Survey of the Survey of that Sum of Church Discipline by Hooker, Book 4 · Chapter 13

Survey of the Survey of that Sum of Church Discipline by Hooker · Book 4 · Chapter 13

p. 503CHAP. XIII.

Antiquity knew nothing of the Mystery of our Brethrens Independent Way.

THe external Society of the Church (say the Magdeburgenses Magdeb. cent. 1. l. 11 c. 4. p. 288. Ecclesiae ve: o…tum externum ex bonis & ex malie omnibus temporibus esse mixtum Apostoli tradunt, pag. 289. Paulus in Ecclesia Romana etiam malos (visibiliter) mixtos ostendit, Rom. 16. & in Ecclesiâ Corinthiacā plurima desiderat, sunt enim intereos contentiones—idololatrae, convitiatores, ebriosi, rapaces, 1 Cor. 5. incestuosus—litigant sub infidelibus, & damno afficiunt fratres: Scortatores, avari, 1 Cor. 6. vescuntur Idolothytis, 1 Cor. 8. & 10, &c. Galatae à doctrina Evangelii defecerant—fermentum inter eos alii alios devorant, &c. sio in…er Thessalonicenses, 2 Thess. 3. & Philippenses, 2. omnes quae sua sunt quaerunt, 2 Tim. 1. Asiani omnes aversati sunt me, &c.Rom 161 Cor 51 Cor 61 Cor 82 Thess 32 Tim 1is at all times mixed of good and bad. Our Brethren say of all visibly good, even visible converts. The Magdeburgenses teach, That after Paul hath commended the faith and obedience, love, sanctification, growth of grace of the visible Church of Rome, Rom. 1. 6, 7. Corinth, 1 Cor. 1. 2. Galatia, Gal. 1. 2, 3, 4. Thessalonic…, 2 Thess. 1. 2, 3, 4. Philippi, cap. 1. ver. 5, 6. and the seven Churches, Rev c. 2. & 3. which are commended highly by Christ; yet in the same very Epistle, the mixture of visible hypocrites was to be seen among them.

See Fla…. Illy. in Catalogo Testium veritatis lib. 2. pag. 91, 92, 93.

Pa. Simpson his Centuries, Cent. 1, 2, &c.

Baron… Annales, Cent. 1. & sequentibus, ann. 204, 242, 245.

Iacob. Gualterium Iesuitam in Tabulâ Chronographicâ, a. 1. seculo ad seculum 17. Sac. 1. ad an. 100. pag. 153. sect. 3. & sequintibus

See Bernard.

See August. tom 7. contra Epistolam Parmeniani Donatista, l. 1, 2, 3. de Baptismo contra Donatistas, lib. 7.

p. 504Contra literas Petiliani Donatistae, lib. 3. Lib. de Unitate Ecclesiae.

August. contra Cresconium Grammaticum lib. 4. Colla. cum Donatistis. Ad Donatistas post collationem, l. & l. de gestis cum Emerito.

See Cyprian. ad plebem & quin que Presbyteris Schismaticis factionis Foelicissimi, Epist. 40. vol. l. 1. Epist. 8.

Cyprian. ad Cornelium de ordinatione ejus à s… comprobata & Foelicissimo, Epist. 42. vol. l. 2. Epist. 10.

Cyprian. Cornelio, Epist. 45. al. l. 4. Ep. 8.

Cyprian. Antoniano de Cornelio & Novatiano, Epist. 42. al. l. 4. Ep. 2. Cornelius Factus est Episcopus à plarimis Collegis nostris, qui tunc in urbe Roma aderant, qui aa nos literas honorificas & …audabiles, & testimonio suae praedicationis illustres de ejus ordinatione miserunt, &c. Ib. pag. 119. Quod vero ad Novatiani personam pertinet—Quisquis ille & qualiscun que est, Christianus non est, qui in Christi Ecclesia non est—nisi si Episcopus tibi videtur, qui Episcopo in Ecclesia à s…deci… Coepiscopis facto, adulter atque extraneus Episcopus fieri à desertoribus per ambitum nititur; & cum sit à Chricto una Ecclesia per tolum mundum in multa concorbra aivisa, item Episcopatus unus, Episcoporum multorum concordi num…rofitate diffusus, isse post Dei traditionem, post connexam & ubique conjunctam Catholicae Ecclesiae unitatem, humanam conetur Ecclesiam facere, &c. Mr. H. who cries out against me, because I teach, that he who is a pastor of one Church, is a pastor of all the Churches in the earth, may cry out against Cyprian.

See Cyprian. cum Collegis Lucio Papae Roman Ep. 58. al. l. 3. Ep. 1. Cyprianus ad Stephanum de Martia…o Arelatensi, qui Novatiano consensit, Epist. 67. a…. l. 3. Epist. 13. In all which, this is clear to Cyprian: Episcopatus unus, quamvisplures Episcopi in Ecclesia catholica, which throws down Mr. H. his way of a pastor married to one single congregation.

See my Reverend Brother Mr. Baily, Vindication of his D…sswasive, ann. 1655. especially to Mr. Cotton, cap. 4. sect. 2. pag 49, 50.

There was an equality of Jurisdiction in this age among the Churches; but that these Writers mean not single congregations p. 505as such, that every congregation hath power to call and depose officers, I do not concide; for they deny a supremacy Magdeb. Cen. 11. c. 7. p. 102. Si quis p…ivatos hujus … autores prespi…at, …debit …m gubernation propemodum foreign si…ilem f…isse. Singulae … … … …em habebant potestatem, verbum Dei pur… docendi—excon… …—… … …ligendi, vocandi, …r…nandi & just …ssimas ob causas iterum dep…, … … S…odo… conv…cand…, scholas instituendi & conservand…, in rebus d…b…s & … ve… …um sententias …ulandl, judicandi, decidendi: deinde vicin… Ecclesiae vici…arum, charita…is & aedificationis studio non prop…er pr…matum aliquem, sed propte… manda…m Christi de…aternâ dilectiene, tum in sua necessitate opem implorab…nt: tum vicissim earum curam gettbant & quasi inspectrices & adjutu…ces erant, ut verbum Dei pure …—ut vocarentur & ordinarentur p… & erud…ti v…ri ad ministerium Ecclesiae. E…. ex Apollinari… ait, l. …. c. 16. Nuper natas doct inas (… provinciales aut ple… que doctores) exami…abant, & prophanapron…abant haeresin que istam reprobantes, Ecclesiâ ej…iebant & excommun cab….to the Churches they speak of here … … Rome. Constantinople; but these as Mother Cathedral Churches, not as single congregations, claim supremacy, as here also they ascribe Jurisdiction to associate Churches.

Observe also, that they say the form of Government of the Church, was almost like to popular Government, not a Democracy it self. It is like in times of Persecution, the meeting of Christians being early in the morning, at the time of receiving of heathens to Baptism (in which all the Christians, as well as the one baptizing congregation, were interessed) and in the Lords day acts of Discipline have been few The Magdeburgenses tell us from Iustinus, from Plinius his Epistle to Trajan, Magdeb. ce…. 2. c. …. p. 8….from Eusebius, l. 4. c. 23. as Dienysius Corinthus in that place saith they read the Prophets and Apostles, a pastor exhorted to follow what was read, the whole company stood up and prayed, and received the Lords Supper, and thereby obliged themselves to walk as Christians, not to kill, not to whore, &c. By Doctors and Rulers Ministers were ordained, as the History Magdeb. cent. 2. …. pag 87. Certo ordi… & …bus pr… fici Eccle… Doctores & Gubernatores Ioan. Apostolus à …bus roga…us vicinas …strat provincias, consti… …as…bi à se Ecclesias Episcopis & ministris ornat. Euseb. 3. c. …3.of the Apostle Iohn witnesses, and casting of lots in the election of pastors. Hence the name foreign, the Clergie. No shadow of a male-Church here.

p. 506Tortullian shews, that in Church-meetings there were exhortations, Tertul. in Apol. Co mus in coetum & congregationem, ut ad Deum quasi manu factâ precationibus ambiam…s orantes: haec vis Deo grata est—Ibid… etiam exhortationes, castigationes, & censura divina; nam & judicatur magno cum pondere, ut apud certos de Dei conspectu; summum que futuri judicii praejudicium, si quis it a deliquerit, ut à communione orationis & conventus & omnis sancti commercii relegeru: praesident probati quique seniores, honorem istum non pretio, sed testimonio adepti. Magdeb. Cent. 3. c. 6. p. 94. Ejusdem provinciae proximi quique Episcopi manus imponebant. Athan.corrections, and divine censures—and the whole Elders that are approved, rule in the meeting. Elders (faith he) who have obtained that honour, not by price, but by a good testimony. Now this being done by the whole congregation meeting for publick prayer, could not be done by the people, and by women, except consenting: for Tertullian saith, De veland. virg. Non permittitur muli…ri in Ecclesia loqui: sed nec docere nec tingere. Eusebius l. 6. c. 8. when Origen was ordained Bishop, saith, and Cyprian l. 2. Epist. 10. ad Co…n…l. All the nearest Bishops of the Province came, and laid hands on him prasente plebe, saith Cyprian.

The fourth Age sheweth what is true and false Antiquity: and whereas there was in the beginning thereof a sad desolation through the persecution of Dioclesian; so also there came a change in a glorious manner, most suddenly, by Constantine. Eusebius l. 3. de vita Constan. mentions the Synod of Nice, famous like the meeting of the Church in the Pentecost, Acts 2. as the Magdeburgenses, cen. 4. c. 2. p, 2. say. Now since the Gospel was spread through Europe, Africa and Asia, as Eusebius and as A…kanafius, from the East to the West: And the Magdeburgenses cite Iulius Firmicus Maternus, Optat. Milevitanus, Basilius, teaching, that the Church of Christ was all the Iulius Firmicus Maternus l. ad Imperat… res de abolendis Idolo…at…iis Ethnici…: Quis locus in terra est, qui non Christi nomen possederit … quâ sol oritur, quâ occidit, quâ erigitur septentrio, quâ vergi… auster, …ocum venerandi nu…nis Majestas implevit. Basilius Ep. 72.world over where the Sun did shine, East and West. South and North. Let the impartial Reader judge, if it have a shadow of Reason, that the Churches who sent Commissioners to this famous Synod of Nice, were onelyonly congregational Churches.

1. The Magdeburgenses set down numerous and famous Magdeb. cent. 4. c. 11.Churches in Asia, in Palestine, Caes…rea, Tyrus and Zidon, in Gaza. Arabia, Syria, Mesopotamia, Pamphilia, Cilicia, Lydia, Phrygia, Bi…hynia, H…llespontus, Galatia, Paphlag…nia, Cappadocia, p. 407Persia, &c. in the Isles in Europe, in Africa, most of all sent messengers to this Synod: What an Assembly must this be, if petty congregational Churches sent Commissioners? What house could contain them? There was

2. A catalogue of Bishops sent to this Synod, before this called Overseers, and Prapositi by Cyprian, not pastors simply of one single congregation.

3. Eusebius tells of Provincial Synods, and so of Provincial Euseb. l. 4. c. 7. & 13. Euseb. de vita Constan. l. 4. Cen. 4. c. 1 & 2.Churches, which must have sent Commissioners. There was a Synod of Tyrus under Constantint, a Synod in S…l…ucia. See the Magdeburgenses.

4. The number of those added to the Church, saith, that they could not onelyonly be congregational Churches; Theodoret saith, that Constantine writes to Eusebius Nicomediensis, there Theodoret. l. 1. c. 6. In urbe quae nostrum nomen complectitur, auxiliante Salvatoris Dei providentiâ, ingens hominum multitudo sese addixit Ecclesiae: ita admod… augescente omnium ibi numere, admodum dignum videtur, etiam Ecclesias in eâ plures construi. Niceph. l. 7. c. 34. Euseb. l. 8. c. ult. Imperat. Caesar. Galerius Maxim…nus mo…bo fatall correptus, e…iam in hâc causa indulgentiam nostram extendendam sse putavimus, ut ruisus Christiani sint, ac domos, (Templa) in quibus convenerunt, sic denuò constituant, ut nihil contra disciplinam publicam faciant—Deo suo supplicent pro salute nostra, pro R…p. proque seipsis. Magdeb. cent. 4. c. 3. pag. 25. Congregantur per singulas civitates Ecclesiae, habentur Synodi.was a great multitude in the Town named from himself added to the Church, so that they behoved to be divided into many Churches: and who would deny this to be a Presbyterial Church? Nicephorus saith, when Constantine was baptized, more than twelve thousand men, beside women and children, were baptized, and many added to the Church. Its apparent, the very nature of Christian Religion, requires congregational and synodical meetings. Galerius Maximinus having given toleration for Christian Religion, though he condemned the Religion it self, incontinent in every city congragations are erected, and Synods or Presbyteries kept, say the Magdeburgeuses from Eus…bius.

Donatists excuse their separation from the Church, because in Aug. l. de un, Baptis. c. 14.communion of the Sacraments mali maculent bonos. August.

For Ordination and Election of Ministers by the votes and laying on the hands of the pastors, and consent of the people, without the device of a male-congregation destitute of officers: See the Magdeburgenses, cent. 4. c. 6. p. 244, 245. who cite Bosil. p. 508Epist. 58. ad M…l…t. Th…dor. l. 1. c. 19. the Epistle of the Ni…n… Councel to them of Alexandria, as Th…doret cites it, l. 4. c. 10. the History of Ambro…us Mediol…, as Secrates hath it, l. 4. c. 30, &c. saith the same. See Magdiburg. vol. 3. cant. 11. c. 6. p. 140. See vol. 3. cent. 13. c. 6. p. 260, 261.

The Magdeburgenses say, the reason of multiplying of Officers, Bishops, Presbyters, Deacons, Lectors, Canons, Exorcists, Magdeb. cent. 4. c. 7. p. 274. Quemadmodum sub finem superioris seculi caeperunt augeri coetus Ecclesiastici—& operae Presbyterorum in plura genera distribui, eo quod pauciores …s efficiendis non essent pares. Magdeb. cent 4. c. 7. de Politia Eccles. p. 290. See the Magdeb. vol. 3. cent. 13. c. 6. p. 239. Et Magdeb. vol. 3. cent. 13. cap 7. pag. 307.&c. was in the end of the third Age, Ecclesiastick congregations began to be multiplied.

2. Metropolitans, Archbishops, Bishops, Deacons, Archdeacons in Rome, in Constantinople, as Sozomen l. 4. c. 2. in Alexandria, as Sozomen l. 7. c. 19. and Optat. Mil…vitanus l. 1. contr. Parmen. and the 14 Canon of the Councel of Neocaesarea ordains, that in amplu civitatibus, in large cities there should not be above seven Deacons. Now sense and reason would say, there could be no ground of appointing such a number of officers, if Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria had been all one single congregation, meeting foreign, within the same walls, and not a large Presbyterial Church.

3. They must be great strangers to Rome, who know not that there were at Rome many Churches and Meeting-places consecrated to the Saints; and that the Synod of Nice, as Ruffin…s and Athanasius say, ordained the Bishop of Rome to care for the Churches of the Suburbs, as the Magdeburgenses say: yet all was called the Church of Rome. See the Magd. burgenses vol. 2. cent. 5. c. 6. p. 357, 358.

Of the Churches mixture of wheat and chaff, see A…gustins August. de fide ad Peerum, cap. 43. Nullatenus dub tes aream esse Dei Ecclesiam Catholicam, & intra eam us que in finem seculi frumento paleas mixtas contineri—nec pro malis bonos deserendos, sed pro bonis malos, in quantum exigit fidei & charitatis ratio, tolerandos, id est, si vel in Ecclesia nullius pe…fidiae semina spargunt, vel fratres ad aliquod malum opus mortifer â imitatione non ducunt—ut ad bonam vitam per Dei misericordiam convertantur. Sic in Epist. Petil. c. 13. l. de Bapt. contr. Donat. c. 2. Prosp. de promis. & praedic. Dei c. 7. esse a…eam.and Prosper, who say, Evil men, if they infect not, must be tolerated, and the good not separated from, because of the evil p. 509known to be such: Otherwise Donatus and his never taught men to separate from latent hypocrites, which are seeming and visible Saints; as also they must be tolerated, that they may be converted.

Augustine asserts a catholick integral visible Church in Ps. 56. Corpus autem ejus non est ista a… illa Eccl…s…a, sed t…t… orbe diffusa—for the whole Church, saith he, is made up of all the faithful having Christ for their Head. For the ordination of pastors Magdeb. voi. 2. cent. 5. c. …. p. 377, 378.by the laying on of hands of the Ministers and consent of the people, se… the Magdeburgenses. So was Chrysosto… ordained cons…nsu cleri & populi Constantinopolitani, as Socrates l. 6. c. 2. and Sozomen l. 8. c. 2. witness. So saith Augustine, that not the Church of Carthage onelyonly, and of Numidia, sed propinquiores Episcopi, the neare… Bishops and Pastors laid on hands. See the Magdeburg. For association of Churches, see the Magdeb. vol. 2. cont. 5. c. 7. p. 417, 418. 422, 493.

The Magdeburgenses tell us of famous and celebrious Churches Magdeb. vol. 11. cen. 6. c. 11. p. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Vol. 3. cen. 10. c. 7 p. 200. Euagrius l. 4. c. 21. Ni…ph. l. 18. c. 28. Magdeb. cent. 6. c. 6. p. 161, 162. Constantinopoli in suburbio fuit Templū Joan. Baptistae, ut Nicep. l. 18. c. 4… Justinianus Imperaror incomparabile Sophiae Templum extruxit, & pretiosissimis lapillis, & aliis donariis auxit, restauravit etiam Sanctorum. Apostolorum, delubra struxit in usum vi…orum, soeminarum, puerorum, senum. Cyriacus. Episcopus Constantinopolitanus ibidem Mariae Virgini Sacellum posuit. Vide Euagrium. l. 4. c. 31. Sic Hierosolymis varia sunt Templa, ut Magdeb. cent. 7. c. 5. p. 65, 66.in the sixth Age in Asi…, Africa and Europe, in renowned c…ies, which had eminent Bishops in them, and new Churches buil… espe…ially. Iustiman the Emperour built in Constantinople in Thra…i… the noble Church of Sophia, incomparable for magnificence to any in-the world, saith E…agr…us and Nicephorus: And where there be many places of meeting for Worship in great cities, Constantinopie, Auti…ch, the Church of that city must be Presbyt…rial, not congregational to sounder Antiquity. That the Church of Rome could not meet congregationally, the multitude of Churches dedicated to Saints do evince. Magdeb. cent. 6. c. 6 p. 181. Quod saepe in publicis locis Romae Christiani ad sacra peragenda convenerint, …estantur innu…era …lla delubra … Sabellico expressa, ut Templum Cosinae & Damiani, Saturnii: Vaticanum, Batjonae, Sop…iae, Euphemiae Marcelli, Pancratii. mention… facit Gregorius Papa Templorum Petri & P…li Romae, Agathae—Caesa…ii Martyris, & Jul…i, Mariae, Agnetis, & Foelicitatis, Stephani, Andreae, &c.

p. 510Its true, many of these Churches (say the Magdeburg…ses) were built not so much for the Worship of God, as for Super…: Magdeb. cent. 7. c. 6. pag. 94. Ro…na mu…t is Templis e…orna…a fuit: in quae non tam ad cultum Dei, quam ad superstitiones per… ge…das conventum est. Magdeb. cent. 7. c. 7. p. 111, 112. Et cent. 8. c. 7 p. 249, 250. Magdeb. cent. 9. c. 4. pag. 86, 87. Haymo in Gal. 4. Magdeburgens. Vol. 3. cent. 10. c. 4. pag. 102. Theoph. in Matth. c. 3. Ecclesia multos habet baptizatos, sicut in a…ea, omne quod cultum fuit in agro, &c.Gal 4Matt 3yet no sober man can say, the Christian… in Ro… could m… in one congregation, but that many Churches were needful.

See for association of Churches the Magdeburg…s. That the visible Church is made up of good and evil, see the Magdeburg, who …i…e Hayme and others; though in this and former ages gross corruptions daily grew. So the Magdeburg…ses vol. 3. cent. 10. cite Thophylact for the same: and Vol. 3. c…nt. 12. c. 7. p. 457, 458. and cent. 13. c. 4. p. 185.

The Magdeburgenses ascribe the power of the Keys, Matth. Magdeburgen. cent. 10. c. 4. pag. 98. Theophyl. in Mat. 16. Theophyl. in Mat. 18. Radulphus. l. 12. in Levit. c. 1. l. 20. c. 5. in Mat. 16. 19. Ausbertus in cap. …. Apocalyps. Anselmus in Matth. c. 18. Excommunicatio sieri debet per os Ecclesiae, id est, per sacerdotem: Sacerdote autem excommunicante, totum corpus Ecclesiae operatur. Magdeb. Vol. 3. cent. 11. c. 4. p. 85, 86, Vol. 3. cent. 12. c. 4. p. 181, 182.Matt 16Matt 18Lev 1Matt 16:1916. to Peter, representing Pastors; and for this they cite Theophylactus, and Radulphus, Ausbertus. Aus…s gives so the power of binding and loosing to the Priests, E…. in Evang. as excommunication shou… … by the mouth of the Church, the Priest: for when the Priest excommunicates, the whole body of the Church acts in him. See the Magdeb. cent. 11. Ausel. in Mat. 18. Qu…r… re…seritis] nec … Apostolis, sed …nibus Episcopis, Pr…, haec potest as conces… est. See the Magdeburg…nses citing the Schoolmen, Thomas Aqu…, B…tura, Albertus to this purpose also.

For the notes of the true Church in the dark midnight of Popery, Petr. Waldensis in France, ann. 1160. taught the same with us: and yet Mr. Hooker refusing these marks, tells us, Truth is the Daughter of Time, and excellently doth the twelfeth Age agree with the first Age. Of Pet. Waldensis were the Waldenses, the sincere part of the Church giving …estimony against the daily growing corruptions of Rome.

p. 511The Magdeburgenses in their Preface to the third volume of their History, Cent. 10. Sunt autem not… … so… prop… … ga… manae M…debur. vol. …. Cent. 1…. c. 8. page. 549. De Eccles. a…. 4 Ecclesiam Christi esse, quae sincerum Christi verbū audiat, & sacramentis ab ipso institutis utatur, ubicunque locorum ea existat. Magdeburgens. vol. 1. Cent. 1. l. 1. c. 4. p. 127. ex Matth. 16. Ecclesia est coetus veram Christi notitiam habens, …amque profi en…, ornatus potestate clavium regn… coelorum, pag. 129. Prima ac praecipua nota Ecclesiae est verbum sincerum, altera est verus usus Sacramentorum & clavium; te…ia, est confessio ac perseverantia.Matt 16Ecclisiae Christi, verbi Dei praedicat… … ▪ … … ▪ … Sacramentoru… usus iustitut… à Christo … … … studio conjunctus. These men knew true Antiquity well. H…. W…lif, Ierome of Prague, and the renowned Martyrs of Christ sealed with their blood the same truth, as Antiquity witnesses of them. Mr. …. calleth the preaching of the Gospel a common adjunct of the Church. But we appeal to Antiquity (though the Scripture be above all) for a warrant of their Church.

aaTertul. ad ver. hae…et. c. 22. p. 207.Tertullian offend… at such who say the Apostles were ignorant of any thing, to whom the Lord gave the Keyes to open and … Heaven, which secre…s the people know not: and the Apostles d… that in opening and s…utting heaven, which only God can b Turtul. pe pud…cit. c. 21. pag. 618.…. ccTertul. adver. Gnosticos c. 10 p. 482.Christ ga… the K… (& per …um Ecclesiae) to Peter, and by him to the Ch…rch.

Epiph…ni… ddEpiph. adver. haer. l. 1. to. 2. foreign.ass… … Universal Integral Church, though the tongues be divers: and God keeps carefully his Church spread through all the World, as dwelling in one and the same house: eeEpiph. adver. hae…. to. 1. l. 2. hae…. 4…. sive 61 foreign.…, its not in P…rygia, Cilicia, and Pa…phylia onelyonly, but all the World over. And he cites that of Christ: this cannot be a congregation.

ffLactan. de vera Sapien. l. 4. c. 13. p. 282. Sola igitur Catholica Eccl…sia est, q…a verum cultum retinet, hic est sons verita…, hoc est domicilium fidei, hoc Tempsum Dei.Lactantius is for our notes of the Church, not for Mr. H. the Ph…yges, Novatiani, Valentiniani, Marcionitae, Authae piani, aut A…riani, leave off to be Christians: that then is the only catholick Church, which retains the true worship of God. Eusebius Pamphil. ggEuseb. de praepar. Evangel. l. 6. c. 1…. …. 302. G…g. Nazianz. Ora. 29. in Sanc. Luc. p. 609. Et … an… lanuginem … doc…s, … G…etra… …nca una, nec deni que nautam una navigatio facit.The Church is diffused all the world over, East and West, South and North. He expounds Matth. 16. the Church upon the Rock, to be the Church from the East to p. 512the We…, which fills all the World. De prop. Evangil. l. 1. c. 3. pag. 8. then its not one single congregation.

Gregorius Nuzianz…nus Orat. …8. de … partis, The people give their consent only to ordain the Bishop. And this election of Bishops, ibid. page 480. i… to be committed to the cleaner part of the people, to sacred Ministers, and to our Nazarites, and not to the foolish and rash common people, tum eximia ac purissimae p…puti parti, hoc est, & … Ministris & nostris Nazar…, quibus vil sol… vel pot…ssimum … … illes commitis op…rtebat (sic enim nun… Ecclesia … esse…) ac non … qui opibus & potentia … (magistratees notat) a… stultae ac te…erariae plebi. Its clear that Nazianzen gives a presidency to Teachers over the Church, when hhK Grego. Nazianz. Orat. 35. ad cla. Episcop. Before 15. Bishops convened by Theodosius the Great, against Macedonius. Vide Presbyterorum Concilium, canitie & prudentia … natorum, diaconorum mod… stiam atque ordinem—lectorum moderationem & conci…itatem, plebis attentionem—omnibus supernum Senatum honorantibus.he forbids that young men, before they have hair on their face, be … to reach old men; and they object (saith he) Daniel: but that which rarely falls out, is no law to the Church, one Swallow makes not the Spring: but election here by Nazianzen is put for the whole calling of men to the Ministry. The Church of Byzan… … commended for discipline by Nazianzen. See in the Church a Councel of Prebyters decored with age and wisedom, an high Senate which they all honoured: nor did he in a grave Synod dec… the praises of the discipline of a single congregation.

iiGreg. Nazianz. de compos…ta disserendi tatione. Orat. 7. p. 221, 222. Utique nec incedit oculus, sed dux est; nec prospicit pes, sed progreditur, deque loco in locum movet; nec lingua voces excipit, cum hoc sit auditus; nec auditus loquitur, cum hoc sit linguae—nimirum imperat ac praesidet hoc (membrum) illud ducitur ac gubernatur.Nazianzen hath a savory discourse of the order and gifts, and variety of members in Christs body, and cites 1 Cor. 12. 28. not of a single congregation.

For 1. he saith we are all one body in Christ:

2. He saith there are in the Church Apostles, Prophets, &c. the eye walks not, but is the Captain; nor does the foot fee, but walk, and move from place to place; nor doth the tongue receive sounds, that is proper to the hearing; nor doth the …ongue speak, but the tongue, &c.

And 3. he speaks of a number of Prophets, of which two p. 513or three prophesie by course, and one Interprets.

Basilius Magnus Nicopolitanis Presbyteris Epist. 10. Tom. ult, … ex albo vest… defecis, & … unus & alter conseculus est—… adhu… corpus vestrum est per Die gratiam …, Basil. ci…bus Nicopolitanis disp. Epist. 13. Tom. ult. Dispensationes Ecclesiasticae fiunt quidem per … quibus est illorum cura conoredita, verum à plobe confir…antur.

Basil. Epist. 18. vol. ult. Presbyteris A…tiochiae solicitudinem illam quam … Ecclistis D…, ex … …—… …, qui vobis t…tius … … charitate… & affectum expon…i. At the first reading a Presbyterial body over divers congregations appears.

Theophylact. kkTheoph. in Ena…. Mat. 19.Matt 19Every one of us is the Church, and the House of God, and if we continue in the faith confessed, the gates of hell shall not prevail against us, that is, sins.

2. The power of binding and loosing he expounds to be the power of remitting of sins, which Peter hath, and such as have the office foreign, of an Oversee…. llTheoph. Mat. 18. 1.Matt 18:1Theoph. If thy Brother offend thee] thy Brother only of the same congregation whereof thou act a member, saith Mr. H…ker. Nay, saith Theophylact, foreign, mmTheoph. enar. in Joan. 20.John 20whose sin ye remit]. See (saith he) the Dignity of the Priests: for it God who forgives sins, but they are honoured as God. nnTheoph. enar. 1. Cor. 1. 5.1 Cor 1:5On these words, we judge those th… are within.] Are not foreign, Christians judged by us? but a more terrible Iudge shall judge those that are with….

oo…. origen… sive Ety…. l. 8. c. 1. p. 101. Non … conventicula … rum … tur, sed … tum orbem terrarum dilatata diffunditur. Se… Isid.: Sent…nti…r. … l. c. 22. p.Isidorus Hispalens. Episcopus, The Church is called Catholick. quasi foreign, for it is not limited to some countreys, as the Conventioles of Hereticks, but spread all the world over. The con…tions of Hereticks are only in ordinary, not catholick, but very rarely. See him (p) elsewhere.

What saith these called the Canons of the Apostles deserve, I dispute not; they mmCanon Apostol. foreign.allow no Bishop to he ordained without two or three Bishops.

The nnConcil. Gen. par. 1. Concil. Nicae 1. p. 310.Bishops of the whole earth, that is, from all Churches (not congregations, that was impossible) were at the first Nic…ns Councel 318. in number subscribed.

ooNicae. Conc. can. 4.A Bishop should be ordained by all the Bishops of the Province; if that be heard by three, the rest consenting by their Letters.

p. 514ppConcil. gen. par. 1. tom. 2. c. 1… p. 757.More then two hundred Bishops in the Councel of Ephesus condemned Nestorius.

Among the Articles of Ioh. Wiclif this is the seventh, If a man be duely contrite for sin, any farther confession is needless. q Conci. Gen. …om 3 par. 2. Conci. Const. …. art. Ioh. …. 7. page 1570. Si homo debitè fuerit contritus, omnis confessio exterior est superflua.So our Brethren and Mr. H. his judicial confession before the Church is as superfluous and scriptureless, before they be admitted and engaged members of the visible Church.

On the other extremity they faile, who condemn Wiclif his eleventh Article, that a Minister ought not to Excommunicate, except he know first the man rrIbid. art. Io. Wicclif 11. Nullus proelatus debet—aliq…em excommunicate, nisi sciat eum esse excommunicatum à Deo.to be excommunicate of God.

And Ioh. Hush was unjustly condemned for desending Wiclif in these and the ss1b. p. 1600.like.

Nor was it a damnable error that Ioh. Hush held, that there is but one Universal holy Church, as there is but one certaine number of men predestinate to glory. Mr. H…ker his new catholick abstract congregation divided in so many thousand little catholick Churches is too near to the Papists in this.

Iohn Hush uuMr. Fox his monuments of the Martyrs. tom. last Councel of Constance. K. Henry the V. articles of Iohn Hush page 810, 811, &c.before his Judges and accusers, often professed that Christ limited not Jurisdiction and ruling of the Church militant to Peter only, but gave it to all the Apostles and true Pastors; but never to Mr. H. his male Church.t Concil. Gen. 3. Tom par. 2. conc. Co…stan. …ess. 15 p. 1600. Universalis sancta Ecclesia tantum est una, art. 1. Io. Hush.Gen 3

xxTheod. Inter. in Psal. 47. page 137. co. 2.Ps 47Theodores judgeth the Church builded upon the Rock. Mat. 16. not to be a single visible congregation with Mr. H. which certainly perisheth; but the company of chosen believers builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, who…e corner-stone is Christ. And though this be one catholick Church divided all the world over, habet domos àse invicem divisas, and is yyTheodor. Inter. in Ephes. c. 2: page 747.Eph 2one body, of which Christ is head, one company, one City; which cannot be said of one single congregation. And zzTheodor. Inter. in 1 Cor. 12. No… vos …, sed omnes qui in universio orbe tertarum credidetunt.1 Cor 121 Cor. 12. ye are all the body of Christ] not ye onelyonly, but all they who through the whole world believe. Theodoret on 1 Tim. 5. shews that there is foreign, praefectura, a power of receiving witnesses against Elders, and of examining them before they be ordained.

p. 515This bbAmbrosius 1 Cor. 12. Caput itaque in Ecclesia Apostolos posuit, quia legati Christi sunt.1 Cor 12Ambrosius shews, making Jews and Gentiles one body having one Baptism, and the Apostles caput Ecclesiae, the chief members of the Church. As also ccAmbrosius in 1 Cor. 5. A quo crimine mali docto…es aut d…ssimulabant, aut negligentius argueb…nt, sicut & Eli Sacerdos, &c.1 Cor 5the Doctors in the Church of Corinth dissembled or carelesly censured the Incest, as Eli the Priest did his Sons. Then there was a Presbytery to cast him out. See if ddAmbrosius, tom. 3: de natali sanct. Apost. Petri & Pauli, ser. 66. l. 16. pag. 291Ambrose gives the Keyes to Peter, yes, to Peter and Paul only, and to the Rulers; onelyonly he saith, inter ipsos (Petrum & Paulum) quis … proponatur incertum. The same (saith eeEphe. Syrus, tom. 1. de sacerdotio, p. 2.Ephraim Syrus) of these two.

ffGreg. Nyss… nus in illa verba, Tunc etiam ipse filius subjicietur, page 110.Gregorius Nyssenus Episcop. frater Basilii Magni, All we who are joyned to one body of Christ by faith, make one body—and that he excludes not, but includes the visible body, he proves from 1 Cor. 12. ye are the body of Christ: and Eph. 4. the body gathered by the Ministry of Apostles, Evangelists, Pastors, &c. which shall be brought to the unity of faith. So ggGreg. Nyssen. Ut Petra vitae Christus, &c. page 255.Christ is the rock of life, and the rock of faith to the Church builded upon the rock (which admits not Magns, who is not builded upon the rock; as Ioh. Hush refused a wicked Pope to be head, or member of the Church so built.)

hhHieronymus commentar. Matth. 16. 19. Et tibi dabo] istum locum Episcopi & Presbyteri non intelligentes aliquid sibi de Pharisaeorum assumunt supercilio, ut vel damnent innocentes, vel solvere se noxios arbitrentur, omnis credentium turba perveniat. Hieyonym. ibid.Matt 16:19Hieronymus clearly expounds the ports of Hell to be Vi…ia atque peccata (re…r) v…l certè … Doctrinas, sins or herefies, which is strong for the invisib…e Church of true believers; not for the visible congregation, of which Iudas and Magus are members to Mr. Hooker, and were never built on the rock. And the Keyes are given to Bishops and Presbyters, who may not under that pretence condemn the innocent. And Hieron. Com. Mat. 18. 18. Si Ecclesiam non audierit, quaecunque alligaveritis] potestatem tribuit Apostolis, ut sciant qui à … conde…nantur, humanam sententiam divinâ roborari, & quodcunque ligatum fuerit in terra, ligari pariter & in coel…. See Hieronym. Com. ad Eph. 4. 11. who expounds the body of Christ of the Church, until we all meet, all the company of believers. And iiHieronymus com. in Tit. 1. 5. Ut constituas] audiant Episcopi qui habent constituendi Presbyteros per urbes singulas perestatem, &c. Ibid. Idem est Presbyter qui Episcopus.Titus 1:5H…eron. Let the Bishops hear who have p. 516power of ordaining Elders in every City. Nor need our Brethren suspect Hieronymus to be prelatical, his judgment is known to be contrary thereunto. See Hieron. in Tit. 1. 5. See him for the present purpose in Opuscul. in Prover. c. 7 p. 217. See Ruffinus kkRuffin. in Symbol. Multi enim & alii Ecclesias congregaverunt, ut Marcion, & Valentinus, & Ebion, & Manichaeus, & caeceri omnes haeretici, sed illae Ecclesiae non sunt sine macuiâ & …uga perfidiae.for the marks of the true Church, saying with us, That pure doctrine declares a pure Church: and so the Churches which Marcion, Valentinus, Ebion and Manicheus and other hereticks gather, are not true Churches.

llChrysostom. in Math. 16. hom. 5. 5.Matt 16Chrysostom, If the ports of hell prevail not against the Church, far less shall they prevail against me: therefore thou shouldst not be troubled (Peter) when thou hearest that I shall be crucified. Then by the mind of Chrysostom, Christ speaks here for the comfort of Peter, as a sound believer, and not as an external visible member of a congregation, as saith Mr. H. And see mmChrysostom. ibid.here a fisher-man is made Pastor and Head of the whole Church. Then it could not have been the mind of Chrysostom, that such a headship (whatever it was, or whether peculiar to Peter or no, is another question) was given to the people. nnChrysostom. Mat. 18.Matt 18Chrysostom expounds, tell the Church, tell the Rulers. ooChrysostom. lab. 20. homil. 85. Quemadmodū enim Rex praefectos mittens, ut in carcerem reos intrudant, & ut liberent, potestatem praebet, ita Jesus Discipulos dimittens, hac munit authoritate.Chrysostom, As a King sending Iudges, gives them power to cast guilty men in prison, and to deliver them; so sends Christ his Disciples, and arms them with authority. Will any dream that Chrysostom judgeth that Christ gave this power to the people?

ppChrysostom. in Act. c. 6. homil. 14.Acts 6Chrysostom saith, the Apostles take to themselves to determine the number of the Deacons, and to ordain them; but they give the election of the men to the people, lest the Apostles should seem partial, and to favour men. Mr. H. saith the contrary.

Valiant qqAthanasius unum esse Christum, orat. pag. 520. tom. 1. foreign, &c. foreign.Athanasius makes the Church builded upon a Rock, to be a strong, an unshaken promise; and that the Church is an inseparable thing, although hell it self were moved, and these that are in hell, and the Princes of darkness should rage: Sure this great Witness never meant any such invincible promise p. 517to an external visible congregation, and its members Iudas and Simon Magus. Peter himself, who received the heavenly Keyes, sinned (saith rrAthanas. tom. 1. contra omnes haereses, p. 853.Athanasius.)

ssHilarius Com. in Mat. can. 16. pag. 296.Hilarius commends the Rock which breaks the ports of Hell ttHilarius com. in Mat. can. pag. 301. immobile severitatis Apostolelicae judicium praemisit, &c. hi… Apostolicae conditione sententiae in coelis quoque aut soluti sunaut ligati. Clemens ad Corinth. foreign. Scriptum aliud est impletum, edit, bibit, dilatatus est & incrassatus, & recalcit avit, hinc aemulatio, invidia, contentio, seditio, persecutio, commotio, bellum, captivitas. Clem. p. 53. foreign. Clem. pag. 54, 55. foreign.and sayes that men are loosed or bound in Heaven, by condition of the Apostles sentence: then doth he not think it the sentence of the people. Let the learned judge of the ancient writings of Clemens: that Epistle of his to the Corinthians, read sometimes in the ancient Church, will have Mr. Hookers visible converts only Church-matter, though he writ to them as the true Church, foreign: Yet he writes of a sad change of their profession, such as was in Israel, when they made defection to Idolatry, foreign. It were hard to say such a company are all visible converts.

2. Clemens seems to deny to the people power of commanding, and to say that the preachers ordained Bishops and Deacons, foreign.

Cyrillus Alexandrinus upon these words, I will give thee the Keyes] he gifted universally all the Apostles with power over unclean spirits: then neither the one power nor the other gave he to the people. Cyril. Alexan. in Isa. l. 5. pag. 393. & Cyrillus tom. 2, dialog de Trinitat. l. 4. pag. 278. Peter is so called from his most firm and unshaken faith, in qua Ecclesia Christi ita fundata ac firmatt ess…t, ut non laberetur & esser expugnabilis inferorum portis, aeter…um manens: on which the Church is built, that it cannot fail, but remains for ever, cannot be overcome by the ports of hell. Cyrillus well knew single congregations are not invincible; and he speaks of such a saving faith, as Magus p. 518cannot have, it came from the Father, teaching ex ineffabili eruditione superna, &c. See what Apostolick dignity he gave to them, which he gave not to the people. Cyrill. in Ioan. l. 12. c. 56. page 699, 700. Cyrill. on Isa. 5. c. 60 page 383.

August. tom. 10. Dom. 11 post Epiphan. sect. 2 page. 235. Tertius modus est, quomodo totus Christus secundum Ecclesiam, id est, caput & corpus praedicetur… etenim caput & corpus unus Christus, non quia sine corpore non est integer, sed quia & nobiscum integer esse dignatus est—membra Christi & corpus sumus omnes simul: non qui hoc loco sumus tantum, fed & per universam terram: nee qui tantum hoc tempore, sed qui dicam ex Abel…sto usque in finem seculi, quandiu generant & generantur hominis.

It were needless to prove a visible integral catholick Church all the world over, not in Asia onelyonly from Augustine.

2. Or to prove a mixture of tares and wheat, of good and bad in the visible Church; and that they are not visible converts that are members of the visible Church.

3. How far in the communion of the Church and of Sacraments mali maculent & contaminent bonos, see August-cont. Lib. 2. contra Epist. Parm. c. 3. non obest palea frumen…s.Epist. Parmen. Mr. H. deviseth a way for this: Its referred to a mans free choice, without any compulsion of any, to what congregation he shall joyn himself or not: and though the doctrine and ordinances be most pure, yet he may keep within himself the causes of his not joyning, thinking such are profane, and so there is little or nothing of Christs presence in this Church. But the formal cause of joyning to a Church in which one should Aug. contr. Ep. Parmenia l. 2. c. 7. the Priests should be holy that minister. Aug. resp. Dicant mihi, cui sancto secundum salutem spiritualē obsuerit, vel in sacerdotibus, vel inter populum coustituto, malus aut maculatus sacerdos? ubi erat Moses & Aaron, ibi murmuratores sacrilegi, quos Deus à facie sua semper perdere minabatus; ubi erat Caiaphas erant & caeteri tales, ibi Zacharias, ibi Simeon & caeteri boni.reside, is not the holiness of members, but the soundness and purity of the Ordinances; and if the Gospel be there, he is obliged to profess it, as he is to confess, and not deny Christ before men. 2. If any of Israel goodwell in another city or town, where another Priest shall teach, is it in his choice to be taught by that Priest or not? or was there no freedome under the Old Testament, but there is freedome now? Prove this difference from the Word.

p. 5194. The Don… in that contr. P…. l. 11. c. 14. A wicked Minister can no more convert, quam vivificare quenquam mortuus potest, than a dead man can give life. So our Brethren, they are not fit to be edifying matter, who shall destroy the Church.

5. August. lib. Retract. 2. c. 18. Ubicunqus autem in … libris commemoravi Ecclesiam non habentem maculam a… rugam, non sic accipiendum, quasi jam s…, sed qu… praeparatur ut sis. Augustine owns no Church, that in the esteem of Saints is without spot or wrinkle.

6. Augustine cond… the Donatist…, Aug. contr. liter. Petil. Episc. Donatist…, l. 1. … 1. they were broken off from the catholick Church, ab or bis … sancta communiono; that was, sure, no congregation, for they set up congregations of their own: but they said, With themselves onelyonly was the true Church.

7. Petilianus said, What hath righteousness to do with unrighteousness? Augustine saith, Its not righteousness taking August. contr. liter. Petil. l. 2. c. 6.part with unrighteousness, Si Judas & Petru… paritor sacramenta communi….

8. Petilianus applied the Scriptures that are spoken of real August. contr. liter. Petil. l. 11. c. 4. & 44. & 45. & 46. Non enim (c. 46.) verba ista etiā ad Simon. Magum pertinent, qui tamē eundem sanctum baptismum suscepit, non sunt haec verba zizaniorum—Non sunt verba paleae, sed tritici, quamvis eadem pluviâ simul nutriantur.Saints, as Psal. 1. Blessed is the man; and Psal. 23. The Lord is my shepherd, he leadeth me, &c. to their onelyonly members of separated Churches. So do our Brethreu. Mr. Cotton, Mr. Hooker. So Mr. Robinson. Augustine answers, These words belong not to baptized Simon Magus—They are not the words of the tares, of the chaff, but of the wheat.

9. Petilian said, the Catholicks admitted all to be just, and members of the Church qui verba legis noverunt, that knew words of Scripture; and Satan knew Scripture: The same Mr. H. objects to us. See Aug.aaAug. contr. liter. Petil. l. 11. c. 49.

10. The question between us and the Donatists is, Where is this Body (visible, for it were madness to think the question was touching the invisible Church, where it is) Where the Church is? What then shall we do? shall we seek it in our words, or in the words of her Head the Lord Iesus? See bbAug. de unit. Eccles. l. c. 1. & 2.Sir 50August. Its known p. 520Augustine acknowledgeth in all these Writings a Catholick Church from Sea to Sea, to which men should joyn themselves as to the visible society of Christ.

11. Our Brethren will have none to be baptized, except they be baptized into a particular congregation. And ccAug. de unit. Eccles. c. 5. Ne baptismus vel extra Ecclesiam ire credatur, vel qui extra datus fuerit, acceptetur.Eccl 5Aug. condemns the Donatists, who will have it no baptism which is administred without the Church.

12. Our Brethren will have so many conditions of the visible Church.

1. That the matter be fit, visible Saints.

2. That the form be a Church covenant.

3. That they meet in one place, &c. Augustine ddAug. de unit. Eccles. c. 6. & 7. Quid in prophetis quā multa, & quam manifesta sunt testimonia ecclesiae per omnes Gentes toto orbe terrarum diffusae? Cap. 5. Quare (O Donatistae) vos irritum facitis testamentum Dei, dicendo, nec in omnibus Gentibus completum esse, & periisse jam de Gentibus, in quibus erat semen Abrahae?Eccl 6following the Word, saith, All of Jews and Gentiles in covenant are the visible Church.

13. This or that congregation or believer may fall off the Rock, defecit ex omnibus Gentibus Christiana Religio, excepta parte Donati, except some following Donatus, and some in America, aut alibi. See Aug.eeAugust. de unit. Eccles. c. 9.Eccl 9

14. They who (saith ffAug. de unit. Eccles. c. 10.Eccl 10Augustine) teach, That the Church which was to take its beginning at Jerusalem, is not that visible City, but by a figure is the whole Church that is in heaven and earth, may say that also is spoken by a figure, It behoved Christ to die, and to rise the third day. Then Augustine thinks the Church of Jews and Gentiles all the world over to be one visible City, against the Donatists and our Brethren.

Catholicks (as August ggAug. collat. cum Donatist. 3. dia. c. 10. p. 213.teacheth) said, that it was the minde of Cyprian, that the tares were in the Church, not lurking, but seen: to which the Donatists durst answer nothing, they were so moved with the authority of Cyprian.

Cyprian hhCypr. Epist. 73. p. 220.clearly saith, the Lord gave first to Peter, upon whom he built his Church (nor did he then build the Church upon the confessing Church) power to binde and loose—as also he saith, after the Resurrection, to the Apostles, As my Father sent me, so send I you. To Cyprian then one place in Ioh. 20. p. 521expounds Matth 16. Now Cyprian never thought that Christ sent the people as the Father sent him: And Cyprian iiCypr. 75. 239, 240.soli Petro dixit, Quaecun que ligaver…s—Quando in solos Apostolos insu…vit Christus dicens, accipite Spiritum Sanctum: si eujus remiseritis p…ocata kkCypr. Magno filio, Epist. 76. p. 246.Cyprian proves, that the Church is one, and Baptism one; What talk they then of multiplied visible congregations, and multiplied Baptisms? And see llCypr. 3. de unit. Eccles. p. 296, 297.Cyprian, Et quamvis Apostolis omnibus post resurrectionem dicat, Sicut …ifit me pater, &c. tamen ut unitatem manifestaret, unam Cathedram (Petri) constituit, &c. mmCypr. Lapsis, Epist. 27. p. 62.Cyprian expounding Matth. 16. 18. And I say to thee, Thou …t Peter, &c. the Church is founded upon the Bishops, and every act of the Church by these overseers is guided; and therefore the lapsi should not have peace, but by satisfying Church-discipline.

FINIS.

End of the text · Samuel Rutherford, Survey of the Survey of that Sum of Church Discipline by Hooker (1658)