Vindication of the Dissertations Concerning Episcopacy, Title page – Table of contents
A VINDICATION OF THE DISSERTATIONS CONCERNING EPISCOPACIE: From the ANSVVERS, or EXCEPTIONS offered againſt them by the London Miniſters, in their Jus Divinum Miniſterii Evangelici.
By H. HAMMOND, D.D.
LONDON, Printed by J. G. for Richard Royſton, at the Angel in Ivy-lane, 1654.
TO THE READER.
IN Eraſmus's diſtribution of his owne writings into Tomes, the 8th. we finde thus inſcribed by him, Octavum occupent Apologiae. Me miſerum. Et hae juſtum volumen efficient. It was his great infelicity, that the Apologies and Anſwers to exceptions and calumnies, which he was conſtreined to write, made up an intire large Volume in folio. Now though I have that pleaſure in the temper of that perſon, which gives me ſecurity, by the Romanists Proverbe, never to be deemed one of their good Catholicks, and ſo may probably partake of ſome part of his fate, yet't were great inſolence in me, who have not troubled the World with a tenth proportion to that were with he hath favoured it, to expect the Tithe of that conſideration, which is required to make one capable of that degree of infelicity, which lay a full load on him; Nevertheleſſe theſe few laſt moneths have given me a taſt and foreign what I am to expect. For beſides the reproaches of one learned Gentleman (to which, being barely ſuch, I have no one word to retribute, but that of the foreign which Chriſt directs me to) I have farther met with ſome variety; Many exceptions, though litle of contumely from theſe Aſſemblies; More, and in a very diſtant Character from a large Preface of Animadverſions on the D…ſſertations ſent me lately from Oxford; others alſo there are which I have not yet had leaſure to weigh, but ſoon purpoſe and hope to do it; and if either I diſcerne my ſelfe, or finde it the opinion of others, that what is already ſaid in the Tracts, which they oppoſe, be not ſufficient to prevent, or remove the ſcruples propoſed by them, I ſhall willingly dedicate ſome time of vacancy to that imployment. At the preſent, the Exceptions of the London Miniſters have challenged the precedence, and here are offered to conſideration. And becauſe the Praeface from Oxford falls on the ſame ſort of matter, Epiſcopacy and Ignatius's Epiſtles, as they are defended in the Diſſertations, I purpoſe, God-willing, that an Anſwer to that ſhall now follow, aſſoone as the Printer can diſpatch it. And that is all that I had to ſay to the Reader by way of Praeface.
THE TABLE.
CHAP. I.
COncerning the Angels of the Churches of Aſia, Page 9.
Section 1. The grounds of affirming them to be Biſhops. Ibid.
Sect. 2. Of Timothy, of Oneſimus, of Policarpe, p. 15.
Sect. 3. Of the negative argument from S. John's not uſing the word Biſhop. Of foreign in the Revelation, p. 19
Sect. 4. Of S. Johns writings. Againe of Diotrephes, p. 25
Sect. 5. Of S. John's being Biſhop of Aſia. Of the Apoſtles being Biſhops, p. 29
Sect. 6. Of the word Angel, and Star, pretended to be common to all Miniſters. Of Meſſenger, and Embaſſadour. The ſingularity of the word Angel, p. 35
Sect. 7. Of their exception to our arguing from Symbols: Of Biſhop and Elder being the ſame, p. 38
Sect. 8. Of the ſingularity of each Angel. The objections from the uſe of the plurall number, p. 41
Sect. 9. Of the Elders at Epheſus Act. 20. p. 45
Sect. 10. Of expreſſing a number by ſingulars. A Church by a Candleſtick. Of the ſeven Angels Rev. 8. p. 47
Sect. 11. Of the Epiſtles being ſent to the whole Church, not to the Biſhop only. Of Timothy, Oneſimus and Polycarp, being Biſhops of ſome of the Aſian Churches, without any charge of Apoſtacy falling on them by this meanes, p. 50
Sect. 12. Of Timothies being an Evangeliſt, that it hinders not his being a Biſhop. p. 55
Sect. 13. Of the Biſhops at Epheſus. Of the plural number in the Epiſtle to the Angel of Smyrna, p. 56
Sect. 14. Of Beza's interpretation, of the Praeſident▪ p. 57.
Sect. 15. Of Dr. Reynolds interpretation, of the Biſhop in Cyprian. Of Ordination by Biſhops not without Presbyters, from the Teſtimones of Cyprian, and Fermilian, p. 51
Sect. 16. Of the Churches of Aſia being Metropoliticall. Of the paucity of believers, p. 54
Sect. 16. Of modelling Churches according to the Government of the Roman ſtate. Of exemplars of Metropolitans among the Jewes. Teſtimonies of the Apoſtles inſtituting Metropolitans, p. 67
Sect. 17. Of the objection againſt Metropoles from the ſeven Starres in ſeven Churches, p. 71
Sect. 18. Of the uſe of the word Biſhop for Archbiſhop in Tertullian: Of Angel in Chriſts Epiſtle. p. 64
Sect. 19. Of diviſion into Pariſhes, and Vnion into Dioceſſes. Of Dioceſan Biſhops in the Apoſtles dayes. Elders in every Church, Act. 14. Elders of the Church, Act. 20. That place vindicated from exception. p. 75
CHAP. II.
OF the equivalence of the words Biſhop and Elder in the New Teſtament. p. 92
Sect. 1. Foure ſorts of equivalence of theſe words propoſed, Ibid.
Sect. 2 Of the word foreign, p. 95
Sect. 3. Of the word foreign Elder, p. 100
Sect. 4. Of reverence to Antiquity, and the interpretations of the Antients. Of Praelatiſts diſagreement among themſelves; 102.
Sect. 5. Inconveniencies objected, and anſwer'd. Of more Biſhops in one City. No Preſbyters in the Apoſtles dayes. The no Divine right of the order of Presbyters, p. 105
Sect 6. A firſt confeſſion objected and vindicated. Of the Epheſine Presbyters being all the Praelates of Aſia, Elders, Aldermanni, p. 108
Sect. 7. A ſecond confeſſion of the Biſhops, Phil. 1. 1. being Biſhops of that whole Province, Philippi a Metropolis, and a Colony, p. 110
Sect. 8. A third confeſſion, of Timothies being an Archbiſhop. Of the qualifications, 1 Tim. 3. 2 belonging to Biſhops. Of the Biſhops being worthy of double-honour, though he never preach. Of the word, and Doctrine. Of the Presbytery, 1 Tim. 4, Of Rebuking and receiving accuſation againſt an Elder. p. 112
Sect. 9. A fourth confeſſion of Titus being Archbiſhop of Creet, p. 116
Sect. 10. A fift charge of contrariety to Scripture anſwered. Of viſitation of the ſick belonging to Elders, James 5. p. 118
Sect. 11. A laſt objection from Act. 21. 18. and. 14. 3. and 11. 30. anſwered. Elders for Rulers or Biſhops. p. 122
CHAP. III.
COncerning the Opinion of Antiquity in this Queſtion. Page 129.
Sect. 1. The Teſtimonies of Clemens Romanus, Biſhops and Deacons the onelyonly offices at the firſt. Corinth Metropolis of Achaia. What foreign ſignifies. The Apoſtles care to prevent contentions about Epiſcopacy. Hegeſippus's teſtimony of the contentions at Corinth. Clement a Biſhop, p. 129.
Sect. 2. The Teſtimony of Policarpe. That he was himſelfe a Biſhop. His mention of Ignatius's Epiſtles, fit to give authority to them, being ſo confirmed as it is by a ſeries of the Antients, p. 139
Sect. 3. A vindication of Ignatius's Epiſtles, Voſſius's edition of them, and the Archbiſhops of Armagh. Some Teſtimonies out of them, The cauſe of his ſo inculcating obedience to Biſhops. Mr. Cauſabones Teſtimony conſidered, and the Allegations from the Archbiſhop of Armagh. Three reaſons againſt theſe Epistles anſwered (No Marriage without the Biſhop.) Of the Reformed Churches. Of the Church of Scotland after the firſt converſion, p. 143
Sect. 4. Of Salmaſius's conceit that theſe Epiſtles were written at the time of Epiſcopacy firſt entring the Church, p.163
Sect. 5. Teſtimonies of Iraeneus, The uſe of Presbyteri for Biſhops, p. 165
Sect. 5. Teſtimonies of Tertullian. Seniores & Majores nat… for Biſhops, ſo in Firmilian. p. 169
Sect. 6. S. Jerom's Testimony of Biſhops, &c. by Apoſtolicall Tradition. Conſuetudo oppoſed to Dominica diſpoſitio. S. Jerom's meaning evidenced by many other Teſtimonies to be, that Biſhops were inſtituted by the Apostles. So by Panorm…tan alſo. The Teſtimonies of Iſidore, &c. the Councell of Aquen, and of Leo vindicated. Of Iſchyras's Ordination. The teſtimony of the Synod ad Zurrium, and of the 4th Councell of Carthage. p. 171
Sect. 7. The Teſtimonies of Ambroſe and Auſtin. Conſignare uſed for conſecrating the Euchariſt, and that belonged to the Biſhop when preſent. p. 187
Sect. 8. Of the Ch…repiſcopi, p. 189