf diverſifie his Servants gifts. All were not Apoſtles, nor all Prophets, nor all Evangeliſts: And after their daies all the Miniſters or Elders of the Churches were not men of Learning, nor of ſo full acquaintance with the ſacred Doctrine, nor ſo grave, prudent, ſtaied, holy, charitable, or peaceable as ſome were uſually when miraculous gifts did ceaſe, and very few Philoſophers or men of learning turned Chriſtians. Any man may know that had not been told it by Church Hiſtory, that their Elders or Paſtors were ſuch as the better ſort of our unlearned Chriſtians are; who can pray well, and worſhip God ſincerely, and read the Scripture, and in a plain familiar manner, can teach the Catechiſtical points, and perſwade to duty and reprove vice: But as for Sermons in a methodical accurate way, as now uſed, and defending the truth, and oppoſing Hereſies, and ſtopping the mouths of gainſayers, they muſt needs be far below the Learned. But yet here and there a Philoſopher was converted; and of thoſe that had no ſuch Learning (then called ſecular, and the Learning of the Gentiles) ſome few were far better Learned than others in the ſacred Scriptures, and the cuſtomes and Learning of the Jews: And it was long before the Chriſtians had Schools and Academies of their own.
That this was ſo, appeareth. 1. In the reaſon of the thing. For no effect can exceed the total cauſe. Therefore they that had not the inſpirations prophetical, or miraculous guiſts, nor Academies and Schools of ſecular Learning, nor ſo much as Riches and leiſure, but Poverty and perſecution and worldly trouble and labour, were not like to have more Learning than the holy Scriptures taught them.
2. And this appeareth by the forecited Canons of Counſels, which forbad Paſtors, ever almoſt three hundred years after Chriſt, to read the Gentiles books. By which the former cuſtome of the Church may eaſily be perceived. And alſo by abundance of reproaches which are caſt upon ſome Hereticks in the Ancients writings, for being too much skilled in Logick and other of the Gentiles Learning.
3. And it appeareth by the parity of writers of the ſecond and third Centuries.
4. And alſo by the paucity of famous Divines that are mentioned in the Hiſtories of thoſe times.
5. And above all by the plainneſs and ſimplicity of thoſe that are deſcribed and of their writings. I ſpeak not in any contempt of them for this (perhaps we value common learning now too highly) But only to tell you the true Hiſtory of thoſe times. No doubt but many poor men among us, (divers Weavers and ſome Plowmen, of the Church which I was removed from; for inſtance) are able to pray, and teach as well as moſt of thoſe who are by Euſebius extolled as the famous Biſhops of the ſecond and third age; and to write as Methodical, pious, weighty tractates, as any that were then written by men that neither converſed with the Apoſtles, nor had been bred up in Philoſophy: That I ſay rot as Clemens Romanus himſelf, or Ignatius, or Irenaeus, yea or Cyprians, Epiſtles are. Yea, or as many of the ages following; even as holy Macarius, Epherm, Cyrus, Syniſius, (a Philoſopher) Iſidore. Peluſiota, and many more have written ſince. If this be not believed, how many Lay-men could I name who have written more accurately and judiciouſly, and as far as the writings ſhew, as piouſly as any of theſe? And that not only Learned Lay-men, but men that had neither many Languages nor Philoſophy. And if the books then written were very few, and of thoſe very few that were written by any but Biſhops or Philoſophers, and thoſe few ſo plaine as we ſee they are, (the beſt of them far below the writings of abundance of late Latin and Engliſh and French writers, that were but Presbyters), you may eaſily judge of what parts the reſt of the Presbyters of thoſe times were, that never wrote.
And from hence you may gather the reaſons, 1. Why ſo few Volumes are left us written in the two firſt ages. 2. And why the Churches had then ſo many Presbyters. (Whatever Doctor Hammond ſay to the contrary without any proof.) It was eaſy to find ſuch Chriſtians as aforedecribed, who might competently guide the reſt by Doctrine, worſhip, diſcipline and example: Though to find Learned men was hard. 3. And you may ſee why ſo many Hereticks boaſted ſo much of their higher knowledge, and Platonical &c. ſpeculations, as accounting the Orthodox to be ignorant men. 4. And you may ſee why ſo few were Champions for the truth. 5. And why there were ſo many parties and diviſions, when the Elders were many and leſs judicious. 6. And you may ſee how the opinion of Eccleſiaſtick meer Ruling Elders came up; and how to expound Pauls, 1 Tim. 5. 17. Eſpecially them that labour in the Word and Doctrine. For it was but here and there a Learned or ſpecial gifted Chriſtian, that was able ſolemnly and ornately to Preach, decide hard caſes and controverſies, confute Hereticks, and guide the Churches in difficult caſes. And the reſt did ſit about the Biſhop as his aſſiſtants, and Preach and officiate at his direction, and overſee the people from man to man; being of the ſame order and office with the Biſhop, but not of the ſame parts, and therefore not equal in the exerciſe.
7. And therefore laſtly hence you may ſee, the reaſons of the firſt fixed particular Church Epiſcopacy: Thoſe few that were Philoſophers or eminently qualified (being ſcarce enow to make one for every Church) did by their gifts overtop the reſt in the due eſteem of all the people: who were bound to eſteem him wiſeſt that was wiſeſt, and to yield more to his judgment than to others that knew leſs: And this inequality of gifts uſually laſted as long as life; and therefore ſo did the inequality of eſteem and reverence. And both the people and the inferiour gifted Paſtors, obeyed the Law of God in nature, and readily gave honour to whom honour was due. And when one was dead finding another ſtill to excel the reſt, they accordingly preferred him before the reſt, even as an excellent Phyſician would be by the patients, and by all the younger and more ignorant Phyſicians, that are not carryed away with pride. And this did eaſily (as all things elſe) turne into formality under pretence of order, and come to ſeem a kind of Office. But when difference required it, I know not but that all this was well done, except that they foreſaw not the degenerate tyranny that would afterward hence ariſe.
This preſent experience openeth to us to the day. What did ſet up Luther, and Melancthon, and Illyricus, but their eminent parts? What elſe gave Zuinglius and … the Preſidencie at Zurich? What elſe did ſet up Calvin, and Beza at Geneva? And Knox and Henderſon in Scotland▪ And all our Pariſhes that have Chappels and Curates ſhew it here in England: Where one man for his worth is thought meereſt to have the Benifice and chief cure; but others may be choſen by him and placed under him, and maintained by him (by the Biſhops allowance) as his curates.
And indeed it was ſo long before Academies made a ſufficient ſtore of men of ſufficiencie for every Presbyters place, that for four or five hundred years, there were few bred up to competent Learning, except either under Heathens, or elſe in a Biſhops houſe, or here and there as an Auditor of ſome one rare Teacher▪ Clemens Alexandrinus, as a Diſciple of Pantenus and Origene of clemens, and ſome few others, came to Learning, as auditors in that Alexandrian School: But few other places beſides Alexandria had any ſuch School of a long time, in ſo much as Nazianzen, Baſil, Greg. Niſſen. Chryſoſtome, &c. were taught at Athens, by Lybanius and ſuch other Heathens; And Ambroſe, Auguſtine, and many others, were in a manner foreign ſelf taught, ſo that it was not poſſible then to have many Learned men ordinarily for one Church (or congregation) And yet many Presbyters certainly they had. Which is the true cauſe that one Learned man was made an Overſeer and Guide to the reſt, who were his Curates or Aſſiſtants, gifted like our wiſer ſort of the Laity, but of the ſame Office and order with him; And this Biſhop was the uſual Preacher, and the other did learne of him to Preach, and grew up under him as Scholars; and he that came to greateſt abilities under him, was choſen for a Biſhop to another Church that wanted, but not without his own Biſhops conſent, which made the debate in Councels ſo frequent, whether a Presbyter might remove to another Church, or be choſen for a Biſhop of another Church? And an African Council giveth it as a Reaſon why that Biſhop that had able Presbyters, ſhould not refuſe to let one go to be a Biſhop elſewhere, becauſe where there were many fit to be Presbyters, there were but few men fit to be made Biſhops, which implieth that they took it not then for a meer place of order, where one man of equal parts was for Unity to rule the reſt, but for a neceſſary difference of exerciſing the ſame Office, becauſe of the different abilities of the Officers: Which was not only to keep an order by diſparity of places, but to educate the Presbyters to greater abilities, and to manage Gods work in each aſſembly more skillfully and guide the Church more prudently, and defend the truth more powerfully, than common unlearned Presbyters could do.
Now let it be for the preſent granted that for ſuch reaſons Epiſcopacy in each Church was juſtly ſetled, and call it an order or a degree as you pleaſe; It will be a difficult queſtion, what ſhall be judged of thoſe that have the ſame place and Title, without the ſame Qualifications and precedencie of parts? Becauſe the Reaſon of his power faileth. If one be choſen Biſhop to keep out Heteſie, and he prove a Heretick, and the Presbyters Orthodox, whatis his power to that end? If one be choſen Biſhop to keep out Schiſin, and he prove a Schiſinatick or Sect-Maſter, and the reſt concordant, what is his power? If one be made Biſhop to teach the people better than the Presbytres, and to teach the Presbyters themſelves, and to defend truth and Godlineſs, and he prove more ignorant than the Presbyters, and Preach not to the thouſandth or hundredth part of his Dioceſe once in all his life, nor to any at all paſt once in many weeks or months or years, and if he do but ſilence the Miniſters that are abler and farr more pious than himſelf, what power hath he as a Biſhop to thoſe ends? Sure I am that diſpoſitio mater…e is neceſſary as ſine qua no…, ad receptionem formae. If one be made a Schoolmaſter, that cannot reach the Scholars half ſo much as they know already, but hath need to learne of them, and yet will neither learne of them, nor ſuffer them to learne without him, I know not well how farr he is their Schoolmaſter indeed. If one be made a Phyſician, that knoweth not half ſo much as I do, I ſhould be loth for Order ſake to venture my life upon his truſt. Nor yet to venture my own life and others in a Ship that had an ignorant Pilote, when the Mariners had more skill, but muſt not uſe it. Orders and Office that are appointed for the work's ſake, eſſentially ſuppoſe ability for that work. And without the neceſſary qualifications, they are but the Carkaſſes or images of the office (but of this before).
Therefore it is that the Chriſtian flocks could never yet be cured, by all the a…t or tyranny that could be uſed, of the eſteem of real Wiſdome and Godlineſ…, and preferring it before an empty title, or a pompous ſhew, and from ſetting leſs by Ignorance and Impiety venerably named and arrayed, then by ſelf evidencing worth; nor from valuing a Shepherd that daily feedeth them, from a Wolfe in Sheeps cloathing, that hathe Fangs and bloody jawes, and fleeceth and devoureth the flock (with the Shepherds.)
And hence we may ſay that God himſelf uſeth to give Biſhops to the Church, whether men will or not; while he giveth them ſuch as (Jerome) Luther, Melan…horn, Bucer, Calvin, Zanchius, &c, Who had Epiſcopal ability, and really did that which Biſhops were firſt appointed for, while the Biſhops would have hindered them and ſought their blood. They taught the people, they bred up young Miniſters, they kept out Hereſies and Schiſmes, they guided the churches by the light of Sacred truth, and by the power of Reaſon and Love: And who than was the Biſhop? who is the real Architect he that buildeth the houſe, or he that hath the title, and doth nothing unleſs it be hindering the builders?
To this already ſaid I add but two more intimations, which I deſire the ſober impartial Reader to conſider. 1. Writing is but a mode of Preaching: And of the two it is worſe to have inept Sermons in Publick Aſſemblies (and ſo Gods worke and worſhip diſhonoured) than to have inept bookes in private. And no doubt, the Paſtors overſight extends to publick and private. Now while the meer worth of bookes without any Authority, commendeth them to the world, though ſometimes with ſome few, giddy Pamphlets are accepted, yet that is but for a fit; and ordinarily the Book-ſellers ſufficiently reſtrain all that are not of worth, becauſe they cannot ſell them. But if a Biſhop muſt impoſe on all the people what bookes they muſt read, in many Kingdoms it will be for the Pope and Maſſe, in others for Exorciſm and Conſubſtantion, &c.
2. Is not order for the the thing ordered? Epiſcopacy is for the Churches benefit by the Biſhops eminent gifts and parts. But if the Biſhop be of lower parts, than the Paſtors (and an Envious Malignant hinderer of their work), Quere, Whether the order (being humane) ceaſe not, ubi ceſſat ſubjecti diſpoſitio & relatio ad finem; when the end and the peſons capacity ceaſe.
II. But how the world by the countenance of Emperours was invited to come int the Church? How worldly wealth, power and honour did indue them? How Biſhopricks were made baites for the proud and tyrannical and Covetous? How ſuch then ſought them and ſo the worldly Spirit had the rule, and altered Epiſcopacy, I ſhewed in the Hiſtory before.
THE Second Part.
Having in the former Part laid down thoſe Grounds on which the Applicatory Part is to be built, and ſubverted the foundations of that Dioceſane frame which we judge unlawful, I ſhall now proceed to give you the Application, in the particular Reaſons of our judgment, from the Evils which we ſuppoſe this frame to be guilty of.