Whether Parish Congregations be True Christian Churches, Treatise 1

Whether Parish Congregations be True Christian Churches · Treatise 1

WHET…ER Pariſh C…gregations BE TRUE Chriſtian Churches, …d the Capable Conſenting Incumbents, be truly their Paſtors, or Biſhops over their Flocks.

… Whether the old Proteſtants, Conformiſts, and Noncon…rmiſts, or the Browniſts, were in the right herein. And how … our preſent Caſe is the ſame.

… by Richard Baxter, as an Explication of ſome Paſſages in his For… Writings, eſpecially, his Treatiſe of Epiſcopacy, miſunderſtood and miſapplied by ſome; and anſwering the ſtrongeſt Objections of ſome of them, eſpecially a Book called, R. Baxters Judgment and Reaſons againſt Communicating with the Pariſh Aſſemblies, as by Law required. And another called, A Theological Dialogue.

CATHOLICK COMMUNION once more Defended, upon …ns neceſſitating importunity.

By RICHARD BAXTER

LONDON: … in Parkhurſt, at the Bible and Three-…, near Mercers Chappel. 1684.

p. 2Communion with Pariſh Churches vindicated, In Anſwer to a Book entituled, The Judgment of Mr. Baxter, againſt Communicating, &c. Miſtaking my writings.

A Church is not formally, quid Phyſi…um, but quid morale politicum Relativum, a political Relative being.

II. The ſame name ſignifieth both the Genus and Species, that are divers by uſe.

III. The ſame is true of the name [Paſtor.]

IV. Dioceſan Churches are of three ſorts. 1. Such as have at preſent but one fixed Aſſembly, but deſign to gather more hereafter: Such, Dr. Hammond thought they were in Scripture times. 2. Such as have one Dioceſan Governour, or Superintendent over many inferior Churches, and their Paſtors. 3. Such as have one only Biſhop or Paſtor, having no other true Paſtor, Elder, Church-Ruler, or Presbyter of Chriſts Inſtitution under him; but Chappels which have no ſuch Ruler or Paſtor.

V. The firſt ſort of Dioceſans we have now nothing to do with.

The ſecond ſort is controverible, ſome holding it ſinful, ſome lawful, and ſome (and very many) to be of Divine Inſtitution, as Succeſſors of the Apoſtles, not in the extraordinaries, but in the ordinary parts of their Office: Chriſt having made an imparity (or a ſuperiority of ſome over others) they think that to ſay without proof, that he changed that order in one Age, is 1. to charge him with mutability and levity. 2. And to diminiſh from his Law (which hath a Curſe.)

The third ſort of Dioceſans, is either 1. of a Dioceſs (like a great Pariſh with Chappels) ſo ſmall that one Paſtor may poſſibly overſee it. (This is tollerable, when more cannot be had; and when they can, it hurts only …he well-being of the Church): Or 2. it is of a Dioceſs ſo great as that one man cannot do what is eſſential to a Paſtor, and ſo it is undone: This nullifieth that Species of Churches which is of Chriſts Inſtitution.

VI. A particular Church of Chriſts Inſtitution of the loweſt political order, is, [A competent number of Neighbour-Chriſtians, who by Chriſts appointment, and their own expreſt conſent, are aſſociated with one or more Paſt… p. 3for the right worſhipping of God in publick, and the Edification of the Members, by the exerciſe of the ſaid Paſtoral Office, and their mutual Duties to God, to their Paſtors, and each others, for the welfare of the Society, and the pleaſing and glorifying of God.]

VII. The Paſtoral Office as over this firſt or loweſt Church, and as it is in unfixed Miniſters, related yet to no one Church more than another, differeth but as the ſubject matter (or object) of their charge doth differ, and not in the fundamental Power or Order.

VIII. This Paſtoral Office is eſſentially Miniſterial to Chriſt as the Prophet, Prieſt, and King of his Church. 1. A Power to Teach. 2. To Lead in Worſhip. 3. To Guide by the Keys of Reception, Admonition, Excluſion and Reſtoration.

IX. It is not Inconſiſtent with this Paſtoral Office to be Governed by Superiors, whether Magiſtrates, or Eccleſiaſticks (as others were by Apoſtles, and by Timothy, Titus, &c.) Therefore every limitation, reſtraint, rebuke, or puniſhment, for Mal-adminiſtration, nullifieth not the Office, nor yet allowing an appeal to Superiors.

X. To hinder a Paſtor from forcible excluding men from Church or Sacrament, and allow him only to do it by Application of Gods word, is agreeable to his Office.

XI. It is Power and Obligation to exerciſe, and not the preſent actual Exerciſe, that is eſſential to the Office in the fundamental Relation: But ſhould the Non-exerciſe be total and ſtated, it would not make up a Church in act; No more than a mere Power to Teach, will make a School in act.

XII. He that hath the entire Power, and ſtatedly exerciſeth but one part of it, ſtatedly omitting an eſſential part, may be in Order an empowred Miniſter; but his Society is but a half Church: But if it be only an Integral part that he omits, it may be a true Church, tho faulty; or if it be an eſſential part, and not ſtatedly, but only by ſome preſent impedition.

XIII. The name of Church Paſtor and Dioceſan, being formally Relative in ſignification, are really divers things, as the Fundamentum, Relate, Correlate, and Terminus, are divers. They are therefore conſiderable. I. As inſtituted and deſcribed by Chriſt. II. As underſtood, deſcribed and conſented to by ſound Orthodox Paſtors and People. III. As deſcribed by laws and Canons. IV. As eſteemed and deſcribed by many miſtaking Biſhops, Clergy and People, ſome Super-Conformiſts, and ſome Misjudging, that the Law ſaith as they: The word as to theſe ſenſes is equivocal.

XIV. Chriſts Inſtitution went before mens Corruption; and is to be held to by all Chriſtians, who own him to be the Maker and Ruler of his own Church: And no man hath Power to null his Inſtitution, nor to warrant … to make his Church another thing.

p. 4XV. By Chriſts Inſtitution every Miniſterial Elder and Paſtor hath Power. 1. To Teach the People. 2. To Lead them in Worſhip. 3. To Receive by Baptiſm, and to Communion, or to refuſe on juſt cauſe (tho under Government) as aforeſaid: (The whole Office I have copiouſly deſcribed in my Univerſal Concord, 24. years ago.)

XVI. The Pariſhes that have capable Chriſtians and Miniſters conſented to by their ſumbmiſſion, are ſuch true Churches; their Neighbourhood and Chriſtianity making them capable matter. Not that a man is of the Church, becauſe he is in the Pariſh (Atheiſts, Infidels, Sadduces, Hereticks and Refuſers, may dwell there, (Its thought that of 60000. that dwell in one London Pariſh, 10000 Communicate not, and ſo 40000 or 50000, are not of that Church) but thoſe that are capable Conſenters, and Communicants.

XVII. This ſort of Churches we were in Poſſeſſion of 166…, and till Auguſt 24. 1662. And of 9000 Miniſters, then 2000 only were put out, the other 7000 continuing in. And of thoſe that were put out, ſome few gathered part of their old Flock into private Churches, renouncing, and diſſwading them from the publick: Moſt gathered no ſuch Churches, but help their old People as they could, not drawing them from the Pariſh Churches, till the time of the Kings Licences for more open Miniſtry. Many led them to the Pariſh Churches, and took themſelves for fellow Paſtors, with the publick Miniſters, and lived in Love and Communion with them. The People were not by the new Law caſt out with the Miniſters. Moſt of the people in the 2000 Pariſhes of the ejected, and almoſt all in the other 7000▪ who before communicated, or were ca…able of it, continuing the Pariſh Communion. And ſo are Churches, if they were ſo before.

XVIII. The generality of the former Proteſtant Biſhops, and Clergy, took the Pariſh Rectors to be true Paſtors of the Pariſh Churche…, as Biſhop Uſher proved them: The Church of England is confeſſed to be of this mind, before the Wars. It is not certain that Arch-Biſhop Laud thought otherwiſe: If he did, Hey…n names but five that joyned with him in his main cauſe, of whom Mountague, if not more, were for the contrary cauſe in this point.

XIX. They then took a Curate to be a Paſtor, and to have all that is eſſential to the Presbyters Office; And to be a Presbyter and no Paſtor, is a Contradi…tion in the ſenſe of Proteſtants and Papiſts, except what is ſaid for Lay-E…ders. In France they call all their Pariſh-Paſtors, Curates; the word ſig…ifieth the Curam animarum.

XX. No Law ſince 166…. hath changed any eſſentials of the Pariſh-Paſtors O…nce (and ſo none hath nulled it) from what it was in 1640. They that affirm the contrary, muſt prove it.

The Law before, ſubjected Pariſh-Paſtors to Dioceſans: It impoſed the Oath of Canonical Obedience, and a promiſe of the ſame in Ordination; p. 5It was the ſame to the Eccleſiaſtical Courts as now. If any pretend to ſuch ſingular skill in Law, as to ſay that there was no Law for the Book of Ordination, which made the ordained to Covenant to obey their Ordinaries, nor any Law for the Canons, I hope he will have more reaſon than to lay the controverſie about Separation on his odd conceit, when all the People in England have in the days of the four laſt Soveraigns, been forced to ſubmit to theſe as Legal; and no ſuch pretender could at any time deliver them. Books have been written, and Pleas uſed againſt ſubmitting to the Courts that declared not that they held their Authority from the King; but the Judges ſtill over-ruled it againſt them And they that profeſt to hold it from the King, did many, if not moſt, mean but the Liberty of publick exerciſing it, as the Miniſtry is held under him, or the adjunct Cogent Power, or the Circa ſacra.

XXI. The Law enableth the Pariſh-Miniſter to receive into the Church by Baptiſm, (tho under canonical Preſcripts, which Diſſenters much diſlike), and to Catechize Youth, and certifie their fi…neſs for Confirmation, before they Communicate: It bindeth them to reject all from Communion, who are not confirmed, or at leaſt are not ready and deſirous of it; it tells us who is to be taken for ready, Thoſe that have learnt the Catechiſm, and ſolemnly own their Baptiſmal Covenant. The Paſtor hereby hath Power to try all the unconfirmed, whether they are thus ready or not. The Canon requireth him to deny Communion to all that live in any ſcandalous Sin: The Law and Canon bid him to inſtruct the Congregation, to lead them in publick Worſhip, and in the Name of Chriſt to Reprove, Admoniſh, Comfort, Adminiſter the Lord Supper, Viſit the Sick with Inſtruction and Prayers. All which, with the aforeſaid Power of judging who ſhall be Communicants, is full as much as is Eſſential to a Pariſh-Paſtor. Solemnly to pronounce them Excommunicate, beſide refuſing Communion, is not Eſſential. If it were, they have Power to do it, after the Biſhops Sentence. If it were Eſſential to do it as ungoverned, or finally, or without appeal, then Apoſtolick, yea and Magiſtrates Government would null the Paſtors Office.

XXII. The altering ſome words in Ordination, and putting out the name [Paſtors] from moſt places in the Litturgy, where they were applied to Pariſh-Miniſters, is no change at all of the Office, much leſs of its eſſence. It takes no Power from them, which they had: But it was done by the intereſt of ſome men, who thought that Presbyters, who ſwore the three Kingdoms againſt Biſhops, had taken too much upon them, and in oppoſition they endeavoured to keep them under, and ſo would diminiſh their pretences for Parity. But this changeth not the Species of the Office. And its known who theſe men were: And tho ſome of them are of Opinion, that Dioceſan Biſhops only may regularly confer Ordination, and exerciſe Juriſdiction over the Clergy, and that meer Presbyter Ordination with us p. 6is null. 1. Theſe ſame men had a chief hand in debating and wording the Kings Declarations October, 1661. Concerning Eccleſiaſtical Affairs, and therein the King after debates with Lords and Biſhops, diſtinguiſheth the meer Paſtoral preſwaſive Power, from the Epiſcopal (which is Cogent) and alloweth the Rural Deans with the Presbyters of his Deanry, to exerciſe the ſaid Paſtoral perſwaſive Power, and the other Paſtors alſo to joyn with the Biſhops. And the Law ſtill calls them Rectors: The Liturgy yet calls them Paſt…rs; the word Paſtors, being a Metaphor, they take to be general, Biſh…ps and Prieſts being with them two Orders of Paſtors. Therefore becauſe it doth not diſtinguiſh them, they uſually leave it out, and put ſometime Biſhops and Curates, and ſometime Biſhops, Prieſts and Deacons: The common deſcription of a Biſhop by them, is, that he hath the ſole Power of preſiding and determining in Ordination, and Juriſdiction, ſ…ne quo non, oft alledging Jeroms, Quid facit Epiſcopus, quod non facit Presbyter excepta Ordinatione. And yet the Law ſtill binds them, not to ordain without Presbyters Impoſition of hands with them. And Arch-Deacons and Presbyters, Surrogates, &c. Excommunicate. And in the Ember-week, they are every day to pray by the Liturgy. [So guide and govern the minds of thy Servants, the Biſhops and Paſtors of thy Fl…ck, that they may lay hands ſuddenly on no man.] Where Biſhops and Paſtors cannot be taken for Synonyma, whilſt they ſpeak of all that lay on hands. And they diſtinguiſh not [Paſtors and Curates] where they change the words, but [Biſhops and Curates.]

But nothing more proveth what I ſay, than that the Law yet bindeth all Prieſts to all that is eſſential to an Epiſcopus Gregis, a Paſtor of a particular Church; ſee the Exhort. in Ord. of Prieſts, [We exhort you in the name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that you have in remembrance, into how high a dignity, and to how weighty an office and charge ye are called; that is to ſay, to be Meſſengers, Watchmen, and Stewards of the L…rd, to teach and to premoniſh, to feed and provide for the Lords Family, to ſeek for Chriſts Sheep, that are diſperſed abroad, and for his Children, who are in the midſt of this naughty world, that they may be ſaved by Chriſt for ever; have always therefore printed in your remembrance, how great a treaſure is committed to your charge, for they are the ſheep of Chriſt, which he bought, &c. The Church and Congregation whom you muſt ſerve is his Spouſe and his Body; and if it ſhall happen, the ſame Church, or any member thereof to take any hurt or hindrance by reaſon of your negligence, ye know the greatneſs of the fault, and the h…rrible puniſhment that will enſue: Wherefore conſider with your ſelves the end of your miniſtry towards the children of God, towards the Spouſe and body of Chriſt, and ſee that you never ceaſe your labour, your care and dilig…nce, till you have done all that lieth in you according to your bounden duty, to bring all ſuch as are or ſhall be committed to your charge, to that agreement in the fai…h and knowledg of God, and that ripeneſs and perfectneſs of age in Chriſt, that there be no place left among you, either for error in Religion, or p. 7viciouſneſs of life: Foraſmuch then as your office is both of ſo great excellency, and of ſo great difficulty, ye ſee with how great care and ſtudy ye ought to a…ply your ſelves, as well that ye may ſhew your ſelves dutiful and thankful to the Lord, who hath placed you in ſo high a dignity, as alſo to beware that neither you your ſelves offend, nor be occaſions that others offend.

And after their Covenant to preach according to the Scripture, they promiſe [to give faithful diligence, to adminiſter the Doctrine, Sacraments, and Diſcipline of Chriſt as the Lord hath commanded, and as this Church and Realm hath received the ſame, according to the Commandments of God: So that you may teach the people committed to your care and charge with all diligence to keep and obſerve the ſame.

Here Doctrine, Sacraments, and Diſcipline, are their Office-works: Gods Commandments are their Rule, tho on ſuppoſition that this Realm hath received them according to his Commandments.

Next they covenant with all faithful diligence to baniſh all erroneous and ſtrange doctrines contrary to Gods word, and to uſe both PUBLICK and PRIVATE Monitions and Exhortations, as well to the ſick as to the whole, within your cures, as need ſhall require, and occaſion ſhall be given: And [to keep quietneſs, Peace and Love among all Chriſtian people, and eſpecially among them that are or ſhall be committed to their charge.

All this is ſetled by Law, and all Miniſters ſubſcribe to it: And is not this enough to the eſſence of a Paſtors office? What is the Reaſon? The next promiſe is [Reverently to obey their Ordinary, and other chief Miniſters, to whom is committed the charge and government of them, following with a glad mind and will, their godly admonitions, and ſubmitting themſelves to their godly judgments.

This ſhews that, 1. It is not a ſtrict Divine Right that is meant over them; for all Ordinaries, and other chief Miniſters, pretend not to ſuch right. 2. If others ſuperiority null their office, then none is in office but the King: Was Di…trep…es no Miniſter, becauſe John threatned him as his ſuperior? It's liker he had been none for reſiſting John, of the two: Were all degraded that obeyed the Apoſtles? If it ſhould be an error, that a Parochial Biſhop is a Governor over his junior-Presbyters, or a Dioceſan over both; that nulleth not the Presbyters office: The Presbyterians give a Claſſis or Synod as much power over particular Churches, as the Epiſcopal give to Dioceſans; (or near): And yet few Separatiſts have thence concluded that they have no particular Churches, or that this nulleth them; contrarily, ab eſt tertii adjecti ad eſt ſecundi valet argumentum; Pariſh Churches are govern'd Churches ſubject to ſuperiors; ergo, they are Churches.

And the Law calls them Churches, …, it taketh them for Churches, (while it taketh no eſſential from them).

XXIII. There are ſome particular Drs. in England indeed, who ſay that There is no Church without a Biſhop of its own, and … Epi…c…pus, ibi Eccleſia, and that Eccleſia eſt pl…s Ep…ſ… … adu…ata, and that our Pariſh Miniſters are p. 8no Biſhops, and that their ſole Ordinations are nullities; and conſequently it would follow, that their Pariſh Churches are truly but parts of a Church infimae ſpecie… : And becauſe theſe men ſpeak againſt Reordination, and yet require thoſe to be ordained again, who were here ordained by mere Preſbyters, therefore it ſeemeth plain, that they take the former for no true Ordination: Theſe men I have oft confuted, eſpecially in my Treatiſe of Epiſcopacy: And hence ſome gather, that I charge this error on all the Church of England, and take the Law and Clergy to nullifie the Pariſh-Miniſtry and Churches: Therefore I am ſpecially obliged to anſwer ſuch miſconcluders, leſt they make my writings a means of deceit againſt my ſence, and againſt my will: for ſo unhappy is the controverſal world, even of men of Worth and Name, that if I do but ſay that two is leſs than three, and that four is more than three, they fear not to ſay, that I contradict my ſelf, and R. is againſt B. and ſometimes I ſpeak for, and ſometimes againſt the ſame cauſe; and theſe being ordinary Diſputers and Church-guides, What hope have the Chriſtian Flocks of Unity and Peace, but by ſuch mens ceaſing their diſputes?

Here therefore it muſt be noted, 1. That the men of this opinion are not to be called, The Church of England. The moſt of the Biſhops and Clergy formerly were againſt them, Dr. Hammond, and Biſhop Gunning, and a few more, were almoſt the firſt that ſeemed to go ſo far. 2. And yet even theſe few do uſually except the caſe of neceſſity, and of the forreign churches, (as Dr. Sherlock hath lately done at large) ſo that then they cannot take their Epiſcopal ordination received, to be eſſential to the Prieſthood. 3. And theſe men themſelves call our Pariſh ſocieties, Pariſh Churches, and deny not the Presbyters to be Epiſcopi Gregis, and to have a paſtoral care of the peoples ſouls, for they own the Liturgy, Ordination, and other writings of the Church, which aſſert it. 4. Their oppoſition to Presbytery hath carried them to appropriate the name Biſ…op to the Dioceſans, but by it they mean only a Biſhop over Presbyters, having the power to ordain and depoſe them, and to … be chief in governing all the flocks; But the controverſie de nomine, and de re are not the ſame: This denieth not all Paſtoral Epiſcopacy in Presbyters over the flocks under them: That theſe men by running into extreams do ill, many have written to prove: But maiming the Pariſh Miniſtry, or too much limiting it, is not nullifying it. 5. Let it be conſidered, that even the Separatiſts ſay not that the Power of Ordination is eſſential to Paſtors: Some of them take Paſtors unordained, only elected and received with prayer: Some take men ordained by n…ighbour Paſtors, that have no power over them: Some take men ordained by Biſhops, ſome by Magiſtrates: And Juriſdiction over n…ighbour Paſtors I am ſure the Separatiſts will ſay belongs neither to the being or well being of a Paſtor. If then it be the Power of Ordaining, and of Juriſdiction over other Paſtors, which the Dioceſans deny the Pariſh Paſtors, the… deny them nothing hereby eſſential to thei… office.

p. 9All that can with any colour be ſaid, is, that the Law now ſeems to be on theſe mens ſide, by requiring Reordination. But, 1. The Law-makers profeſs to eſtabliſh the Church, and not to change it to another thing. 2. The Law-makers were not all of one mind in the Reaſons of their Laws; nor had all ſtudied theſe kind of controverſies: Many of them, and of the Clergy to this day, ſay that it is not a proper ordination that they require, but the giving them Authority to exerciſe their Miniſtry in England, and the deciſion of a doubtful caſe: Part of the Church taketh them for true Miniſters that were ordained by Presbyters, and part do not; and that the Congregations may not divide, they ſay they require this like Baptizing after a doubtful Baptiſm [If thou art not baptized, I baptize thee.] I am againſt this: But this proveth not that they take a Presbyter for no Paſtor: Yea tho they ſhould take his ordaining others to be a nullity; Ordaining not being eſſential to him.

XXIV. The Act of Uniformity, or the like Law, cannot make the Church no Church, or of another ſpecies, than 1. As it is eſteemed by God and his Law. 2. Or as it is eſteemed by the greater part of the Chriſtian Clergy and Laity: Tho the Law ſhould ſpeak as the foreſaid odd innovators do. For,

1. All Chriſtians profeſs that Chriſt is the only juſt Inſtitutor of the eſſentials of his own Churches: All Chriſtians profeſs Communion with them as Churches of Chriſts making by his Law: The preſent Church of England profeſſeth this in many books; it bindeth all Miniſters to hold to Scripture ſufficiency, and uſe Diſcipiine as well as Doctrine and Worſhip, as Chriſt commandeth: It openly holdeth all Laws and Canons about Church eſſentials, yea and integrals, to be void and null that are againſt the Sacred Scriptures, and Law of God: There is no Power but of God: God hath given no power to nullifie his inſtitutions.

2. All true Chriſtians who conſent to a Pariſh Miniſter, and attend on his Miniſtry, and join in the Aſſemblies, openly profeſs to own him firſt as a Miniſter of Chriſt, and to join in Worſhip and Communion of the church as preſcibed by Chriſt, which no man hath power to overthrow.

3. The Parliament and Convocations, and Biſhops and Clergy, all confeſs that they have no power to overthrow the Church eſſentials or offices of Chriſts Inſtitution: They have not revoked the Church Writings in which all this is oft profeſſed: They confeſs that if their Laws miſtake and do contrary, they bind us not: They never openly profeſſed a war againſt God or Jeſus Chriſt: What if one Dr. S. Parker, make Chriſt ſubject to the King in his Kingdom; he is not the Kingdom, nor the Church of England: For all his words they never made any Law to command Chriſt, or to puniſh him: They never cited him to appear before them, nor did any penal execution on his Perſon, which Government implieth. They bow at his name, and profeſs ſubjection to him.

p. 10Therefore if the law had by error ſaid any thing inconſiſtent with the eſſence of Churches and Miniſtry, it had not been obligatory to Paſtors or people▪ but they ought ſtill to take Churches and Paſtors to be what Chriſt hath made them, and deſcribed them to be.

XXV. Suppoſe a Law ſhould ſay, All families ſhall be ſo under Dioceſans as to have no power but from them, and all ſhall ſubſcribe to this. This doth not null family-power and ſociety as inſtituted by God, nor make it a ſin to live in Families, nor diſſolve them all; But all muſt continue in Families as inſt…tuted by God: And if any ſubſcribe to this, it will not make it a ſin in all Wives, Children and Servants to live in thoſe families.

If the Law had ſaid, All Schools in England ſhall be eſſentially ſubject to Dioceſans, muſt we therefore have had no more Schools? Or if the School-maſter ſubſcribe to them, is it a ſin to be his Scholar?

If the Law ſhould ſay, All Chriſtians ſhall chooſe their own Paſtors, and meet and pray and preach as they pleaſe, but only in eſſential ſubjection to Dioceſans, muſt all therefore give over Church Communion?

If the Law had ſaid, All the Pariſh-Aſſemblies in England ſhall henceforth be eſſentially ſubject to the Pope, or a forreign Council, We muſt not therefore have forborn all ſuch Aſſembling, but have kept to the ſtate and duty appointed us by Chriſt.

XXVI. Here the miſtaking Opponents ſay, 1. That indeed de jure none can change the Eſſence of Chriſts Miniſtry and Churches, but de facto they may, and have done.

Anſ. What is meant by [changing it, de facto?] Have they de facto, nulled Chriſts Power, Law▪ or Offices and Churches? What? Nulled it by a Nullity of pretended Authority, and overcome his Power without Power? De jure and de facto, to be a true Church or Paſtor, is all one Chriſt made true ones: De facto they cannot unmake them, but by deſtroying matter or form, becauſe they cannot do it de jure: They have deſtroyed neither matter or form of ſuch pariſh churches as I plead for, and which Chriſt inſtituted; for they had not power to do it: Indeed they may de facto make other ſort of Churches and Miniſters to themſelves, (tho not de jure) but not to us▪ who ſtick to Chriſts inſtitutions.

XXVII. But ſay they, We confeſs, if the Law did bid all aſſemblies in England meet in dependance on Dioceſans, private and publick; this would not alter the ſpecies of our ſeparate Churches, becauſe man hath not power, and we conſent not.

Anſ. Very good. And I pray you what alters the caſe, as to the Pariſh-Churches? Is it that they have Steeples and Bells, or that they have Tythes? It's the Calamity of Diſſenters, that they either cannot conſider, or can feel no ſtrength in the plaineſt truth that is ſaid againſt them; but thoughts and ſenſe run all one way, which they think right.

XXVIII. Obj. But ſay they, Conſtitutive and Declaritive Laws muſt be diſtinguiſhed. They can but declare our Meetings to be Dioceſan, which is falſe▪ … the Pariſh-Meetings ſuch.

p. 11Anſ. 1. Remember that declaring the Pariſh-Churches to be ſuch, doth no more conſtitute them ſuch, than yours: Why then talk you ſo much of the words of Biſhops, and Clergy, and Books, as if their declarations made them ſuch? 2. But how doth a Law conſtitute one (the Parochial) to be Dioceſan, (or null), more than your ſeparate meetings, if by a Law of toleration it ſhould ſay the ſame of them? The truth is, They are ſuch to conſenters that judg them ſuch: But they conſtitute them not ſuch to any that conſent not to ſuch a conſtitution, but hold to Chriſts.

XXIX. But it is ſaid, that our thoughts alter not conſtitutions, they are our own immanent acts, that nihil ponunt in eſſe; and therefore the Paſtors and Churches will be what Law maketh them, whatever we think.

Anſ. Are not Churches formally relative ſocieties; what maketh them ſuch, but thoughts and wills of men expreſſed? Gods mind expreſt in his Inſtitutions is his premiſed conſent; our conſequent obedient conſent maketh Chriſtians, Paſtors, and Churches: If a Law cannot make the Pariſh conſent to null Chriſts Officers and Churches, it doth not null them to them. If a Law ſay, All marriages ſhall be void unleſs the Biſhop remarry them: This maketh them not void to any that conſent not, but ſay, we ſtand to the valid marriage we had What doth another mans conſent do to conſtitute me a Chriſtian or Church-member (except Parents for Infants)? And if my thoughts and conſent put nothng in eſſe, then the thoughts and conſents of the conforming Clergy alters not their Churches; and what then is that conſtituting cauſe you talk of? Is it only the law? for ſhame ſay not ſo; Gods own Law as commanding us to be Chriſtians, Paſtors or Churches, maketh us not ſuch, without conſent: And can mans Law both null Gods Law, and make us of what ſpecies it doth but bid us be, without our conſent?

XXX. But here our Diſputants think they expoſe me to deriſion: What? Do I intimate that one and the ſame Congregation, may be two Churches of different ſpecies?

Anſ. I think to be ſuch by open profeſſion, is diſorderly and unuſual: But I think he that denieth this, is unfit to deride the ignorance of another.

1. If the people in one Kingdom may be, in ſpecie, two Kingdoms, the people of one Aſſembly may be two Churches; but Biſhop Bedle in his printed Letter ſaid, that Ireland was then two Kingdoms, the King being Sovereign to ſome, and the Pope to other: And I think Hungary is ſo now, between the Emperor and Turks.

2. When Paul ordinarily held his aſſemblies in the Jewiſh Synagogues, where half were Infidels, and half Chriſtians, (before he ſeparated his Chriſtians from them) I think they were two Churches.

3. If Independents had leave to meet in the Pariſh churches, where the Pariſh Miniſter, and their own Miniſter ſhould preach by turns, and the Pariſh only heard theirs as a lay preacher, or none of their Paſtor, and ſo they heard the Pariſh Preachers; I doubt not, but they would be diſtinct church▪

p. 12If one Pariſh church have two Paſtors, and one of them be profeſſedly for an eſſential ſubjection to the Pope, and the other againſt it, and half the people of one mind, and half of the other, I think they are two Churches in one place.

If thoſe Anabaptiſts who take none but the re-baptized for Church-members, ſhould with their Paſtors join with Independents in worſhip, tho eſteeming them no churches, I ſuppoſe you think they would be diſtinct churches in one place.

But I think none of this is the caſe of the churches that I join with; for I ſuppoſe they null not Chriſts ſpecies of Miniſters to themſelves or me. But if they did it to themſelves, that would not do it to me.

XXXI. Obj. But one and the ſame Miniſter cannot be of two ſpecies, and therefore relation to him cannot conſtitute distinct Churches.

Anſ. 1. One and the ſame man cannot be a Miniſter of Chriſt, and no Miniſter of Chriſt; ſo much is true, nor of any two inconſiſtent ſpecies: But if you will call any circumſtantial difference a diſtinct ſpecies, that will no… hinder the conſiſtence: The ſame man may be Chriſts Miniſter, and the Kings Chaplain, or a Dean, or Pre…endary, or a Dioceſan Biſhop, or Subject to a Dioceſan, ſuch Biſhops as Chryſostom, Augustine, Ambroſe, …, Parke…, Grindal, Uſh…r, Davenant, &c and their Chaplains did not ceaſe to be Chriſts Miniſters.

2 Relation to one of theſe men may make two ſorts of conſiſtent churche…, if the ſame man have a Pariſh and a Dioceſs, as the German ſuperintendents have, and many other Biſhops; the warrantableneſs we are not now diſputing.

3. Yea, one and the ſame Pariſh Miniſter may be Paſtor of two Churches in one Aſſembly: If he openly profeſs himſelf Orthodox, the people that ſo own him are a church; and if he ſecretly to a party of them profeſs himſelf an Anabaptiſt, or a Papiſt, and they unite with him as ſuch, they are another church, ſuch as it is; Veſpae habent favos, & marcionitae eccleſias: Tertul.

XXXII. Obj. But the grand Objection is, No man can be a Paſtor of Chriſt against his will: The Pariſh Ministers have all by conforming, renounced the eſſence of the Christian Ministry, and ſubſcribed and ſworn this renunciat… by ſubjecting themſelves to Dioceſans, and ſwearing never to endeavour any alteration of the Dioceſan Government, and the Vestries who repreſent the churches, have ſworn the ſame; and you have of…en ſaid that the Dioceſan form of Government, 1. Depoſeth the Pariſh Biſhops, and maimeth the Ministry. 2. Dep…ſeth the Pariſh Churches. 3. And maketh Pariſh Diſcipline impoſſible.

Anſ. It is impoſſible to write that, which no man can miſunderſtand, and make an ill uſe of. I have oft told you,

1. That I am in doubt, whether Arch-Biſhops as Succeſſors of the Apoſtles, only in the ordinary continued part of their Office, be jure divino, or not.

p. 132. That Congrational Biſhops over Presbyters, being ejuſdem ordinis, are an old venerable and lawful humane Inſtitution.

3. That Congregational Biſhops, only over the Laity, are all Presbyters as ſuch, and of Chriſts Inſtitution.

4. Hereupon I have oft diſtinguiſhed Dioceſans into two ſorts. 1. Thoſe that are but the Governors of true particular Churches, that depoſe them not, but Rule them by the word perſwaſively: Theſe are called Biſhops, being really Arch-Biſhops: Theſe I never charged of the Conſequents forenamed: And if the King make them Cogent Magiſtrates alſo, I will obey them. I take the judgment of the Church of England manifeſt in Ordination, Liturgy, Articles, &c. to be for ſuch Dioceſans only, tho I vaſtly diſſent from many things in the Canons by which, and the Mode in which ſome exerciſe their Government.

2. The other ſort is the Innovators form of Dioceſan Government, which hold that there is no Church without a Biſhop, and no Biſhop but Dioceſans, (either Biſhop of Laity or Presbyters) and ſo that the Pariſh Churches are no Churches, but part of the loweſt ſort of true Political Churches: Theſe I take to be Super-conformiſts, yea Nonconformiſts, and Diſſenters from the Church of England, tho they may ſtrive to get the name of the Church to themſelves. Now, what I ſay of theſe Innovating Nonconformiſts, and their deſigns and attempts, our miſtaking Separatiſts ſay, I ſpeak of the Laegal Church frame, and ſo of all the Biſhops and Pariſh-Churches. And I ſee no hope of delivering the Church of God from the trouble of incogitant confident erroneous Diſſenters, that are not able to diſtinguiſh.

XXXIII. I further anſwer this great Objection (being concerned in Conſc… ence to do it, when men father their miſtakes and Separation on me.) 1. The Pariſh-Miniſters that I joyn with, (and I think the moſt that ever I knew) have not (that I know of) renounced any thing eſſential to a Pariſh-Paſtor: I before ſaid, Ordination and Juriſdiction over Presbyters or other Churches, is no part of its eſſence. To be obedient to a Dioceſan, is no ſuch Renunciation. Therefore it is no ſuch Renunciation to promiſe to obey them in lawful things, ſubordinate to obeying Chriſt. If it prove a miſtake in them, and that they owe no ſuch Obedience, every ſuch miſtake doth not degrade them. He that ſaid, that (he that will be greateſt, ſhall be ſervant of all) thought not that to obey an equal, did null the Miniſtry. Nor he that ſaid, Be ſu…ject one to another. Chriſt and Peter paid tribute to avoid offence, tho the Children be free.

But what if a man be in doubt, whether ſuch Obedience be not his Duty: Is it not the ſafer ſide much more if he verily think it his Duty?

2. To take Dioceſans to be Jure Divino, is ſaid by ſome to be deſtructive of the Paſtoral Office, and Churches, and a change of the Engliſh Church-Government. But it's error. For 1. It is not the Deſtructive Dioceſan Government, which acknowledg no Church and Paſtor under them, that thoſe in queſtion p. 14conſent to; but the Governing Dioceſan, who ruleth ſubject Paſtors and Churches.

2. This Queſtion of Divine right, is threefold. 1. Of that which by D…ire right is neceſſary, ad eſſe. 2. Of that which is by Divine right, beſt and m…ſt elegible, or needful, ad melius eſſe. 3. That which is by right of Divine Conceſſion lawful, but not neceſſary. The Church of England never determined, which of theſe was the Dioceſans Caſe: All Conformiſts judged it Lawful; multitudes judged it Better than other forms: Many judged it neceſſary when it might be had. But no Law determined for any of theſe alone. Unleſs you will ſay, the Preface to the Book of Ordination doth it, by ſaying [It is evident to all men diligently reading holy Scripture, and Ancient Authors, that from the Apoſtles time, there have been theſe Orders of Miniſters in Chriſts Church, Biſhops, Prieſts, and Deacons. Which Offices were evermore had in ſuch Reverend Eſtimation, &c.]

Here ſome ſay, That the Church of England took not theſe for three diſtinct Orders before 1640, but now: Therefore by the word [theſe Orders] is meant only two.

Anſ. At this rate, he muſt have the bette…, whom the hearer beſt truſteth, whatever he ſay: If [theſe Orders of Miniſters, Biſhops, Prieſts, and Deacons,] ſpeak not three Orders, I cannot underſtand them. Here note partiality; the ſame that refuſe to ſubſcribe them, becauſe they ſpeak three Orders; yet ſay, they ſpeak but two] when they argue that Church-Government is changed 1662, from what it was 1640.

Indeed Aelfricks Laws in Spelman, make Biſhops and Prieſts the ſame Order, and ſo do a great part of Schoolmen and other Papiſts; but the Engliſh Biſhops and Clergy were ſome of one mind, and ſome of another about it, and determined it not. Unleſs this Preface be a Determination, the Name [Order and Office] being both uſed.

And (to inſtance in no other) Saravia (tho no Engliſh man, yet of the Church of England) wrote more ſtrongly almoſt than any that I ever read, for Dioceſan Epiſcopacy (againſt Beza, &c.) and that upon this ground of Divine right, that they ſucceeded the Apoſtles, and ſuch as Timothy, Titus, &c. in the Government of many Churches. (And the Kings Divines at the Iſle of White went all on that Ground).

To ſay then, that to plead a Divine right for them, is new, is to contradict large Hiſtorical Evidences. And were it true, that this had been never before Impoſed or Subſcribed; ſurely it is not an Opinion of the Divine right of governing of many Churches, that renounceth the being of thoſe Churches; it aſſerteth them to be by Divine right. For that which is not, is not governable. Non entis, non ſunt accidentia.

But where and how hath the Law or Church altered the caſe ſince 1640. Theſe words were in the Book of Ordination before, and I know of none plainer that way ſince. Its deſtructive Dioceſan Government, which p. 15renounceth the Government of any ſubject Churches, but of one only, and of any Paſtors that I argue againſt, and not Governours of ſuch Churches.

XXXIV. But it's objected, That they ſwear [not to endeavour any alteration of Church-Government; therefore they renounce the Paſtoral Office, becauſe the preſent Government excludeth it.

Anſ. 1. This is to dictate, and not to prove: The Dioceſan Government hampered and fettered it by the Canons in the time of Whitgift and Bancroft, but null'd it not: He that reads the Canons, or knows the Church, and thinks that it's Government hath no need of Amendment, is far from my mind: But governing is not nullifying.

2. It is not true (that ever I heard) that they ſwear what this Objection ſaith: The Miniſters do not ſwear, but ſubſcribe it, and ſwear Obedience in licitis & honeſtis: (And I could never learn what Law commands that Oath). And if it ſhould extend to obey all the Canons, it's that which I would be full loath to ſwear; but I know no Canon that utterly nulleth the Pariſh-Churches and Miniſters▪ And a Juſtice that ſweareth to execute the Laws, is not ſuppoſed thereby to juſtifie every Law, nor to execute any, if it ſhould be againſt Gods Law, that exception being ſtill ſuppoſed.

3. Their Subſcription never to endeavour alteration, engageth them never to endeavour to deſtroy the Pariſh Churches and Miniſtry, and ſo is for them: For that would be a great alteration indeed.

4. If you ſhould think otherwiſe; yet if the Subſcriber, or Swearer think himſelf, that it is not deſtructive, but governing Dioceſans, that he ſubſcribeth to; it is not your Opinion or Expoſition, that bindeth him againſt his own; No, tho you were in the right, as to the Impoſers ſenſe: For, Ignorantis non eſt conſenſus. It's unjuſt to face them down that they mean what they profeſs they do not. Ask forty Conformiſts, whether they think the Government which they promiſe not to alter, be that Dioceſan form which ruleth Pariſh Churches and Paſtors, or that which denieth their being, and I think few will profeſs the latter ſenſe.

5. And ſuppoſe the worſt, that any Pariſh-Prieſt were of that mind; yea, and were really no true Paſtor, as to his own acceptance with God; he may yet be a Paſtor ſo far true, as is neceſſary to the Eſſence of the Church, if the People know it not: For the Innocent ſuffer not for the guilties ſin. If a man be a ſecret Atheiſt, or Heretick, or do counter…eit Ordination and Election, and really had none, and the People be deceived by him, and know it not while he poſſeſſeth the place, and doth the work; his Baptiſms and Adminiſtrations are valid to the Church, as a Church, tho not to himſelf and his Miniſtry. The Jews Church was not null, when the high Prieſts had no lawful call, but bought the Office of R…man Heathens.

XXXV. Obj. But the Veſtry ſwears never to endeavour any alteration.

p. 16Anſ. 1. The Veſtry was never empowred to give the ſenſe of the Church herein. 2. I never lived where any ſuch things as Veſtries were, but in London; unleſs you will call the Miniſters and Church-Wardens the Veſtry. And what's London to all England? 3. If they are ſo ſworn, it is as a new thing ſince 1661. But then they are ſworn, (whoever is for it) never to end … in Popery, nor deſtroying Dioce…ans, but only not to alter … I doubt with m…re Officers than we wiſh continued)

4. And whereas thoſe that I now deal with, ſay, That indeed before 1640. … Churches and Paſtors, but now it doth by … ; Let it be conſidered, that the Lawmakers are ſo far from profeſſing any … al…rat…n, that it is only the Long-Parliament, and the … Alterati…, that they complain'd of; and therefore ſwea… Corporations, Veſtries, Militia, Nonconformiſts (by the Oxford Oath) and engage all Conformiſts never to endeavour any alteration So that they thought that it was the old Government that they ſetled. And now all this great part of the whole Kingdom is ſworn, as I ſaid, againſt Popery and foreign Juriſdiction, againſt Patriarchs, and againſt putting down pariſh churches and paſtors, that they will never endeavour it (by conſent or execution of any mens commands). The alterations made before theſe oaths, were not eſſential.

XXXI. I add one more argument, That owning ſubjection to governing Dioceſans, as ſuch, nulleth not the ſu…ject Churches and Paſtors; elſe by parity of Reaſon, Subjection… to Arch-Biſhops would null the Dioceſan Churches and Biſhops, which it doth not do; nor do you think it doth; yea, tho all Dioceſans ſolemnly promiſe to obey their Arch-Biſhops in their Conſecration.

XXXII. If you do know of any Miniſter that is for deſtructive Dioceſans, that will not nullifie the Offices of all the reſt, that never were of that mind or conſent: Yea, if the Law ſo meant (as you ſay, but prove not) you know how commonly Conformiſts ſay, that the meaning of the Subſcription and Oaths, is only againſt [Seditious or unlawful ſorts of endeavour to alter.] Be this true or falſe, it proveth that thoſe men conſent not contrary to their ſenſe of the Subſcription, and ſo renounce not their Churches.

XXXIII. Indeed the new Laws have made Miniſterial Conformity much harder than it was before 164…. And alſo Lay Conformity with u… the Church-do…rs, by the aforeſaid Oaths; and alſo Lay Conformity within the Church ſeemeth very hard in ſome particular Offices, eſpecially Baptiſmal Circumſtances. But I think the ordinary Communion in the Liturgy, is better than it was before: For 1. The …piſtles and Goſpels are uſed after the new Tranſlation, which were uſed after the old. 2. Divers Collects have ſome miſtakes changed [As on this day] at Eaſter, Whitſuntide, when it was not on that day. 3. The Miniſter is newly enabled and required to keep all from the Sacrament, who are not ready to be confirmed, (that is, that are not Catechized, and ready underſtandingly, to renew their baptiſmal p. 17Covenant) which is a very great addition of power: And if any practiſe it not, that's his fault, and a neglect of execution of his power; and when he puts ſcandalous Sinners from the Sacrament, he may ſay, [As a Miniſter of Chriſt and Rector of this Church, I judg you unmeet for its Communion, and forbid it you.] And no more is eſſential to his Church Diſcipline in Excommunication. It's too true, that the Exerciſe of this it clog'd with further Proſecution by him, in the Chancellors Court, which I think few will undertake. And it's true, that ſuch Miniſters are required to publiſh the Excommunications of Lay-men, paſt in the Biſhops names, tho it be according to ſuch Canons, as the 6th, 7th, 8th, &c. But a man in Fetters, is a man: It changed not the Paſtoral Office, when Heathen Emperors perſecuted it, and when ſuch Chriſtian Emperors, as Anaſtaſius, Zeno, Baſilicus, Theodoſius 2d. Conſtantius, Valens, &c. vexed or caſt out thoſe that were not of their Opinions. It nulleth not the Office in Switzerland to have none but the Magiſtrates Diſcipline.

XXXIV. The Objectors grant, that, If any Pariſh-Church ſhall by Miniſter and People conſenting, be formed according to the Rules of the Goſpel, they are true Churches, tho the Law ſhould be againſt them, or command the contrary.

Anſ. 1. Much more then, if the Law be for all that is eſſential. 2. And doth not this ſay as much as I am pleading for? Name me, if you can, any thing eſſential, which all Miniſters promiſe not at Ordination? If any after renounce it, the crime is perſonal: Prove it before you ſay it, and forſake him, and charge not his fault on others.

I think you are not of their minds, that ſay, [The Law bindeth every Subſcriber and Swearer to the ſenſe of the Impoſers, when he took it through miſtake in another ſenſe, becauſe they refuſed to explain it; eſpecially, if he declared his ſenſe: Much leſs doth it bind him to your ſenſe, againſt his own.

XXXV. But then (ſay the Objectors) ſuch Churches are Diſſenters; as ſuch you joyn with them, and not as ſetled by Law, and ſo it is but a Conventicle, and is excommunicated by the Canon, or you excommunicated for ſaying it is a Church, and joyning with it.

Anſ. 1. What if all this be true? Doth it follow, that I muſt ſeparate from it? Are not your private Churches more unqueſtionably Excommunicate, &c. by the Canon, and yet you ſeparate not from them? Can you ſee but on one ſide?

2. But your Affirmation proveth not that the Law nulleth ſuch Miniſters, or Churches, as uſe the Liturgy, and ſubſcribe in the favourable ſence, tho it ſhould prove a miſtake. It muſt firſt be tryed and judged to be a miſtaken ſenſe, and even where they (ſtrangely) Excommunicate, ipſo facto, the fact muſt be proved and declared by the Judg, before Prieſt and people are bound to Execution, (tho the Law be loco ſententiae; p. 18the … being proved and declared), no man is bound to do Execution on himſelf.

3. I would ſeriouſly adviſe theſe Brethren to think, Whether all good Chriſtian Men and Women are bound to ſtudy the Laws of England, before they may reſolve what Church to …mmuni…ate with? yea, whether they muſt be all ſo well skill'd in Law, as to decide theſe Law-controverſies, that you and I are not agreed in, and Lawyers themſelves do ordinarily differ in; that is, Whether by Law the Pariſh-Churches and Paſtors be changed and n…lled, and Dioceſſes be made the only Churches, …ſimae ſpecies? Muſt all forbear Communion till they are ſo good Lawyers? Why may it not ſuffice to know Chriſts Law, and to profeſs to obey it, and to do nothing againſt it willingly? He that will promiſe to Communicate with th… Church, but as it is eſtabliſhed by Law, ſhould have more skill in the Law than I have to know, how it is eſtabliſhed; and every Communicant hath not ſo much more than I.

XXXVI. But (ſay they) then you are bound to av…d ſ…andal, by profeſſing openly that you Communicate … a Diſſenter, and not with the Church as eſtabliſhed by Law.

Anſ. 1. Then I ſhould falſly ſay that which I either think is otherwiſe, or am not reſolved in. I tell you, Few can truly ſay this, if any.

2. What need this, when the open Profeſſion of all Chriſtians is, That it is a Church and Worſhip of Chriſts making, which they own and intend, and none that is againſt them? And when the Articles of the Church of England, and the Ordination covenant own Scripture-ſufficiency, and diſclaim all that is againſt Gods word: Muſt we be ſuppoſed to renounce Religion, when we meet to profeſs it? And ſurely for diſowning any thing which the Nonconformiſts judg unlawful, all the Books written by them, and all the notorious ſufferings in twenty two years, Ejection and Proſecution, are no obſcure Notification of their Judgments, without ſpeaking it at the Church …oors, or before the Aſſemblies: Muſt I openly proteſt againſt Independency, Anabaptiſtry, or Presbytery, (if I diſſent) before the face of their Congregations, if I will Communicate with them?

3. But to ſtop your demand bef…re I Communicated in the Pariſh …hurch, where I now am; I went to the Incumbent, and told him that I would not draw him into danger, or intrude againſt his will: I had been …iled by the Kings Commiſſion, and after by the Lord Keeper, to debate about Alteration in the Liturgy and Worſhip, and Diſcipline; and I thought that thereby I wa… by … 6, 7, 8. ipſo facto Excommunicate, but not bound to do Execution on my ſelf; and therefore if I were ſeparated, it ſhould not be my act; but I left it to his will: He took time, and upon advice admitted me.

p. 19Obj. But you muſt tell them that the Pariſh Church hath no dependance on the Biſhops, but as the Kings Officers; and that it is Independent, and then you fall not under our oppoſition.

Anſ. 1. How many Lawyers and Civilians do openly ſay (as Crompton before Coſins Tables) that all Church Government floweth from the King. And doth that ſatisfie you? 2. And why muſt the Pariſh Church and Paſtor needs be Independent? Will you have no Communion with Presbyterians? 3. And what if it be dependent on the Dioceſan, as governour (tho not as deſtroyer)? Is it any more deſtructive of its Eſſence, than to be governed by a Claſſis or Council?

XXXVII. As for your telling us, W…m the Canons e…c…mmunicate, or … Lay-chancellors, Officials, Surrogates, Archdeac…ns, &c. exc…mmunicate, what Oaths they imp…ſe, &c. tell them of it, and not us, who are not reſponſible for other mens deeds. It no more concerneth our cauſe of Parochial Lay-communion, than to tell us how bad men ſome Miniſters are, nor ſo much neither: For I that willingly joyn in the Liturgy, will not willingly, if I know it, ſo much as ſeem to own the Miniſtry of any man that is notoriouſly Inſufficient, Atheiſtical, Heretical, or ſo Malignant, or Wicked, as to do more hurt than good▪ Avoid ſuch, and ſpare not.

XXXVIII. Obj. They want the Peoples c…nſent, and ſo are no Paſt…rs.

Anſ. The People ſhew their conſent by ordinary Submiſſion and Communion.

Obj. The People muſt be ſuppoſed to conſent to the Law, which maketh them no Paſtors, but the Biſhops Curates.

Anſ. Both the Suppoſitions are before confuted; both that the People are ſuppoſed to conſent to any Law againſt Gods, and that the Law maketh Curates to be no Paſtors.

XXXIX. To conclude the Objections about the Eſſence of Pariſh Churches. 1. The queſtion is not. Whether there be not a ſort of Dioceſan Prelacy, which nulleth them? 2. Nor wh…ther there be not ſome men in England that write and plead for ſuch Dioceſan Churches as have no true Epiſcop…s pregis, much leſs Epiſcopus … under them, but are … Biſhops in that Dioceſs? Nor of what number, power, or intereſt theſe men are of (againſt whom I have oft written)? 3. But whether the Law be on their ſide, or againſt them? for the old Dioceſan Government of ſubordinate Paſtors and Churches, is to me n…w uncertain: I did once incline moſt to the fi…t ſenſe of the Law; but on ſec…nd thoughts hope better of it, and am not Lawyer good enough to be certain 4. But if it ſhould be ſo, I verily think …e main …, of the …, and therefore … not to renounce their P…riſh …overnment, …ut only to uſe it in ſubordination to the Biſhop. 5. And I am p…ſt doubt that all the Communicants of England, are neither …ound to decide this Law-doubt, nor to underſtand it, nor to believe that the Law hath altered the Government. p. 206. And if they did believe it, they ought to keep on in Church Aſſemblies▪ according to Chriſts Law, taking all that's againſt it, as void, as long as they are put …n no ſin themſelves, nor the Church notoriouſly renounceth its …ſſentials. 7. And if they were ſtated Members of other Churches (e.g. the Gre…k, the Dutch, the French); they might …ccaſionally Communicate in our Pariſhes tranſiently (without examining the Paſtors call and diſcipline, but judging by poſſeſſion and practice). 8. And if they ſhould prove no lawfully called Miniſters, their Office would be valid to thoſe that blameleſly were deceived and knew it not. 9. And if they were ſure that they were no true Miniſters, they may joyn with them in all Worſhip belonging to Lay-Chriſtians. 10. But if they prove able, godly Miniſters of Chriſt (tho faulty) ſetled by Law to the advantage of Religion in a Chriſtian Kingdom, where all are commanded thus to maintain national Concord; and the upholding thoſe Churches, is the very National poſſeſſion of the Proteſtant Religion, and it goeth for publick Diſobedience and Scandal to forſake them, and that at a time when many forſake them too for unjuſt grounds, and by ſuffering for it, ſtand to unwarrantable Accuſations of them, and ſharply Cenſure thoſe that do not as they, and oppugne Peacemakers, and all this after the old Nonconformiſts full Confutation of the Separatiſts unwarrantable way, and the doleful experience of Subverſion of all ſorts of Government; by the Proſecution of ſuch miſtakes, I ſay, If all this ſhould be the caſe, it is deeply to be conſidered.

XL. But the moſt effectual hindrance, is the opinion of unlawfulneſs in j…yning in the Liturgy; yet my laſt Objectors confeſs that [It is lawful to ſome, and that it is n…t Communion in it, much leſs in all forms, which they call unlawful t… all: And the ſober ſort are loth to ſay t…at the Millions of Chriſtians in England, and Scotland, who live where they can be in no other Churches, ſhould rather like Atheiſts live without all Church-Worſhip and local Communion.

And in gaining this, I have gained the better half of what I pleaded for. And they confeſs, and ſo do I, that publick Communion may be one mens duty, and anot…rs ſin, as circumſtances vary. I confeſs one man may poſſibly live under ſo intollerable a Miniſter, as is not to be owned. And even ſome of the high adverſaries of Nonconformiſts ſeem of this mind, and break the Canon; and having Paſtors, who they think do not heartily conf…rm, …ut plead for Peace and Moderation; they revile them as Trimmers, and will not Communicate wi…h them, but go out of their own Pariſhes (and thouſands ſeldom any where. Other circumſtances alſo may vary mens caſes.

…ut ſome Objectors at laſt t…ll us, that the great difference which they mean, is differe…t light: T…e …ld Martyrs, Reformers and Nonconformiſts, had not ſo much light as we, and ſo it w…s not th…r ſin; but greater light being now m…r… common, it will be a common ſin to j…yn in the Liturgy▪

p. 21Anſ. 1. It is ordinary and eaſie for men to magnifie their own underſtandings; but Gods Law was then the ſame as now; and they were bound to know it; Their ignorance might make ſin leſs (and ſtripes fewer) but could not make it none.

2. I have many Reaſons to think that it is your light that is l…ſs, and the old Nonconformiſts and Conformiſts (in this) that was greater.

1. That is the greater light that moſt agreeth with Gods Word, and th… univerſal churches practice accordingly.

2. The writings of the old Nonconformiſts yet extant, give better reaſ…ns than the ſeperatiſts did, and therefore had clearer light. What vaſt difference is there in the writings of Ball, Hilderſham, Am…ſius, (Manuductions) Gifford, Paget, Bradſhaw, &c. on that part, and Johnſons, Cans, Penrys, &c. on the other?

3. The Theological writings and labours of the Nonconformiſts in all other points ſhewed, that they were men of incomparable more light than the Separatiſts; and is it like that God would give men ſuch rare light only in church ▪ communion, that had ſo little comparatively in the reſt of Divinity; except Ainſworth's skill in Hebrew, (in other things by Paget laid too naked) how few old Separatiſts have left any conſiderable fruits of great light unto the church? Read the writings of Cartwright, Dudley Fenner, Hilderſham, John Reignolds, Dod, Perkins, Bai…, Parker, Ames, Bradſhaw, &c. Beſides Scots▪ and all Foreigners, ſuch as Calvin, Beza, Zanchy, Sadeel, and hundreds more; and compare theſe with the Writings of the Separatiſts, and judg who had greater light.

4. Since 1660. all the London Miniſters, and others with them t…at offered the King to ſet up in the pariſh churches the old Liturgy with ſome alterations, were men (except my ſelf) who ſhewed in their Writings and preaching▪ as much light as the Separatiſts have ſhewed, even Brown, or John Goodwin himſelf, (that wrote Prelatical Preachers are no Teachers of Chriſt): Where do they now ſhew greater light than others? this boaſt to me deſerveth pity more than confutation: Anabaptiſts, and others ſay the ſame, but I find much leſs light in them both, when I read and hear them; tho I truly love and honour all that is good in them: If you have ſo much more light than we and all the Reformed churches, ſhew it us in other excellencies.

XLI. But I muſt more particularly conſider of this Authors Allegation of my own words againſt me, eſpecially my Treatiſe of Epiſcopacy: And I do heartily thank him for calling me to review it. For, 1. I profeſs to write nothing which may not be amended. And 2. If mens miſunderſtanding turn my writings to a ſnare and ſcandal, it greatly concerneth me to remove it by explication, or by retractation of any thing that needeth it.

And 1. I do find that I have incautelouſly given ſome occaſion to the miſtake; for thol entituled my Book, not againſt Dioceſan epiſcopacy, but againſt p. 22that ſort of Dioceſan churches, Prelacy and Government, which casteth out the Primitive church ſp…cies of …piſcopacy, Miniſtry, and Diſcipline]; and tho to avoi… miſtake, I ſaid in the Preface, I …ere give notice to the Reader, that whenever … me ſpeak as against the Engliſh Dioceſan Prelacy, I mean it as deſcribed by Coſins and Dr. Zouch, and as relating to the Et c…tera Oaths and … ▪ and not in oppoſition to the laws of the Land; Yet all this was not enough to avoid miſunderſtanding! Indeed I took the church Government to be deſcribed and judged of by the churches own ſentence, more than by the …w; and I had read the ſaid Et cetera oath and canons with the words that ſo it …ught to stand, which I think could mean nothing leſs, than that ſo by Gods Law it ought to ſtand; and I had read the old canons, 6th, 7th, and 8th. Which ex…ommunicate, ipſo facto, all men, with…ut excepting L…rds or Parliament M…n, who affirm that any thing in the church Government, by ArchBiſhops, Biſhops, Deans, Arch-Deacons, and THE REST that bear office therein, is repugnant to the Word of God: And I read the canons that forbid Ordained Miniſters to preach till they are further licenſed by Biſhops; yea, and in the church or elſewhere ſo much as to expound any Doctrine or Matter, but only to r…ad Scripture and Homilies, &c. with much more like this. 3. And then I took the ſtated reſtraint of the Miniſtry, with Lay-chancellors, and officials decre…ive power of Excommunication, and abſolution, and the foreſaid Civilians denying all G…venment to Presbyters, to have been quoad exercitium quantum … ; at leaſt an overthrow of pariſh churches, Rectors and diſcipline. 4. And I thought that the Biſhops and Chancellors could never have ſo long done all this, and ruled by theſe canons, if the Law had not been on their ſide. 5. And I thought that the Authors of the canons of 1640 being a c…nvo…a…i…n, it was to be called the Church of England: and ſpecially when I found the moſt highly honoured Doctors pleading, there was no Biſhop but D…ceſan, and no church without its proper Biſhop.

By all theſe inducements (with long ſad experience) I oft ſpeak ſo incautelouſly calling this, the Engliſh d…ſan frame, that the Reader might eaſily think that I meant it was that frame that was ſetled by law; whereas having read …ryn, H…ntley, Leigh…, and others that deny the law to be for it, and being my ſelf a ſtranger to that caſe of Law, I ſhould have more fully ſeparated the Law caſe from the new convocation caſe, and much more from the deſtructive Innovators caſe, who nullified the foreign churches, with whom it was that I diſputed; and ſpecially conſidering that the canons and oath of 1640. were a…ter caſhier'd by Parliament, and never ſince reſtor'd, no not by the Parliament of 1662.

Upon all this, 1. I retract all words that ſeem to determine the caſe in Law, (if any ſuch be there) or that by darkneſs tend ſo to the Readers error. 2. And all words that make the writings of ſuperconformiſts and ſubver…ers, or chang…rs of the church government, or the canons of the convocation 1640 to be the ſenſe of the Church of England, when it is ſaid, that before its ſence was otherwiſe and alteration is now abjured, or diſowned by moſt p. 23of the Land; and conformiſts uſually profeſs another ſenſe: Upon this very reaſon I write this ſhort Debate to avoid the injuring of the Re…ders of my Writings, about the Engliſh Dioceſan frame.

XLII. The Book I animadvert on, is called, Mr. Baxters Judgment and Reaſons againſt c…mmunicating with the Pariſh Aſſemblies as by Law r…qu… red.

Anſ. I am for communicating with them in the eſſentials of Chriſtianity, and Communion, as the Law requireth, if I underſtand it, becauſe the Law of Chriſt requireth it: But in whatever circumſtances any law ſhall …e againſt Chriſts Law, I communicate not according to ſuch a Law.

XLIII. All that he citeth out of my writings, p. 2, 3▪ is againſt his cauſe, which he thought was for it, as I have proved. What he citeth § …. the firſt is unproved, the ſecond I own, and is nothing for him.

XLIV. P. 5. And oft throughout, he alledgeth, that I make the Par…ſhes not compleat particular Churches.

Anſ. No wonder; thoſe may be true churches, that are not compleat in integrity or degree; will you ſeparate from all churches that are not ſo compleat? I know not of any ſtrictly compleat on earth: many true churches are incompleat as to integrals, much more as to ornament, order, and ſtrength: And all particular churches are leſs compleat than the univerſal; and that on earth, alas how far from compleat: Believe him not Reader, that R.B. is againſt your joining with all churches, which he proveth to be not compleat, yea, or to be very faulty and defective in point of …olineſs, Love, or Order of Miniſters or people: But they are true churches in eſſentiality, tho parts of a Dioceſs, as that is of a Nation; not meer parts of the loweſt ſingle Church. P. 6. § 2. What I ſay of ſuſpending the power, is not nulling it in the office; and what I ſay of practice by canons, and viſitation Articles, is not ſaid of Law; much leſs of all the Churches and Paſtors conſent to them; and what I ſay of miſgoverning in exerciſe, is not ſaid of a national profeſſion, that ſo it ought to b….

P. 7. He citeth my words further againſt reſtraint of the Miniſters power. But 1. That nulleth not Chriſts Inſtitution of it. 2. More Power is given. As 1. To deny the Sacrament, as is ſaid, to all that are not ready to be confirmed. 2. To deny abſolution to all the ſick, who do not humbly and earneſtly deſire it, &c. And the Power of doing it by Miniſterial Application of Gods Word, is all that is properly miniſterial, though they take all cogent power from us: Mans taking away our power, is but hindring the exerciſe quantum in ſe, but the Power is of Chriſt, which they cannot take away.

P. 8. They cannot ſuſpend our commanded act, (but only our doing it with liberty and advantage): I can refuſe the Sacrament to the unfit, tho it be to my trouble.

P. 9. I ſay there are many additions to the old conformity▪ that make the caſe harder to Clergy and Laity than of old: But I there maintain that p. 24none of theſe additions do make Parochial Communion now pleaded for, unl…wful.

XLV. P. 10. He ſaith, If we might not endeavour to reſtore the old Prelacy, then not to give ſtrength to it being reſtored: And (ſay others), leſt we be perjured, having ſworn and covenanted againſt it.

Anſ. This needeth impartial Conſideration: They ſay, That our covenant engagement maketh that unlawful to us, which was lawful to the old Nonconformiſts.

But 1. Did not Gods Law make it unlawful to them, or to us before? Then you think we covenanted to do ſomewhat th…t …ods law bound us not to; if ſo, it was ſuperſtition; and is not adding our ſelf-made vows and duties, as bad as adding Ceremonies?

2. Yea, they then thought Browniſm a ſin; and if they miſtook not, we cannot by covenanting turn ſin into duty.

3. Ad hominem, the Author profeſſeth Independency: And I ſuppoſe he knoweth, that the chief of that way, did ſome write, to prove that the Covenant bound not (at laſt), and ſome likened it to an Almanack out of date; and ſome ſaid, it was a League which was diſſolved, and ſo bound not; and how great a party thought that it bound them not from pulling down both King, and many Parliaments, and conquering Scotland, res ipſ… loqunta …ſt: And even King and Parliament, Lord Spiritual, Temporal and Commons, have declared it their judgment in the Corporation Act and Declaration, which bindeth all the Corporation Officers to declare without exception, that there is no obligation on them, or any other from the Oath, called the ſolemn League and Covenant: It's true indeed, that the Presbyterian Miniſters, and Soldiers▪ and People, thought that this Covenant bound them to reſtore the King; and ſaid, Let us keep our covenant, and truſt God with the iſſue; and G. Monks Army Officers in their addreſs to him, glory in it, not doubting but the King would find ſuch his beſt ſubjects; but the Law that bindeth men to declare that there is no obligation on them or any other, tells them they did err when they thought it bound them to reſtore the King: Whether this be true or not, I meddle not with; but by this you ſee, that there are few in the land of any party, ſave Presbyterians, that can charge us with Covenant breaking (herein) for going to the Pariſh Churches, without contradicting themſelves or guides; but this is but ad Hominem.

4. But what words be they in the Covenant that we violate? did it mean, If power reſtore the Liturgy, and Biſhops, and will ſuffer no other Churches, we will rather all give over all worſhip of God in churches, than we will join with them? This were a wicked Oath, and could no more oblige us, than to give over all family worſhip; I hope few ſober men ever ſo ſware.

p. 255. I ſo little conſent to the corporation declaration, that I do believe that I was bound by that vow to do as I have done in going to the Pariſh Churches. For 1. I am bound by it againſt Prophaneneſs, and all that's c…ntrary to ſound Doctrine and Godlineſs: But to forſake all publick Worſhip of God without neceſſity, is prophaneneſs, and c…ntrary to Godlineſs. 2. I am bound in my place and calling to oppoſe Popery; But to tell all the Proteſtants in England, that they ſin if they forſake not all the Pariſh Churches, is to pre…are them for the reception of Popery, ſeeing that will be the National Religion which poſſeſſeth thoſe Pariſh Churches: By deſerting our Gariſons we ſhall deliver them up. 3. I am bound by it againſt Schiſm; and I am not able to excuſe it from being Schiſm, if under all the obligations that now lye upon us, I ſhould by my conſtant avoiding the Pariſh Churches, even unto ſufferings declare, that I take their Communion for abſolutely unlawful, and ſo ſlander ſo many Churches of Chriſt, and ſeduce others with me into the ſame error and ſin: This would be Schiſm and Covenant-breaking in me; whatever it is in others.

XLVI. Obj. But you ſwore againſt Prelacy and Liturgy, and now you ſtrengthen them.

Anſ. 1. As the Covenant was made the terms or teſt of national Church Union, excluding all the Epiſcopal, who were half the Kingdom and more, I think it was a raſh ſinful Engine of unavoidable diviſion: But when I took it, it was not ſo impoſed, but offered to them that were of that mind, and I ſaw not then that ſnare.

2. I never ſwore againſt the Common-Prayer, nor againſt the Englſh frame of Prelacy, (much leſs, all Epiſcopacy (any further, than in my place and calling to endeavour Reformation according to the word of God, and the example of the beſt reformed churches: And this I have endeavoured to the utmoſt of my power, perhaps more than my accuſers.

And 3. There is much good in the Liturgy, Pariſh Order, and Government: I never did covenant againſt that; and therefore the Miniſters who laboured for Reformation and Concord 1660 and 1661, thought they kept their covenant by craving ſome amendments, and not an abolition; and if we did think any thing to be bad that was good, we muſt not be obſtinate in that error; forſaking the good which is our duty, is not the way to amend any ſin or error; avoiding Gods publick Worſhip, and living like Atheiſts (ſave in private) is not the way to amend the faults of publick Worſhip or Government: Praying to God for what we want, and owning the Scriptures, and Chriſtian Religion, and communicating with Chriſtians on lawful terms, is not encouraging any ſin in church Prieſts or Prelates, unleſs men by our duty will be encouraged to ſin; and we muſt not forſake duty to avoid ſuch mens encouragement: the ſons of the Coal are moſt angry with thoſe that come neareſt to them in all things ſave their ſin and error; and ſay, thoſe that ſtand afar off cannot hurt them: I do not juſt…fie all p. 26that is in every Aſſembly that I join with; muſt I needs renounce Local communion with every Independent, Presbyterian, or Anabaptiſt church, that I diſſent from, for fear of ſtrengthning them: I covenanted as much againſt Schiſm as faulty Prelacy; and yet if I muſt join with no church that is guilty of Schiſm, alas whither ſhall I go?

4. I humbly deſire you to examine, whether your way be not a breach of the covenant you plead; not only as it advantageth Prophaneneſs, Popery, and Schiſm, but as it ſtrengtheneth that which you ſay I ſtrengthen; he knoweth not England, who knoweth not that perceiving the error of unwarrantable ſeparation, and the unjuſt accuſations of the Liturgy and churches, uſed by very many (beſides ſome failings in ſome private churches) hath been, and is a grand cauſe of encouraging too great a number, even to ſuperconformity, and to the fierce oppoſition of us, and to the utmoſt confidence in their own way: and as you charge me more than others as drawing more to the communion of Godly Proteſtant Pariſh Miniſters (that is, to chriſtian catholick love, peace, and communion): So do the Sons of the Coal, the ſuperconformiſts more fiercely revile me as ſtopping more, than you have done from their extremities.

Gods Word is a ſufficient rule, keep to that, and fear not breaking any ſelf-made laws.

XLVII. Obj. But by this latitude you may join with Papiſts, and ſay, you judg of them according to Chriſts deſcription.

Anſ. I anſwered this in the former book: When I joyn with any church as a church, I join with them as meeting to profeſs and practice chriſtian faith and worſhip, their by faults I own not: But if they openly profeſs Idolatry or Hereſie, inſtead of Worſhip and Faith, or if they meet to practice any ſin which renders the whole church or worſhip rejected by God, I muſt not aſſemble with them, but avoid them; which I muſt not do for tolerable failings, leſt I avoid all the world: I ſay again, I will caſt away my Wine or Broth for Poyſon in it, which I will not do for a fly: If the church renounce Chriſts deſcription in the eſſentials, notoriouſly, I will not call it a church againſt their own conſent: But if they do it only in ſome Accident or Integrals, I will only diſown thoſe faults.

XLVIII. Obj. But, ſay they, (p. 13.14.) It is impoſſible there ſhould be two national churches, at leaſt in one nation; therefore by joining with a Pariſh you can be no part of the national church; tho we confeſs that if you join with a Pariſh Aſſembly that forms it ſelf into a compleat ſingle church, and the people …onſent to take the Pariſh Miniſter for their Paſtor, and the Minister ſhould exerciſe the whole power of a Paſtor in this Pariſh church, Mr. B. may hold communion with this Pariſh church, and not own the Dioceſan constitution.

Anſ. Of two churches in one aſſembly I ſpake before. 1. Doth this Author think that exerciſe of power is as eſſential to a Miniſter as Power: Yea, that it muſt be the whole power that is exerciſed; and ſo that no one is a p. 27true Paſtor among the Presbyterians, when the Claſſis exerciſeth the higheſt part of the Power; nor in Helvetia, where Diſcipline is unexerciſed; nor in England from the firſt Reformation: Were all the Conformiſts that ſubmitted to Dioceſans no Church-Paſtors? nor no Independents, whoſe Churches having many Paſtors and Elders, no one exerciſeth (no nor hath) more than part of the power? Integrity and eſſentiality, office and exerciſe, are not all one.

2. All good Miniſters that I know in the Pariſh Aſſemblies, do conſent to the Paſtoral Office, and the people love them, and ſhew their conſent by ordinary Communion; and they exerciſe all eſſential to the office, tho under the reſtraints of Government, not owning (in conſent) deſtructive, but governing Dioceſans, ſome as de jure divino, lawful; ſome as beſt, ſome as neceſſary, many as merely impowered to a cogent Government by the King; and doth not your conceſſion imply, that theſe are true Churches? of intolerable men I ſpeak not.

3. What you confidently deny, is certainly true: There may be two national churches in one nation, if not three; that is, the word is equivocal, and hath divers ſences; and it is not called national, becauſe all perſons in the nation are of it, but becauſe that the diffuſed parts of the Nation own it formally in a publick national relation.

1. A Chriſtian Kingdom as ſuch, is by many called a national Church; thus England is ſuch.

2. A coalition of the moſt, or all the publick Miniſters in a Nation in Synodical Agreements for Communion as ſuch, is called a National Church; ſuch alſo is England.

3. The ſubjection of the moſt of the Clergy in a nation by conſent to ſome Eccleſiaſtical Primate, Patriarch, or other conſtitutive, governing Head (as a Biſhop is in his Dioceſs) may make a national Church in another ſence.

The ſame men may be of divers of theſe equivocal Churches; or if part be for one form, and part for another, yet agreeing in the ſame ordinary, external Communion; one part may be called national as well as the other. The queſtion is de …omine, the name equivocal from diverſity of relations: I own, 1. A Chriſtian Kingdom. 2. I own a national aſſociation of Pariſh Churches and Paſtors. 3. Tho theſe ſubmit to Dioceſan ſuperiority, and be parts of a Dioceſs, but true ſingle Churches, I do not therefore ſeparate from them. 4▪ A national Church, headed by one conſtitutive, paſtoral Head, I diſown; call which you will the national Church.

But (ſaith he of his approved pariſh Church), P. 14. Such a Church a…i…meth to it ſelf all that paſt…ral p…wer that in purſuance of Canon and Statute Law, is fixed in the Biſhop.

Anſ. Incogitantly ſpoken; Do all Independents aſſume the power of Ordination, Juriſdiction over others, Citations, Licencing, Subſpendings, Degradings, p. 28ſilencings, inſtituting, inducting, &c. which are ſo fixed on the Biſhop: If none of this be paſtoral power, then the appropriating it is no depriving pariſh Miniſters of paſtoral power; and to be under Magiſtrates power nulls not the paſtors.

XLIX. What he ſaith about unlawful terms of Communion, p 21. &c. in the inſtances of kneeling, putting off the hat, ſtanding up, &c. I anſwer, 1. The Author all along ſeemeth to forget, that I am not accuſing him, not telling every man his duty, but only giving the Reaſons of my own and ſuch others practice: ſo they make a long ado, to vindicate him whoſe Manuſcript I anſwered, and ſay, His queſtion was only, whether it be lawful to communicate with the churches as ſetled by Law, and not in other reſpects? When I ever told them, I meddle with none of their Queſtions, but my own, viz, 1. Whether I and ſuch other do well or ill in that communion we hold with the Pariſh Churches? 2. Whether all Proteſtants in England are bound in conſcience to renounce and avoid Communion in the Liturgy with all Pariſh Churches and Chappels, and rather to give over all church worſhip?

I only gave my Reaſons, why that Manuſcript (divulged and boaſted of as unanſwerable) changed not my Judgment; and I anſwered that in his Arguments, which went further than the queſtion put by them, and aſſaulted my own aſſertions; having before in my Chriſtian Directory, and cure of Church diviſions (without naming him) fully anſwered his printed Reaſons, to prove it unlawful to uſe an impoſed form or Liturgy, eſpecially becauſe Miniſters muſt uſe their own gifts.

But if any man believe that it is a ſin to communicate kneeling, or ſtanding, or ſitting, unleſs he lye down as Chriſt did; or at any time, ſave at a feaſt or ſupper; or any where ſave in an Inn or an upper room, or with any women, or more than twelve, or if they think it ſin to kneel at prayer, or be uncovered, or to ſing Pſalms in our Metre and Tunes, whether theſe men ſhould ſeparate from all the Churches that will not receive them in their own way, or how far they do well or ill that will not let every man do what he will, is none of the caſe that I have before me: It will not follow, that I muſt ſeparate from a Church that bids me kneel, and be uncovered, &c. becauſe you take it to be ſin: put not your meaſures on all others.

And here becauſe ſame maketh Mr. Faldo the Author of the Vindication, which I anſwered, that I may ſo far vindicate him, as to ſhew, that it's …earce likely; I ask, whether if Mr. Faldo did well as a paſtor to keep up a church at Barn… many years, which would not endure the ſinging of a pſalm of praise to God, but conſtantly forbore it, tho his Judgment was againſt them▪ (beſides that many of them were not only againſt Infant Baptiſm, but f…rther differ'd in other things)? was this communion more lawful or laudable than with honeſt pariſh Miniſters in the Liturgy? Did he the whole office of a paſtor: What if the Biſhop had forbid him to ſing …ſalms? Is not the Church State more concerned in the whole congregation▪ p. 29than in an abſent Biſhop? what greater omiſſion or defect is there in many Pariſh-Churches?

I again ſay, that I am ſo far of the Judgment of Hilderſham, John Ball, &c. that I had rather joyn (caeteris paribus) in a Church that uſeth the Pſalms, Chapters, and all the Lords-day Prayers in the Liturgy, before Sermon, than one that only giveth us one Pſalm (or none) and a Pulpit-prayer and a Sermon without all the reſt of Church Worſhip.

L. I will conclude all with repeating a little of the Explication of my miſuſed writings▪

I. The paſtoral Overſight of the Laity by the Elders, or Biſhops of the ſeveral Flocks, is of Chriſts Inſtitution, and belongs to all true Presbyters: And tho in neceſſity it may be done by divers tranſient Miniſters, pro tempore, moſt regularly, every Church ſhould have its ſtated Paſtors.

II. Where ſuch Churches are large, the work requireth many Miniſters, where each one hath but part of the Charge.

III. Reaſon and Church-conſent among theſe, made one a Preſident over the reſt, and called him the Biſhop pecularly, (if it were in Marks days, as Hierom ſaith, it was in John's). And tho this be not eſſential to a Church, it is lawful, and fit; and at laſt it grew to ſo great a Reputation and Opinion of neceſſity, that all Churches had ſuch Biſhops, and gave them a Negative voice, and ordained not without them, and defined Churches as eſſentiated by Relation to them, Eccleſia eſt plebs Epiſcopo adunata. If now ſuch men as J.O. Mr. Nye, Dr. Goodwin, &c. ſhould have in one Church ſix or ſeven young men of their own training up to be their Aſſiſtant-presbyters, I do not think an Independent Church would take it for any crime that he ſhould have a Negative voice in acts of Order and Diſcipline, or that they ſhould ordain Miniſters therein without his Conſent.

IV. By degrees ſingle Congregations increaſed to as many as our great Pariſhes that have Chappels, and tho ſtill they communicated in the chief Church at ſome ſpecial times of the year; they ordinarily met in divers places, and the Presbyters officiated ſome in one meeting, and ſome in another; at firſt, whoſoever the Biſhop daily ſent; but after their particular Tyths or Chappels were aſſigned to each; yet all together were eſteemed but one Church, governed by one Biſhop, and his Colledg of Presbyters.

V. When they increaſed yet more and more, fixed Chappels were aſſigned to fixed Presbyters; but not as diſtinct Churches, but parts of the Dioceſan Church, tho at laſt they were larger than one Biſhop and Colledg could guide, according to the firſt Inſtitution.

VI. Yet long every Chriſtian City had a Biſhop and Church, and every incorporate big Town, like our Corporations or Market-Towns, was called a City (not becauſe it had a Market, as a reverend Slanderer ſeigneth p. 30me to lay, but becauſe Cuſtom the maſter of Language, called all Corporations and great Towns by that name…: But at laſt the Biſhops being loath to diminiſh their Juriſdiction, decreed that very ſmall Cities ſhould have no Biſhops, ne vi…c…eat nomen Epiſc…pi. And in proceſs of time in ſome Countries, the name foreign or City, was appropriated at the Princes pleaſure to ſome very few Corporations, peculiarly priviledged above the reſt: So that a King that would have had but one Biſhop in his Kingdom (as it's ſaid that all the Aba…ian Empire hath had but one) might have done it by calling but one Town a City.

VII. Yet the People and Biſhops being ſenſible that there was more work For a Biſhop in a City-Dioceſs, than one could do; in many Countries they had Rural Biſhops ſet over P…pul…ns country Churches: And tho theſe were ſubject to the Dioceſans, yet hereby the Churches were multiplied: But the Biſhops ſoon grew jealous and weary of theſe Rural-Biſhops, and moſt places put them down, and ſet up inſtead of them a kind of Itinerant viſiting Presbyters, empowring all Arch-Biſhops and Ach▪Deacons, till at laſt to ſave themſelves the labour, and yet not diminiſh their Dominion, they ſet up the Courts of Lay-Chancellors, Officials, and many ſuch Offices, beſides the Arch-Deacons, Surrogates, &c.

VIII,▪ In England (as is agreed by moſt Hiſtorians▪) at firſt one Biſhop had but one Church or Temple. (And at Luindisfarne ſaith Bede, It was ſo po… a thing, that it was a houſe thatcht with reeds.) The Paſtor of this one Church was to convert as many as he could in all the Countrey about him. The Heathen Country might be his Dioceſs, but not his Church. The converted Chriſtians got into ſeveral Monaſteries, and not into Pariſh-Churches. Theſe Monaſteries were partly for Society in Religious Exerciſe, and partly for Studies, like Schools to Educate Youth for the Miniſtry▪ So that long a Dioceſs was only the Biſhops Church with divers Monaſteries. At laſt, Gentlemen for their convenience built and endowed Pariſh-Churches; the Biſhops old ſingle Churches being called the Cathedrals: And finally, by the help of Princes, all the Land was divided into Pariſhes, ſubject to the Cathedral-Biſhops, to whom Deans and Chapters were added in imitation of the old Biſhops Colledg of Presbyters in every ſingle Church.

IX. When the Rural-Biſhops were put down, the Presbyters power in their ſeveral Pariſhes was ſomewhat enlarged: And the Dioceſſes at laſt became ſo great, that the Biſhops were ſain to commit more of the overſight to the Presbyters: Tho they kept them under by ſevere Canons, Lay-Deputies, and the Cogent Sword.

X. It grew then a controverſie among the Papiſts themſelves, whether the Pariſh Incumbents were proper Paſtors, and had any Power of Government, and how much. And my Objectors confeſs, that they were reputed Paſtors among the Papiſts, and that Linwood calleth them Paſtors, and the p. 31Laity Oves: I have cited in Treat of Epiſ. …ileſa…us, and many more that prove it. Ant. de Dom. Spalatenſis, is large and full in it. Sp…lman in R. A…l…ricks Law, ſhews that the Biſhop and Presbyter made but one of their ſeven Orders: A great ſort of the Schoolmen ſay the ſame. Moſt Drs. ſay, That the Presbyters eſſentially as Sacredetes, have the power of the Keys, inf…ro interi…re; by which they mean not, a power that muſt be kept ſecret, but that which conſiſteth in the perſwaſ…v… uſe of Gods word on C…nfer…n…e, privately or publickly, as diſtinct from Magiſterial and C…gent Power. And if they …e of one Order, then if one be a Paſt…r, the other is ſo alſo. That they are taken, but in partem curae, is nothing againſt it, but for it. For equal Presbyters in one Church, have each but partem curae.

The Reformation finding th…ngs in this caſe, determined none of the diſputes, de nomine, Whether Pariſh Rectors ſhall be called …piſ…op…s Gregis, or Paſtors, or Rectors, or I…cumb…nts; but uſe theſe names promiſcuouſly. Nor did they diſpute whether the Pariſhes are Political Churches. But the Definition, and not the Name, is the thing now before us in debate. God hath given every ſuch Miniſter the eſſence of a Paſtoral overſight of his Flock: Men may hinder the Exerciſe, but can no more alter the Chriſtian Office Power, than they can deprive a Husband of the power over his Wife. And the Dioceſans at laſt have been neceſſitated to permit the eſſential Paſtoral power (by the word) to the Incumbents, having none elſe to uſe it by. But Lawyers have taught many to call nothing Government, that is not Cogent on the unwilling; and ſo to ſay, that Government is not in the Presbyters, but the Biſhops; and that all is derived from the King; which is all true, of Cogent Government by the Sword, in f…ro exteriore; but not as to Paſtoral Government of the Flock by Gods w…rd. As Biſhop Bilſon of Obedience hath diſtinguiſhed, and applied well at large.

XI. Now to come nearer our Caſe, Dioceſan Biſhops have put down the ranks of Biſhops which of old was ſetled as Preſidents over the Presbyters in every Church, in Cities, and of the loweſt Order (deſcribed by Ignatius, and Cyprian, and others): Every loweſt Church hath not now a Biſhop over the Presbyters, as it had for divers hundred years. And by this they have unchurched all the old ſort of Churches in the ſenſe of them that ſay, There is no Church where there is no Biſhop over Pre…byters: And they have ſet up a Dioceſan Church and Biſhop, only w…re ſhould be many Churches and Biſhops; and thus, … hom…m, I argued with them, &c.

But indeed this Parochial Epiſcopacy, or Pr…ſid…ncy being wrongfully ſaid to be Eſſential to the Church (being at moſt b…t uſeful to peace, ad melius eſſe) and the Epicopacy or Paſtoral care of the Laity without any power over the Clergy; being it that is eſſential to ſingle Church Paſtors, In truth no man can alter this. In Conſent and …putati…n, it is altered by p. 32thoſe that think Pariſh Curates no Paſtors, and deny any Eſſential power over their Flocks. But it is not in Conſent and Reputation deſtroyed by them that acknowledg their Eſſential power, and ſubject only themſelves as Paſtors to the overſight of Dioceſans and Magiſtrates. They do but deſtroy the … of Epiſcopacy of humane Inſtitution (which was over Presbyters in … Ch…rch… ▪ but not the Epiſcopacy over the Flock which is of Chriſts Inſ…i…utio… ▪

XII. … whether moſt in England are of this Opinion, or of that, for … or for meer g…verning Epiſcopacy, and which way the Laws go, and … may be called the ſenſe of the Church, when Convocations and Biſhops ſeem to differ, and men change their Opinions with the Age and Intereſt, it is impoſſible for me to be ſure.

But I know how they govern, by what Canons, and by what Courts; and as all their Cogent power is from the King, it is no wonder if they be choſen by him: But the old ſort of Biſhops that had no forcing power, was ſo conſtantly otherwiſe choſen, that their Canons nulled the Magiſtrates choice. And our preſent Canons ſince 1604, tho they null not the Parochial Paſtorſhip, do ſo far reſtrain it, as I hope my Conſcience ſhall never approve. But yet, for that I will not forſake what is of God, nor make mans failings a pretence againſt my duty to God and Man, to the Violation of Love, Unity and Peace.

Yet I will try by diſtinct ſpeaking to make both the Caſe and my meaining plainer, if I can: And thereby to ſhew, that our caſe differeth but gradually from the old Nonconformiſts, as to Lay-mens Parochial Communion, where there are honeſt Miniſters. And that the old Nonconformiſts had better Evidence, Scripture and Reaſon on their ſide, than either thoſe Innovators, who make Pariſh-Paſtors to be but de ſpecie, of humane Inſtitution, made by Biſhops, and changeable by them, having juſt ſo much power as they pleaſe to give them; or the Browniſts, that are ſo much of the ſame Principles, as to think that mens Laws or Canons can change the form of the Office, or that judg it nullified by tollerable Imperfections, and Communion made unlawful by ſuch faults, as are found in almoſt all the Churches on Earth.

Qu. Whether according to the deſcription of the Scripture, and the expoſition of Dr. Hammond himſelf, all qualified Pariſh Miniſters be not true Paſtors and Biſhops of the Flocks, and with their conſenting Chriſtian Communicants, true particular Churches; and de facto all be not in the power given them by God, which is eſſential hereto, and in the power generally acknowledged by the legal Church?

Anſ. I have ſpoken to this ſo largely in my Treatiſe of Epiſcopacy, (and there added the teſtimonies of Writers, old and new, Proteſtants and Papiſts (that I will give but a breviate of it here.

p. 33The eſſence of the Church Miniſtry conſiſteth in POWER and OBLIGATION FROM CHRIST, to teach, to guide in Worſhip, and to overſee and guide the Converſation and Communion of the Flocks; If it were not of Christ, they were but officers of men, de ſpecie, even of an office of mans making.

Dr. Hammond ſaith, that Chriſt gave the Keys only to the Apoſtles, and they only to their Succeſſors: That there is no evidence that there were any of a ſecond order of Presbyters in Scripture time; that this order was after made by Man, Mr. Dodwell ſheweth how and why; and more fully than Dr. Hammond, aſſerteth, that ſuch Presbyters have no more power than the ordaining Biſhops intended to give them: Or ſaith Dr. H. If they have a firſt power, it is ſuch as may not be exerciſed without a ſecond; ſo that it is indeed no true power to act: And the Dr. plainly tells the London Miniſters p. 80, 81. There is no manner of incongruity in aſſigning of one Biſhop to one Church, and ſo one Biſhop in the Church of Jeruſalem, becauſe it is A. CHURCH, not Churches: being forced to acknowledg that where there were more Churches, there were more Biſhops.

And he denied our Presbyters, that were not Dioceſans, to be Biſhops (both City and Country Presbyters): And conſequently that our Pariſhes were no Churches.

And on theſe grounds he and Biſhop Gunning, and ſuch others, judged Presbyters Ordination null, becauſe they were no Biſhops.

And the ſaid Dr. (tho I thought he had been next Petavius, one of the firſt that had expounded the new Teſtament Elders, to be all Biſhops of ſeveral Dioceſſes) yet tells us that he thought moſt of his brethren were of his mind herein:

And when we in Worceſterſhire formed a Pacificatory Aſſociation of the Epicopal, Presbyterians, Indep…ndents, and Peace-makers, agreeing lovingly to practice ſo much in Doctrine, Worſhip and Diſcipline as we were for, according to our ſeveral principles, forbearing each other in the reſt, and Dr. Warmſt…, and Dr. Tho. Good, being for Biſhops, ſubſcribed to it, Dr. Peter Gunn…g wro…e largely againſt ſo doing to Dr. Warmſtrie, and took him off, upon theſe aforeſaid principles; and they then called their Judgment, the Judgment of the Church of England, and wrote as if the Church had been of their mind, and gone their way.

I wrote …large Anſwer to Dr Gunning's Paper, (not printed) and proved that the old Proteſtant Biſhops and Doctors were of another mind, largely citing their teſtimonies in my Chriſtian C…nc…rd, and plainly warned Engliſh Proteſt…nts to take heed of theſe Innovators, and that the name of the Church and Epiſcopacy deceive them not againſt the Church and Proteſtant Cau…e; many …oſe againſt me for this with great indign…tion, eſpecially Arch-Biſhop Bramhall, and two or three learned Writers, and would make the world believe, that it was the Church of England which I ſought p. 34to defame and bring under ſuſpition, and which owned Gr…tius and his way of Reconciliation with Rome, when as it was for departing from the profeſſed principles of the reformed Biſhops and Doctors, and from the book of Ordination, and other writings of the Church that I blamed them: Yet would they needs claim the name of the Church of England.

And it is not here ſeaſonable for me to tell, how many and how great men in 1661, and 1662 ſeemed by their w…rds and doings to be full (at leaſt) as high as they, nor how they expreſſed it, nor how many ſtrongly conceited by the Act th… requireth reordination of men ordained by Preſbyters, and by the number rejected who refuſed it, That the Parliament had been of th…ir mind, and much more the …nv…cation called the church-repr…ſentative; eſpeci…lly when they heard men call the old Biſhops and Arch-Biſhops (ſuch as …ſher, Downame, …, &c. in I…eland, and G. Abbot, Rob. A…b…t, Grindal, and many ſuch in England) Puritans and Presbyterians: And when P…. H…l… maketh Arch biſhop Abbot. and the Biſhops and Clergy in his days to …e of one mind (vilified by him) and Arch-biſhop Laud and his Clergy after, of another: In this caſe I gave the name of the preſent Dioceſans, to thoſe that thus claimed it, and pretended ſo confidently to the preſent poſſeſſion of it; but I thought not their claim juſt: And when I ſometimes uſed the name of Engliſh Di…ceſans, for this ſort who nullifie the Pariſh Churches and Paſtorſhip, it was but to notifie them that ſo claimed it, ſuppoſing I had oft ſufficiently opened my ſenſe, and uſually added that they nullifie them not effectively, but quantum in ſe, and by their conſequences.

But I again now tell the Reader, that I think the Judgment of the church of England, conſidered as humanely conſtituted by publick profeſſions, and by Law, (much leſs as divinely conſtituted) is not to be meaſured or named from any innovators, or any that moſt confidently claim it, or think they are uppermoſt at the preſent, and thereby have that right; but (as Divine) by Gods word, whoſe ſufficiency we all profeſs; and as humane, by the publiſhed Church profeſſions; that is, the Liturgy, the book of Ordination, the 39 Articles of Religion, the Apology of the Church of England, the Defence of that Apology ſet in all Churches, the book of H…milies, Nowels Catechiſm, the R…f…rmatio Legum Ec…leſ▪ the Canons, and the licenced books of the Proteſtant Biſhops and Doctors, ſuch as Arch-bp. Cranmers, Bp. H…pers, Arch-bp. …arkers, Arch-bp. Grin…als, Arch-bp. Abbots, Arch-bp. Edward Sandys, Arch-bp. Whitgift, Bp. Pilk…nton, Bp. Jewel, Bp. Ally, Bp. Babingt…n, Bp. M…rt…n, …p. Hall, Bp. Davenant, Bp. …rideaux, Bp. Br…wn…ig, B. …otter, Bp. Miles Smith, Bp. Carl…on, Bp Bayly, Bp. Parry, Bp. C…wper, and many more ſuch, (beſides thoſe in Ir…land aforeſaid): And ſuch …rs as Dr. Wh…taker, Dr Field, Dr. Crakenth…pe, Dr. Sutlive, Dr. Maſ…n, Dr. VVhite, Dr. …i…y, Dr. Chaloner, Dr. VVard, Dr. VVillet, Dr. Holland▪ and abundance more; beſides all other old licenced Writers: I think that all p. 35theſe do fitlier notify and denominate the Church of Englands Judgment, than the Writings of one Iriſh Arch-Bp. and Dr. Hammond, and Dr. Gunning (ſince Bp.) and a few more ſuch in the points wherein they differ from the reſt, (tho Grotius and their Chaplains be added to the number.)

And now I will add this further evidence in the concluſion, (beſides that as I ſaid before) the preſent Laws put us to abjure alterations, and therefore ſure they never thought that they ſo altered the Government themſelves, that even while they ſay that the Pariſhes are no Churches, but parcels of Churches, and the Prieſts are no Bps. of the Flock, moſt really acknowledg them the thing, that deny the Name. And the argument from the definition is ſtronger than from the Name.

And here I will but name firſt, the Scripture deſcriptions of a Bp. and 2. Dr. Hammonds expoſition of thoſe Texts. 3. And the matter of fact among us.

The firſt part of the Bps. office is teaching the flock.

Under this teaching part, 1. the Biſhops office is to preach to them, 1 Pet. 5.2, 3. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the overſight (Or Epiſcopacy) thereof, &c.

Dr. Hammond: The Bps. of your ſeveral Churches I exhort.—Take care of your ſeveral Churches, and Govern them, &c.

Quſt. Whom doth the Law require to do more in feeding and guiding the flock? The Incubment that preacheth daily, or the Bp. that never ſeeth the moſt, nor ever preacheth to one Flock of many? Who are they [that are among the Flock] the Incumbent that dwells with them, or the Bp. that is a ſtranger to them?

1 Theſ. 5.12. We beſeech you brethren to know them that labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admoniſh you, and to eſteem them very highly in love for their work ſake, and be at peace among your ſelves.

Dr. Hammond. Pay your Bps. as great a reſpect as is poſſible, for the pains they have taken among you.

Quſt. Who Laboureth among them moſt in the ſeveral pariſhes, publickly and privately? The Bp. that never ſaw them, or the Incumbent that layeth out all his Study and Time on them? Who are moſt among them? Who moſt admoniſheth them? What is meant by [among themſelves?] Is it that Lincoln ſhire, Leiceſter-ſhire, Northamton-ſhire, Buckingham-ſhire, be at peace among themſelves, from Gainsborough to Oxford-ſhire? or is it not rather that neighbour Chriſtians that ſee each other, ſo live in peace?

1 Tim. 5.17. The elders that rule well, are worthy of double honour; eſpecially they tha… labour in the word and doctrine.

Dr. Hammond: Let the Bps. that have diſcharged that function well, receive for their reward twice as much as others have; eſpecially thoſe that preach the Goſpel, to whom it was news, and continue to inſtruct congregatons of Chriſtians in ſetled Churches.

p. 36Queſt. On whom doth the law impoſe moſt preaching? On Bps. or on pariſh Prieſts? And who doth moſt of that work? Heb. 13. Remember them who have the rule over you, who have ſpoken to you the word of God.

Dr. Hammond: Set before your eyes the Bps. and governours, who have been in your Church, and preached the Goſpel to you.

Queſt. Ask the pariſhes who thoſe be?

2 Tim. 4.2. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall judg the qui…k and the dead at his appearing, and his Kingdom, preach the word, be inſtant in ſeaſon, out of ſeaſon, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long ſuffering and d…rine.

Not only Dr. Hammond, but all that are for Prelacy expound this of a Bps office.

Queſt. Ask the people who moſt performs it.

2. The Bps Office is alſo to watch over all the Flock, perſonally, by conference, inſtruction▪ counſel, admonition, exhortation, reproof, comfort, as every one ſhall need Saith Bp. Jer. Tayl…r Pref. to Treat of Rep. No man can give account of th…ſe that he knoweth not.

Acts 20.10, 28, 31. I taught you publickly, and from houſe to houſe.—Take heed t… your ſelves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghoſt hath made you Bps, to …eed the Church of God which he hath purchaſed with his own Blood.—Therefore watch, and remember that by the ſpace of three years I ceaſed not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Dr. Hammond. Inſtructing both in the Synagogues, and the private Schools, and in your ſeveral houſes whither I alſo came.—Wherefore ye that are Bps. or governors of the ſeveral Churches.—Look to your ſelves, and the Churches committed to your truſt, to Rule and order all the faithful under you.

Queſt. Is this done more by the Dioceſans, or by the Incumbents? Do Dioceſans teach from houſe to houſe, from Southwark to Chriſt-Church, from N…wark to Alesbury or Tame? Who doth the law appoint to warn every one in the Church, from houſe to houſe, and night and day, &c.?

Col. 1.28. Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wiſdom, that we may preſent every man perfect in Chriſt Jeſus; Heb. 13.17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and ſubmit your ſelves, for they watch for your ſouls, as thoſe that muſt give account.

Dr. Hamm…nd: Obey thoſe that are ſet to rule over your ſeveral Churches, the Bps. whoſe whole care is ſpent among you, as being to give account of your proficiency in the Goſpel.

Q…ſt. Is it the Dioceſan or the Incumbent that the law requireth to preach to, and warn every man, &c.? And that watch for their Souls as thoſe that muſt give account? Is not the incumbent of this or that pariſh fitter to watch and give account of each Soul, than the Dioceſan for a whole Country, or many Counties, who never ſaw them? Can he do as Ignatius's p. 37Biſhops, that muſt take notice of all the Church, even Servants and Maids?

3. The biſhops office is to be a viſible example to all the flock, of Humility, Meekneſs, Patience, Holineſs, Charity and good Works. Heb. 13.7. Remember them who have the rule over you, who have ſpoken to you the word of God, whoſe faith follow, conſidering the end of their converſations.

Dr. Hammond: Set before your eyes the Biſhops—obſerve their manner of living.

Queſt. VVho can obſerve his example whom he never ſaw nor know? Or who can make an unknown man his pattern? Do the fl…cks ſee more the Incumbents example, or the Dioceſans? It is their example that ſak to them thword of God, that the Apoſtle ſets before them: And who be thoſe?

Perhaps it will be ſaid, that Fame may tell the Di…ceſs of the example of their Dioceſan, tho they ſee him n…t. I anſwer, 1. But the Text ſpeaketh of thoſe that preach to them. Fame may as well tell us of the good works of any other biſhop, as of the Dioceſan: Many biſhops in London live near us; it may tell us of any other good mans life. What is this to the Text?

1 Pet. 5.3. Neither as being Lords over Gods heritage, but being examples to the flock.

Dr. Hammond: VValking Chriſtianly and exemplary before them.

Q. VVhat? Before them that never knew them, nor could do? Doth the Dioceſan or the Incumbent more walk as a known example before the Pariſh flock, for their imitation?

4. It is part of a biſhops office as a general Miniſter, not only to teach the Church, but to preach to thoſe that are yet no Members of the Church, Matth 28.19. Go and diſciple me all nations. 1 Tim. 5.17. They that … in the word and doctrine.

Dr. Hammond: To preach the Goſpel to whom it was n…ws.

Acts 26.17, 18. To whom I ſend thee, to …p…n their eyes, and turn them from darkneſs to light, and from the p…wer of Satan unto God, &c. Not that fixed Paſtors muſt wander to do this, as un…ixed Miſſionaries; but within their reach.

Hence Dr. Hammond noteth out of Clemens R…m. That they are made Biſhops over the Infidels that ſhould after believe… : And biſhop D…wname ſaith, that the City and Territories are their Dioceſſes, when the Chriſtians were but few; and as Dr. H. ſaith, But one Congregation, whic… one biſhop only with a Deacon or two ſerved: So that either a Dioceſs was no Church, or it was a Dioceſan Church of Heathens ſave that Congregation.

Our great Pariſhes, that have 70000, or 60000, or 40000, or 20000 ſouls, have not the ſixth part (that I ſay not the tenth) ſo many Communicants. Who is it that preacheth moſt for the Converſion of the reſt, Atheiſts, Sadduces, Infidels, Hereticks, Bruitiſts, and impious ones? Is it the Dioceſan or the Incumbent? Who doth the Law moſt require it of?

p. 385. It is part of the Boſhops office to Catechize or Teach the Novices that have need of milk, and are as Children in danger of being toſt up and down and carried to and fro with every wind of Doctrine. See Eph 4.14, 15, 16▪ Heb. 5.11, 12. With Dr. Hammonds Paraphraſe.

Queſt. Doth the Law and Church lay more of this on Dioceſans▪ or pariſh Paſtors?

6. It is the Biſhops work to defend the truth againſt gainſayers, and confute adverſaries, and ſtop the mouths of Hereticks, Infidels, and other enemies; as is confeſt by Dr. Hammond, on many Texts to Timothy and Titus, as 2 Tim. 2.24, 25, &c. Not by force, but by evidence of truth. And doth not the Law and Church lay more of this on the Incumbents, than the Dioceſans (who are not U…iquitaries)?

II. The Second part of the Bps. office, is Guidance, and officiating before the Church in publick worſhip; in ſubordination to Chriſts Prieſthood. 1. By confeſſing ſin, and to be the ſubinterceſſor, or the mouth of the Church in publick prayer, thankſgiving, and praiſe to God. 2. In Conſecrating, and Diſtributing, and giving in Chriſts Name, the Sacrament of Communion. 3. To bleſs the Congregation in the name of the Lord, &c. All theſe Dr. Hammond maketh the Bps. office, and ſo doth the Scripture, and ſo did Juſtin Martyr, Tertullian, &c. Citations in a confeſſed caſe would but be tedious.

Quest. And who doth this moſt in all the Churches? Who confeſſeth ſin, prayeth for mercy, praiſeth God, adminiſtreth the Lords Supper, bleſſeth the people, &c. The Bp▪ to many hundred Churches, or each Incumbent to each Church? And on whom doth the Law moſt impoſe it? And what doth the Dioceſan in it, more than any one of the reſt?

2. Dr Hanmond, on Acts 2. And Acts 4.33, 34, 35. Sheweth that it was the Bps. part, to receive all the offerings of the Communicants, and all the tythes and firſt fruits, &c. Who doth this moſt? The Dioceſan in all the Pariſhes of his Dioceſſe, or the Incumbents?

3. Dr Hammond, (and many old Canons before him) tells us, that the Bp. was out of the Church flock, to take care of all the poor, orphans, widows, ſtrangers; Deacons were herein but ſervants under them▪ Dr. Hammond, on 1 Cor 12.28. The ſupreme truſt and charge was reſerved to the Apoſtles and Bps. of the Church. But the poor will ſtarve if the Incumbent with his aſſiſtance do not more in this than the Dioceſan.

4. It is the Bps. office to viſit the ſick. Jam▪ 5. Call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, &c. Dr. Hammond, in v. 14. Becauſe there is no evidence, whereby theſe may appear to have been ſo early brought into the Church (that is Subpresbyters) and becauſe foreign in the plural doth as way conclude that th…re were m…re of theſe elders than one in each particular Church, and becauſe elders of the Church was both in the Scriptures ſtyle, and in the firſt writers the title of Bps. and laſtly, becauſe the viſiting of the ſick is p. 39anciently mentioned as one branch of the office of Bps. therefore it may very reaſonably be reſolved that the Bps. of the Church, one in each particular Church, are here meant.

Queſt. Is it the Dioceſan (perhaps 50 Miles off) that the ſick muſt ſend for, or that the Law and Church impoſe this on, (to viſit the ſick, and pray over them, &c.)? or is it the Incumbents?

III. But the great doubt is, who hath the Power of Government, and who actually governs, (not by the ſword) but with the Miniſterial Paſtoral Government?

And here it muſt ſtill be remembred. 1. That this particular power of the Keys or Government, is only by the word of God opened and applied; as Bp. Bilſon hath proved, and is commonly confeſſed; ſome call it Perſwaſive, ſome Directive, ſome Doctrinial; But it is not ſuch meer direction or perſwaſion as any man may uſe to another; but ſuch as is the part of one commiſſioned to it as his office; An Authoritative perſwaſion, and a Judicial deciſion, as by an intruſted ſteward of Chriſt: but only on Conſcience, and on Voluntiers, and not by any power to exerciſe force on body or purſe. 2. That Governing, and unjuſt reſtraining this power, is not taking it away from the Paſtor; and laying penalties on men for exerciſing ſome part of that which Chriſt hath given, doth but bind men to bear that penalty when the exerciſe is neceſſary. Now let us conſider wherein the Governing Power doth conſiſt.

1. It primarily conſiſteth in judging who is capable of Baptiſme and ſo Baptizing them. This is the firſt and great exerciſe of the Keys, and that … foro exteriore. To judge who ſhall be taken publ…ckly for a Chriſtian, and in Chriſts Name to inveſt him ſolemnly in the number of the faithful, delivering him a ſealed pardon of all his ſins, and a grant of right to grace and glory. Can there be a higher exerciſe of the Keys?

Matth. 28.19, 20. It is the Apoſtles work [Diſciple me all nations, baptizing them, &c.] And Dr. Hamm…nd thinketh that in Scripture-time there were no Baptizing Presbyters, but Biſhops; and indeed it is ſo great a uſe of the Keys, that this chiefly condemneth Laymens and womens Baptizing; at leaſt the trying the Catechized, and judging of their capacities muſt needs be the prime great act of Church-Power, whatever be ſaid of the execut…n.

Now Papiſts and Proteſtants generally place this Power in Parochial Incumbents, yea, and in all other …resbyters: Even thoſe that convert Countreys of Infidels, and are under no particular Biſhop, muſt baptize and judg of the Catechumens capacity for baptiſm; and are Pariſh Incumbents denied this Office▪power of the Keys? and is it the Dioceſan or they that uſe it by baptizing?

Obj. The Canon requireth them to baptize all Infants brought according to law, and ſo not to be the Judges.

p. 40Anſ. You ſhould ſay, and ſo command… them how to judge. The Magiſtrate may command men how to do their office-work, and yet neither be the maker nor unmaker of the office, (tho he miſtake:) If Rulers miſgovern, that's their ſin, but the office of Paſtors is ſtill the ſame, and we muſt not miſobey, but ſuffer, and as B…ſhop Bilſon ſaith, Go on with our work as long as we can. 2. And to bid them do more than they would, is not to null their power of doing leſs. And to puniſh a man for his duty, is not to di…oblige him from it, till it truly diſable him.

2. A ſecond great exerciſe of the Church Keys, is Miniſterially as from Chriſt to declare his Laws▪ and charge men to obey them, both the Church together, and particular perſons ſingly. As Legiſlation is the firſt and great part of Chriſts Government [before Judicature] ſo the Miniſterial declaring Chriſts commands, and demanding obedience, is the great act of Government.

The ſame word therefore comprehendeth feeding and ruling, 1 Pet 5.2, 3. &c. Matth. 24.45, 46. Who then is a faithful and wiſe ſervant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his houſhold, to give them meat in due ſea…n? It is ruling by ſeaſonable feeding. 1 Theſ. 5.12. To be over them, is exerciſed by labouring amongſt them, and admoniſhing them, 1 Tim. 5.17. Ruling well, is nothing greater than labouring in the word and d…ctrine, 1 Tim. 3.2. A Biſh…p muſt be apt to teach: Dr. Hammond, One that is able and ready to communicate to others the knowledg that he him…elf hath. Heb. 13.7, …7, 24. Ruling the fl…ck is by teaching and watching over th…m. To be the greateſt is to be moſt ſerviceable to all; to be ruled by them, is to know them, to eſteem them highly in love for their works ſake, to obey Gods word delivered by them, and their conduct in mutable circumstances, Heb. 13.7. 1 Theſ. 5.12 And to imitate their good examples, 1 Pet. 5.3.

And what law forbids Incumbents to promulgate Christs commands, and charge men to obey them? Or to go to any negligent perſon of his Flock with the ſame charge? or to go to any Drunkard, Fornicator, Railer, and to tell him from God of h…s ſin and danger, and exhort and command him to repent and amend? And who moſt doth this work among us?

3. Another part of Government is to judg profeſſing Christians capable of Sacramental Communi…, and admit them, and deliver it them as Chriſts Ministers, b… his com…ſi…, an… from him; And therein to renew their publick abſo…ution, and the…r Co…enant p…i…ledg, and their delivered part in Chriſt, and right to life: No…e dare d…y that this is a high part of the power of the Keys, and proper Governme…t, to judg who is capable of Church Communion, and receive them, and deliver them from Chriſt, the pledg of life.

And all Papiſts and Proteſtants almoſt, judg this power eſſential to the Prieſthood, and common to all Parochial Incumbents: And the Church of England (as I ſaid before), 1. Delivereth it to them in Ordination. 2. Requireth them to catechize and cert…fie for ſuch as ſhall be confi…med; and p. 41methinks the Dioceſan here uſeth leſs of the judicial power than the Incumbent, for he doth but lay his hands on them and ſay a prayer over ſuch as come to him; for no man can dream that he can examine all the people in his Dioceſs ſo far as to judg whether they are fit for Communion: Therefore he is ſuppoſed but to execute the judgment of the certifying Incumbent (If he take all at a venture, without a certificate, or knowledg, or if the Incumbent be unfaithful, I cannot help or excuſe that). 3. They are required to keep away all that be not confirmed, or ready, and deſirous of it. 4. They may hear any juſt accuſation of the ſcandalous. 5. They may admoniſh him, (if he will ſpeak with them). 6. They may refuſe him if obſtinate and impenitent. 7. They may declare the reaſon why they do ſo, as Chriſts Miniſters by his Authority, and tell the Church their duty to avoid the Communion of ſuch. 8. They may bind him over to anſwer his contumacy at the Bar of God; and what of this is denied by the Church, to belong to the Incumbents Office? and who elſe is capable of doing this in Pariſhes that have multitudes of ungodly perſons?

If all this ſhould be made ſo difficult by the multitude and badneſs of delinquents, or by bad Canons, or bad Government of the Church by Dioceſans, Officials, &c. and thereby be almoſt all left undone, I cannot help that, nor excuſe it; but what I have ſaid againſt ſuch doing is too little: And if Prieſts be ſo bad, that they will (any where) ſooner ſcorn it than practice it, at the rate that it muſt coſt them, I am as much againſt ſuch Prieſts as others are: But I will not therefore make the Office of Christ… Ministers, the creature of man, and mutable at his will▪ nor will I forſake faithful Miniſters for the ſake of the perfidious; no nor for their own tolerable faults or imperfections.

And now conſider ſeriouſly, 1. Whether there be any eſſential part of the office of a Paſtor, denied by that which may juſtly be called the Church of England, to the Pariſh Incumbents. 2. And whether incomparably more of it, even of the government of the flocks, by the K…ys of Christs Institution, be not by Law and Canon required, and in fact performed by the ſaid Incumbents, than by the Dioceſans. And whether any uſe it, if they do not.

If it be alledged, that I have in my Treatiſe of Epiſcopacy, named many inſtances in which they are deprived of the exerciſe of the very eſſentials; I ſtill anſwer, that if any ſhall by miſgoverning Canons or practiſe lay penalties on them that will perform their office, theſe do their part to deſtroy it; but their ſin may conſiſt with the true office that is hindred: If we cannot pray without penalty, we are yet bound to pray: And if any ſuch penalties ſhould prevail with any Miniſters to caſt off ſo much of Diſcipline as is indeed their duty, their office is ſo far deſtroyed as to its exerciſe: But it is not every ill Council, Canon, Biſhop or Prieſt of old when p. 42they began to be corrupted, that changed and nullified the Paſtoral Power and Office as from Chriſt. I have repeated things over and over here, becauſe I would not be miſunderſtood, nor leave a ſnare behind me to miſlead men.

The ſum again is, 1. The Paſtoral Office in ſpecie is inſtituted by Chriſt and his Spirit, therefore the eſſence of it is unchangeably fixed by him; and no Biſhops or Churches may change it, by pretending they may give Presbyters as their ſervants what degree or kind of power they pleaſe; or make the office another thing.

II. The ſaid office in mutable accidents or circumſtances may be altered by Princes Laws, or the ſeveral Churches Agreements, and thus far it is humane.

Of the Divine ſort was the Apoſtolick and other extraordinary Prophetick offices: And the ordinary Presbytery, commonly called Prieſthood, and Elders ſetled over particular Churches, were Epiſc…pi Gregis; Biſhops, over the flock.

And of the humane ſort is the Preſidency of one in every ſingle Church over the reſt of the Presbyters, who was the Epiſcopus Presbyterorum, a Biſhop over the Presbyters of one ſingle Church as well as over the people: This was the old Epiſcopacy of the firſt three Centuries; this is it which I ſay our Dioceſans have put down; and we that would have them reſtored, and would have ſuch a Biſhop and Aſſiſtant, Elders in every Church, are by the heighth of impudency, ſaid to be againſt Biſhops, becauſe we would have them reſtored to each Church (tho not as eſſential to it, as hath been thought of old) yet as a way of peace, to comply with Ant…quity, and avoid ſingularity; and they that put down many ſcore or hundred Biſhops and inſtead of them would have but one, call themſelves Epiſcopal.

III. Whether Arch-bps. (Dioceſans.) as ſucceſſors of the Apoſtles in the miniſterial care of many Churches (by the word and not the ſword) be of Divine or Human Inſtitution, I am in doubt.

IV. The cogent Power by the Sword is only the Magiſtrates; and if Dioceſans appropriate this only, they are Magiſtrates; and thereby take none of our office from us.

V. The …ſſence of the Pariſh miniſterial overſight being of God, de ſpecie, and the accidents that are mutable from man, the exiſtence of the office in individual perſons, is not without conſent of the Paſtors; ſo that no man can be a Paſtor againſt or without his will; (nor yet without a capacity in qualifi…ati…n; ſo that if you prove any perſon to be uncapabl…, or elſe to have truly diſclaimed and renounced the eſſentials of his office: I am not about to perſwade you, that ſuch a man is a true Paſtor.

VI. But then we muſt know, that indeed it is ſuch an incapacity, or renunciation, and not a tollerable defect; nor ſubſcriptions and Oaths, which by unſeen conſequences may ſeem to renounce it, when the man took them in a p. 43ſenſe which renounced it not: For tho ſuch a man may greatly ſin by taking Oaths or ſubſcriptions in a forced ſenſe, which plainly taken would infer worſe, yet his ſin is not a renunciation of the office, if he declare that he meant it in a better ſence, and took it on ſuch miſtake; for we muſt not for bare words againſt mens meaning, quibble or diſpute our ſelves into unwarrantable ſeparations out of Chriſtian Communion, eſpecially when it is ſpecially neceſſary.

VII. And if any lay-men, or men unauthorized will uſurp the Keys, or any Councils will make hurtful Canons, and hinder men in the work appointed by God, we muſt be faithful and patient, and God in due time will judg and decide all cauſes juſtly.

VIII. The office-power is eſſentially related to the work; ſo far as Parochial Incumbents are allowed the work as of Chriſt, they are acknowledged to be Paſtors and Biſhops of the flocks, tho the name were denied them; and ſo far as the Biſhops office may be delegated to Lay-men, or to Clergy-men of another Order; ſo far it is Humane, and not proper to them by Gods Inſtitution. They therefore that ſay, All Dioceſans Juriſdiction may be ſo delegated to them that are no Biſhops, but that the Paſtoral Rectorſhip by Word, Sacraments and Keys cannot be delegated to any men that are not of the ſame office; do thereby ſay as much, as that the Dioceſan government is of men (and may be changed by men) but the Paſtoral Incumbency is of Chriſt, and cannot be changed.

The Lord that inſtituted it, protect it; and ſave it from Satans moſt dangerous aſſault, which is by getting his own ſervants into it by error, and malignity, and ſtrife, and cruelty, to do his work as the Miniſters of Righteouſneſs, and as by Chriſts Authority, and in his name.

London Aug. 13. 1684.