The Hierarchical Bishops Claim Tried at the Scripture-Bar, Part 3 · Chapter 1
CHAP: I: A Consideration of the Scripture Grounds, upon which the Surveyer pleads for the Lawfulness of the Episcopal Office.
TO Examin with as Succinct Perspicuity as we can, the Surveyers Scripture Pleadings for Episcopacy, in this 4th. Chap. It is in the first place to be noticed, how that he was afraid to set his Foot upon such Slippery Ground, as to plead directly for the Necessity of Prelacy, upon a Divine or Apostolick Warrand; as knowing that the contrary Practice and Principles of almost the whole Body of Reformed Churches and Divines, do in this Point contradict him. He therefore, pretends to Abstract from this supposed Necessity, and the Grounds thereof, and to plead only for the Lawfulness of the Order: Yet least he should seem too Cool a Pleader, he presents some things, which he calls Positive Grounds of Episcopacy; Whereof the First in Summ is.
That Christ hath appointed in his Church an Official Power, which we call Episcopal, paramount unto, and above any Power that can be Exercised by a single Presbyter alone; Which Power of Ordination and Iurisdiction, is acknowledged utrinque, Lawful in it self, the only Difference is, that Presbyterians hold it to be Seated in a Colledge of Presbyters, and the Episcopalians hold it to be Concentred in one Person, yet to be Exercised by Presbyters Concurrence and Consent: So, that the Difference of this Diffused Episcopacy in the Presbytrie, and Contracted in a single Bishop, to be managed with Consent of Presbyters, is like that between m…nus aperta and manus clausa. Ans. The Surveyer doth but here Shufflle and Obscure the true State of this Question, betwixt Episcopalians and Presbyterians; Which is this, viz. Upon our Supposal of that Authority and Government, ascribed in Scripture to Pastors or Presbyters, and their Essential Interest therein, how an Officer, who is pretended to be Distinct from them, and Superior unto them, and Enhancing and Concentring all their Power in himself, can be consistent with the Scripture Prescriptions in point of Government? The Surveyer should have known, that the Scripture doth not only appoint the Official Power, but its proper Subject; So that the Removing it from its proper Basis and Subject, is a palpable Impeachment of these Institutions in point of Government: And therefore, if by our Lords Warrand, this Official Power is Diffused in a Colledge of Pastors or Presbyters, the Concentring it in the person of one Prelat, must needs be an arrant Usurpation in Men, yea (and if possible) in Angels. Next, the Surveyer Narroweth and Disguiseth the Bishops Power he pleads for: And that several ways, 1. He overleaps his Arrogated Power of Order, whereof he is the proper and primary Subject in the Diocess, wherein Pastors Act but as his Deputs. 2. His Civil Acclaimed Power. 3. He seems to Tye the Exercise of it to the Consent and Concurrence of Presbyters, wherein he dissembles the Nature of their Arrogated Jurisdictional Power: For, if he did mean a Concurrence and Consent, which is Decisive; Besides, that he in this contradicts himself, in Concentring this Power in the Prelat, since frustra est potentia quae non potest reduci in actum, he durst not affirm that the Official Power of the Prelat, then existent by Law, and whom he pleaded for, was of this Nature: For, according to the Law establishing Prelacy, they were to Exercise their Power with Advice only, and of such of the Clergy only, as they should find (they themselves being Judges) of known Loyaltie and Prudence. Again, should the Surveyer say this Advice was only Consultive not Decisive, he did but Mock and Prevaricat, in adding this Limitation of Presbyters Consent and Concurrence, and in pretending thus to put some Limitations on the Prelats sole Exercise of his Power, as if it did not swallow up and exclude the Official Authority of Presbyters and Pastors in Government. In a Word, as it is certain that the Diversifying of the Subject, diversifieth the Species and Kinds of Government, which is evident in that of Monarchy, Democracy, Aristocracy &c. So in the point of Church Government, depending upon Divine and positive Institution, It is easie to discover such a vast Variation upon this Ground, as might have covered this Surveyer with Blushes, and which baffles his Notion with his own Similitude of the manus aperta & clausa. For he will not deny the Lawfulness of an OEcomenick or General Council, in a Just Representative of all Christian Churches, having an Authority diffused in all the Members, which respects the whole Churches. Now, here is the manus aperta, and in his Sense the manus clausa, or the Monopolizing and Concentring this Authority in one person, doth no whit impeach the Lawfulness of the Power it self. Then advance the manus clausa, an OEcumenick Bishop, or Supreme Head over all the Church, having all this Authority Monopolized in him, which was before diffused in the General Council. And here it may be demanded, whether this Pleader, or such as he, did owne such an Officer as Lawful or not? If such an Officer be owned as Lawful, then farewel the Protestant Profession, and the Doctrine of all Reformed Churches against a Papal Supremacy & Universal OEcumenick Bishop: If such an Officer be held unlawful, then this Notion and Argument is quit baffled and excluded, which asserted the Lawfulness both of the Diffused and Contracted Official Power: For, here the one Power is owned as warranded of GOD, and instituted in its Nature and Exercise; The other is disowned, as contrary to His Institution. What the Surveyer adds upon this Head, touching a Lawful Demanour towards Powers that are usurped, and entertaining fellowship with a Ministerial Church, though called by an usurping Bishop, hath been sufficiently answered by the Apologist and Others, and the Difference so clearly stated betwixt the Condition of a Church, wherein Prelats are obtruded upon the standing Church Judicatories (in which Case Ministers are to keep their places, and contend against them) and such a State and Condition of a Church, wherein the Government is razed, and the Foundation of it laid upon a Princes arrogated Supremacy over the same, and Prelats Authority as his Administrators in the Government thereof, and withall in the Concurrence a formal and direct acknowledgment of both the one and the other being required, as the Condition of Ministerial Communion, that nothing needs here be further added.
The Next Ground the Surveyer adduceth is, That Ministers Union and Association of themselves, and setting over them one single Person to Moderat and Govern the Actions of the Meeting, is Juris Divini, and that by our own Confession. Ans. The Surveyer durst not make his Application here; or had he done so, the absurdity of the Consequence from this Moderator or President to the Prelat he pleaded for, would have palpably appeared, and his Inconsistency with himself: For 1. He saith that Associat Ministers set over themselves this Moderator, and this he holds to be Iuris Divini, and GODs Will; And if so, then sure it is neither Iuris Divini, nor GODs Will, that this Moderator should be obtruded upon them by an Extraneous Power; without the least shadow of their Consent, as he could not but know the Prelats he pleaded for, were obtruded upon this Church. 2. If it be GODs Will that this President be set over Meetings of Ministers, to govern the Actions of the Meeting; and preserve Due Order, then it is not His Will that this Moderator or President should have their whole Authority Concentred in him, as this Survey…r pleads, and so as to smallow up their whole decisive Suffrage, and render them mere Cyphers: This he cannot but acknowledge to exceed far the mere governing the Actions of the Meeting, and preserving of Order; Which is the proper Work of a Moderator. I might add that the admitting it is GODs Will, that Ministers set over their Associat Meetings one single person to Moderat, will not so much as infer, that he should moderat ad vitam: Since. 1. This will bring under the burden of whatever abuse of his Power he may be guilty of, and exclude all Help and Redress. 2. This will deny the Judicatory or Meeting, the Advantage and Use of these governing Gifts and Graces, that may be supposed in other Members: And sure the Surveyer could not but acknowledge this contrary to the Divine Law, since the Gifts and Graces of every Minister are given by GOD for the Advantage of His Church, and to be improven accordingly. The Ministration of the Spirit (saith the Apostle) is given to every one to profit withal foreign A Metaphor taken (as some do judge) from Bees bringing all to the common Hive. Thus we see, that unless the Surveyer degrade the Bishops to mere Moderators, this Reason is utterly remote from, and absolutely short of reaching any other Conclusion.
The Third Ground is, That it is Juris Divini, by way of Approbation, that the Churches in their Ministerial Combinations for Government, should have one over them, who hath a singular Power for prevention of Schism and Disorder, and such a Power as what is Right or Wrong in the Church; may be imputed to him, as is manifest from the Epistles directed to the Angels of the Churches, Rev. 2.3. whom Beza, Cartwright, Reynolds, &c. hold to be single persons: Ans. It is not clearly discernible what strength is in this Reason beyond the former, since it still runs upon the Ius Divinum, and necessity of a President in Church Meetings, in order to this ▪ as its native and great End, viz: the Prevention of Schism and Disorder: And if this be the Rule and Measure of such a Presidency, the Surveyer had been hard put to it, to prove that this doth necessarly infer and require that it be such as swallows up the whole decisive Power and Authority of Pastors in Government; And that Disorder and Schism cannot be otherwise prevented by a President, than thus Authorized, and that reserving to Pastors their decisive Authority and Power cannot as well reach this End. 2. For what the Surveyer adds, That the Power of the President must be such, as what is Right or amiss, may be imputed to him, as using his Power Well or Badly: As it may have a terrible Sound in the Ears of the Hierarchical Prelat, who hath an Authority and Power extended not only to all the Pastors of the Diocess, but the whole Body of the People therein, as this Surveyer owns, P. 194. Since he hath thus a Work and Office of such a Nature, as is impossible to be managed: Besides, that the Charge of all the evils within the Diocess, lyeth necessarly upon him; So likewise, it is more than this Surveyer could prove that what was well or amiss in the Asian Churches, is chiefly imputed to one Person. For, 1. It is not enough to say, that some Authors, though acknowledged Godly and Learned, do hold them to be single persons, but the Grounds hinc inde of those who hold them to be such, and of those who understand the Word [Angel] in a Collective Sense, must be weighed in the Ballances of the Sanctuary. 2. Beza's Judgment is, that the Proestos or President is first advertised, that by him all the rest of the Colledge, and also the whole Church might have notice made to them of that which concerned them all; And further, that not so much as the Office of a Perpetual President can be hence inferred, as that which he holds to be the Foundation of the Tyranical Oligarchy, whose Head is the Antichristian Beast. 3. Granting a Presidency for prevention of Schism and disorder, over these Churches, the Question still is to be discussed, what Presidency it was? And that it could not be of the Surveyers Supposed Episcopal mould is evident, and by th… Presbyterian Writers made good from several Grounds; As that (1.) It cannot be made good, that any directions in these Epistles, respecting Government, diversifie one Pastor from another, or suppose his Iurisdiction over the rest. (2.) That without fastning a contradiction upon the Scripture Account of the Presbyter or Pastors Office, this cannot be admitted, Pastors having the Name and thing of Rulers, Governours and Bishops attributed unto them, yea, and the Episcopal Power being found committed to the Pastors of Ephesus (the first of the Churches here addressed) in Pauls last farewell to them, Act. 20. And none will deny that the whole Churches were settled in an Uniform Mould of Government. That the Collective Sense of the word Angel is most sutable to the Scope of these Epistles, and paralel Scriptures, is above made good, and needs not be here repeated. The Surveyer alledges P. 193. That if single persons had not been intended, they would have been compared by the Spirit of God, not to single Stars but Constellations. Thus this critical Master of Language will needs Teach the Spirit of God how to express himself. But since he acknowledges that these Churches, tho made up of several Congregations, do upon the Ground of an Unity in Government, come under the denomination of one Candlestick, why may not also the Pastors and Ministers, because of a combination in Government, come under the Denomination of single Stars? Besides, that these Stars or Angels are (as is above made good) sometimes addressed plurally, and thus, upon the matter held out as Constellations. He adds, That we may as well extend the seven Candlesticks beyond the Seven Churches, as the Angel beyond a single Person. But the Spirit of GOD calling these Candlesticks the Seven Churches, and the Stars generally the Angels of the Churches, not the Seven Angels, sufficiently discovers the impertinent folly of this Objection: But says the Surveyer, ibid. by this Collective Sense of the Word Angel, we will take in the Ruling Elders, as Messengers of the Lord of Hosts, or else assert that these Churches had none. Ans. The Divine warrand of the Ruling Elder, is made good upon clear Scripture grounds, and if he have a share and Interest in Church Government, the Surveyer could give no reason, why he might not in so far, come under this Denomination, as a Church Officer, supposing that our Lord addresseth in these Epistles, both Church Officers and Members. For what he adds of Blondels Sense of the Authority of these Angels, P. 6. of his Preface▪ It is evident to any that reads it, That he ascribs the Power of Presidents only unto them, and holds that the Proestotes or Presidents acknowledged alwise the Power of the Colledge of Presbyters to be above their own, and were subject to the Injunctions of the Meetings, as well as any other Member.
The Fourth Ground, which the Surveyer layeth down, P. 194. is this, That as there are ordinances merely Divine, so also mixed Ordinances, which have a Divine ground, and with all adjoyned thereunto a positive human Institution, such as Calvin holds geniculation in prayer to be: The Episcopal Power being in it self Lawful, the Subjecting of it in one person, in a certain Circuit, is most suitable for preserving Unity, supposing the Person to be of greater worth, and consequently recommended by the light of Nature, and in so far by the word of GOD, and further warranded by a Lawful Church Constitution. Ans. This ground easily appears foolish and unsound, when we consider that not only the Power it self, is of Gods appointment and institution, but likewise the Subject thereof, and and Officers Cloathed with the Power, so that whatever Authority the Church may be supposed to have for regulating the Exercise, according to the general Rules of the word, and of Christian prudence; yet no Church under Heaven hath Authority to lift up the March-stones, which God hath set, and impeach his Institutions in Point of Government: Which Guilt, is certainly Contracted either, 1. In setting up a New Officer, Cloathed with such Authority as he hath not allowed; such as we have made appear the Prelat to be, both in Respect of his acclaimed Civil and Ecclesiastick Authority. 2. In Robbing the Pastor of that Authority, allowed by the great Masters Appointment and Institution, which, as we have made appear, doth in its Essence respect an Interest, both in the Power of Order and Jurisdiction. As for Calvin, he is found in that place, to speak nothing of the Nature of this Geniculation. or what may give light touching the Nature of those mixed Ordinances. Besides, that the Surveyers Reason here adduced, from the Light of Nature, appears to Confound the foreign and foreign and without Respect to the Gospel Rules of Government, to found a Claim thereunto, merely upon the greater Worth and Ability: A Principle which will also brangle the Civil Government. And in a word, this Principle of Monopolizing the Power in one Person, in a certain Circuit, for this end of Preserving Unity, will tower up this singularity of Government in one person over the Bishops, the Arch-Bishops, till the Hierarchy resolve in a Papacy at last.
Proceed we to the Surveyers Fifth Ground, ibid. resolving in a Partition of Three or Four Particulars, to infer a direct positive Institution, for the Superiority of one Church Officer, of a certain Circuit, over others. Whereof the First is, That Iesus Christ from his Received plenitude of Church Power from his Father, to be made use of, till the Elect be gathered in, sent his Apostles, with plenitude of Power for all Church Offices, necessary for Edifying and Preserving the same, as Power to Preach, administer Sacraments, preserve the Church in order by Godly Disciplin; for which he Cites Joh. 20.21. As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you, &c. Ans. As it is acknowledged, that the Apostles were sent forth for the Great end of laying the Foundation of the Gospel Churches, and Establishing the Ordinances and Offices thereof; so that whatever Officers they are found to have Instituted and Authorized for the Churches preservation, and Purity of Order, ought to be received with all due Reverence; so it is evident, that their Office was in this Respect, Extraordinary, and that they were Distinguished from all other Officers by their immediat Call, their immediat Instructions from Christ, in…allibility in Doctrin, a greater Amplitude of Power, &c. Hence we have made appear, there was no Shadow of a Prelatical Power in their Office, & the exercise thereof, since none of the Apostles were set over any fixed Diocess, but had an immediat Relation to the whole Church, they exercised their Ministry sometimes joyntly and promiscuously in the same place, they Ordained no Inferior Officers alone, without the Concurrence of other Officers, where they might be had, nor Challenged, as Prelats, a sole Power of Jurisdiction over the Churches, &c.
The Second Subservient ground, which the Surveyer, P. 195, adduces, is, That the Apostles had Successors to themselves in that plenitude of Ordinary Church Power, for that Power was not to Cease till the end of the World, according to the Promise, Matth. 28.20. I am with you alway, to the end of the World, meaning with them and their Successors. Ans. That the Apostles had Successors, that derived down an Ordinary Church Power, in reference to the Preaching of the Word, the Administration of the Sacraments, and such a Governing Power, and the exercise thereof, as is necessary for the Churches Edification and Preservation in all times, is easily admitted: And this ordinary Church Power, we maintain with the Body of all Protestant Divines, to be derived down by the Pastor, the proper Successor of the Apostles in this Work, as hath been above cleared. And this is most Properly that plenitude of Power, which was to continue to the end. For this Surveyer, in this Discriminating term of Ordinary Church Power, seems, to exclude any Succession of Church Officers to the Apostles, in eundem gradum, and properly.
The Surveyer tells us in the Third place, That there are three probable Pretenders to this Succession of Apostles, Viz: Single Presbyters in the Modern Notion; Colledges of Presbyters in a full Equality of Power; Or some single Persons having Superiority of Power over ordinary Presbyters. The Pretensions of the People, or of any other to the Church Government, He tells us, he doth pass as Irrational: And so do we. Only I must here say, That as what a single Presbyter may do in extraordinary Cases, in Point of Jurisdiction, is not here the Question; And that therefore his three Pretenders may be Justly reduced to two: So in his confident Rejection of all other Pretenders as Irrational, he should have been aware of touching the Kings Crown, and more consistently defended his Erastian Supremacy in Church Government; Since in the last Edition of our Scots Hierarchy, he was Owned and Established, as the chief Officer and Head of this Church.
The Surveyer will have this Question of the Matter of Fact, upon which the Jus depends, to be determined by Historical Narrations of the Acts of the Apostles, and the first and surest Light, Church History can afford in the Churches purest Times. I have made appear that this Question of a Divine Fact, must be decided by the Scripture Light allenarly, and by Consequence, not from the Acts of the Apostles Solely, excluding what further Light in this Matter is to be had from their Instructions, in Point of Church Government, contained in their Epistles, and likewayes from other places of the New Testament. So, that whatever Practice of the Church, the History, even of Purest Times, presents unto us, must be brought to this Touch-stone and Standard of the Scripture Institution, as being thereby Regulable: And therefore, can make up no part of this Rule. In determining this Question, the Surveyer in the first place, Will not have the Fulness of Ordinary Church Power, committed by the Apostles to any single Presbyter, as if he had Actual Power of Ordination, or Iurisdiction: That the Power of Order, the Administration of the Word and Sacraments is committed to the Pastor, is of it self Evident; That the Power of Jurisdiction is committed to him, as he is by Office a Member of the Judicatory, which is the proper adequat Subject of this Authority of Ordination and Jurisdiction, is equally evident. The Surveyer challengeth us to shew such Colledges of single Presbyters, as had that Plentitude of Church Power committed to them by the Apostles, and exercised the same, especially taking in Ruling Elders. Ans. If by Plentitude of Church Power, be understood the ordinary Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction, necessary for the Churches Edification and Preservation in all times, and as abstracted and distinguished from the extensive Power of Apostles & Evangelists; We say it is found seated in the Colledge of Pastors and Presbyters, both in the Acts of the Apostles, and else where in the New Testament▪ The Apostles instituted Pastors or Presbyters foreign Church by Church, and sure not to preach only and administrat Sacraments, but to Rule, seeing they have the Name and Thing of Governors, Rulers, Overseers, Bishops, ascribed to them; And if they were to Rule, sure in Collegiat Meetings. We find the Exercise of this Power commanded and commended to Pastors or Presbyters; Thus by the Apostle to the Elders or Pastors of Ephesus, Act. 20. By the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 5. to the Pastors of the Churches, to which he wrote. We find this Jurisdictional Power accordingly exercised by them, both as to Ordination and the highest Censures, 1 Tim. 4.14. 1 Cor. 5. And the Circumstances of these and such like Texts do cleary evince, that this Jurisdictional Power was to continue, thus exercised by these Societies or Colledges of Presbyters, when the Apostles were gone off the Stage, and that consequently they are the Proper Subject of the Power, immediatly derived from them. As for the Ruling Elder, his Institution and Office being found in Scripture, he is upon Divine Warrand, supposed a Member of these Judicatories, when the Churches are fully constituted in their Organick being. But the Surveyer tells us, We cannot make appear, that in these Meetings of Presbyters, there was an Equality of Power, since Superior Officers were with them Ruling and Ordering their Church Actings. Ans. Though de facto it were found, that in these Meetings, Superior Officers were present, yet if they be found Officers of an Extraordinary Authority, and whose Power was Cumulative unto, not Privative of the ordinary Power and Authority of these Meetings; This is utterly remote from speaking any thing to his Purpose and Conclusion. 2. Whereas the Surveyer peremptorly poseth us, Where such a Meeting of Presbyters is found in the Acts of the Apostles (he should have added, or else where in the New Testament) without Superior Officers ordering their Meeting? We peremptorly Pose him, what Superior Officer is found set over the Colledge of the Elders of Ephesus, when Paul gave them his last Charge, touching the Exercise of a Ioynt Episcopal Power over that Church? What Superior Officer is found set over the Bishops and Pastors of the Church of Philippi? Or over these Pastors and Bishops mentioned 1 Pet. 5.? or these Ruling Teachers mentioned 1 Thes. 5.12. Heb. 13.7.17? Sure, these Governing Teachers mett for Government, and these Meetings if found thus Constituted, and Exercising an Episcopal Power, we have therein Convincing Instances of an Episcopal Power in a Colledge of Presbyters, without the Inspection of any Superior Ordinary Officers: For, as for Apostolical Directions hereanent, they could no more impeach this Authority, than Directions with Reference to the Power of Order could impeach the same.
The Surveyer P. 196. brings for his third Ground, The Apostles committing the Plentitude of Ordinary Church Power to single Persons, in a Superiority over other Ministers; Instancing the Asiatick Angels, Rev. 2.3. And Pauls Directions to Timothy and Titus, whom he sent and instructed with a Iudiciary Power, into Ephesus and Crete, and to ordain Ministers, which had been to no purpose, had this Power been competent to Pastors. Ans. This Trite Argument hath been above at large spoken to; Therefore, we shall but briefly touch it in this place.
First, For the Asiatick Angels; We have made appear, First, That the Collective Sense of the word Angel, stands upon the most probable Foundation, and is owned by the greatest part of sound Interpreters, as being most suteable to the Style of Prophetick Writings, representing many Persons by a singular Typical Term, whereof frequent Instances are exhibit; to the Style of this very Book, in representing many Persons, or a Series of Men, by one Symbolical Term, such as Whore, VVoman, Beast, &c. Besides, that the Angel is found plurally addressed, Chap. 2.24. Next, That admitting the Angel to be a single Person, will only plead that he is the Angelus praeses, or Moderator, yea, and so pro tempore, and addressed as the Parliament is in the Person of the Speaker; That no Address is made to him with respect to any Jurisdiction over Pastors, nor can any Reason be given wherefore the Commendations and Reprehensions respecting Ministerial Dutys, must be fixed in an Exclusive Sense upon one Person, &c.
Next, For the Directions to Timothy and Titus; It is above made appear, that their Office was Extraordinary, and passed off, like that of the Apostles, with that First Infant State and Exigence of the Church, since it is made Good they were Evangelists, in a proper formal Sense. 2. That upon this Ground, they could have no Successors in their Formal Office and Inspection, which imported a Relation to no particular Church, nor can consequently represent the Authority of any ordinary Officer, with such a fixed Relation of this Nature and Extent. It is likewayes made appear, that the Episcopal Pleaders from these Directions, must either upon this Ground, extend their Power equally with that of Apostles, or make it appear, that these Directions of this Nature, and importing this Authority, were applicable to them no where else, and in reference to no other Churches, where they are found to exercise their Office; Either of which are inevitable Absurdities. Finally, It is made appear, that this Inspection was of a Transient Nature, did suppose the Existence and Exercise of the Apostolick Office, was Cumulative unto, not Privative of the Official Authority of Pastors, and therefore cannot prove a sole and single Authority of a Prelat over Church Judicatories.
But sayes the Surveyer, What need was there to send them for this End to these Churches, if a Iurisdictional Power was competent to Pastors? This Objection is above fully removed. And here again we repone, 1. The Infant State of the Church requiring a Temporary Super-intendency of an Evangelist, and Directions from an infallible Apostle. 2. Episcopalians must confess, that in many Points, wherein Timothy and Titus are immediatly addressed, ordinary Pastors and Presbyters have a necessary and essential Interest, and that therefore they must acknowledge this to be one end of these addressed Instructions, that Pastors or Presbyters may have a clear Vidimus of their Ministerial Office and Duties; And that by consequence the addressing of these Directions to Timothy and Titus will not exclude Pastors from the Jurisdictional Power; And no more make this peculiar to these persons, than the Injunctions respecting the Reading, Preaching of the Word, Convincing the Gain sayers, and Rebuking the Scandalous, solely applicable to a Prelat, as his incommunicable Prerogatives.
The Surveyer here Cants over again the Old Song, That its the greatest possible evidence, that can be in such a Matter of Fact, that immediatly after all the Apostles Death, until the Council of Nice, the Church had no other Government, but that of Bishops. Ans. This Assertion, especially as respecting the Patriarchal Bishop of the late Edition, viz: with sole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction, tyed to Preach to no flock, and deriving all his Power from the Civil Magistrate, is so grosly absurd, so palpably false, that the very Repetition is a Confutation; the contrary having been demonstrated by several Learned Pens. The best Antiquaries confess these first times dark, as to Matters of Fact. But the Surveyer quite mistakes this Question, which is not anent a mere Matter of Fact, or the Churches Practice simplely Considered, but anent the Apostolick Instructions and Institutions, in point of Church Government, viz: what Officers the Apostles set up and Instituted, in what order, and Cloathed with what Authority, how qualified for their Office, and instructed therein, how they are found to have exercised this Power, when thus Instituted and set up. If this be clear in the Scripture Records, then no defects or aberrations therefrom, either in, or after the Apostles times, can direct or warrand our Imitation, nor can be an Infallible proof of the Rule, unless we will extend this to Regulat us as to every Scripture Truth and Duty therein held out. Both Scripture and Church History, do give us an account of the early aberrations from the Divine Rule, both in Point of Doctrin, Worship and Government, such as those anent the Resurrection, Justification by good Works, Worshipping of Angels, the Error of the Nicolaitans; and in Point of Government, the Mysterie of Iniquity, the Embryon of a Papal Primacy, was working in Pauls time, and early appeared in Diotrephes aspiring after a Primacy ▪ Not to stand upon the Millenary Error, the Error anent the Vision of GOD, and others, early appearing thereafter. The Surveyer will needs strengthen his Notion by the Maxim, Lex currit cum praxi, & consuetudo est optimus interpres Legis: What interpretation and Sense this is capable of, in reference to Human Laws, or of what use, is left to the Consideration of the Gentlemen of the Long Robe; But sure with respect to the Divine Law, 'tis dangerous and sadly lax. Divinity, & Israels Consuetudo and early practice of Idolatrie, and the Worshipping of Images, as that of the Golden Calf, with a pretended design to Worship the Lord Jehovah, was a shrewd and gross interpretation of the Second Command. The People who told Jeeremiah, that they would pour out Drink Offerings to the Queen of Heaven, because their Progenitors in a long tract of time had done so, were much in this Surveyers Mind. But the great Lawgiver, who enjoyned his People not to walk after their Fathers Commandments▪ nor Judgments, though of never so Large an extent and long Continuance, but after his Laws and Judgments, is of another Mind. Tertullians Rule and Prayer is good, speaking of Custom in it self considered and simplely, Surge veritas ipsa. Scripturas tuas interpretare quas consuetudo non novit nam si nosset non esset: Did Custom know Scripture, it would be ashamed of it self, and cease to be any more: Upon which ground he pleads, that the Eternal Light himself might arise and expone his own Scriptures.
The Surveyer tells us, That in these preceeding grounds, he hath pleaded only for the Lawfulness of Prelacy, though the necessity is not denied. But sure, if these grounds evince any thing, they prove a Necessity, as well as Lawfulness: If the Apostles Directions and Practice in the Institution of Church Officers, pursuant to their great Masters Commission, together with his supposition of the Apostolical and Christian Churches Universal Reception and Practice, will not evince and prove this, I know nothing will: Besides, that we heard him plead upon the Ground of a Divine Institution, which will bear this Conclusion of Necessity, not of Lawfulness only. But in this proof of the Lawfulness of Prelacy, the Surveyer tells us, he intended to quiet the Minds of People, anent the Covenant obligation against it. A good Pillow of security, no doubt this had been, had he proved, that Universally and absolutely no Oath can oblige against a thing in it self Lawful or retrench our Liberty thereanent, and answered the Arguments urged by Casuists on the contrary. But it is not our purpose to digress on this head. He adds, That if Lawful, it is Juris Divini, that we submit to a Lawful Human Ordinance and Command, for the Lords sake: Which Reason were valid, had he made good that the Human Ordinance, in this Circumstantiate Case, had for its object a thing Lawful; And that the Human ordinance is the First Rule and adequat ground of our Judging the expediency of a Practice hic & nunc, though in it self Lawful: And further, that the Human Ordinance can of its own Nature loose solemn Oaths and Vows upon the Lawgivers themselves, and the Subjects, against such a practice as is commanded.