Episcopacy by Divine Right Asserted, Part 3
The Third Part.
§ 1.
The appellation of Lay-Elders, and the ſtate of the queſtion concerning them.
THE queſtion concerning the lay-Presbyter is not eaſily ſtated; the thing it ſelfe is ſo new, that we are not yet agreed of the name. Presbyter, we know, in the Greek, as alſo Zachen, in the Hebrew (whence the uſe of it is borrowed) is a word importing age; and ſignifies a man elder in yeares: Now, for that yeares ſhould and doe commonly bring knowledge and experience, and carry gravity and authority: therefore it is traduced from that naturall ſence, and uſed to ſignifie a man of ſome eminence in place, and government: ſo we have in the Old Teſtament, Elders of the houſe, Gen. 50.7. Elders of the Congregation, Levit. 4.15. Elders of the City, Deut. 19.12. Elders of the land, Gen. 50.7. Elders of the people, Mat. 21.23. and theſe, ſometimes marched with the hi…heſt offices; ſo we have Elders and Iudges, Deut. 21.2, Princes and Elders, Ezra 10.8. Prieſts and Elders, Lam. 1 10. And all theſe were titles of civil authority: But when we come to the daies of the Goſpell, under the New Teſtament; now we finde the Elders of the Church, Acts 20.17. Acts 11.30. and 14.23. A name which comprehended all thoſe ſacred perſons who were imployed in the promulgation of the Goſpell (as Calvin well obſerves whether Apoſtles, Prophets, Evangeliſt, Paſtors and Doctors:) and indeed none but them; and in vaine ſhall we ſeeke for any other Presby ers, or Elders in the Acts, or Epiſtles of the bleſſed Apoſtles, or in all following antiquity. What to make therefore of thoſe Elders, or Presbyters which are now in queſtion, which, ſaith Travers (if you will ſpeake properly) are onelyonly them that rule, he were wiſe that could tell: meerely civill they would not be, for they take upon them Eccleſiaſticall charges: Meerly ſacred and ſprituall they are not, for they are neither Biſhops, Prieſts, nor Deacons; Meerly Laik they would not be,Bez. Reſp. ad S rav. negat …ſſe Laicos. Clergimen they deny to be. Thoſe of old that ſerved at the Altar, were wont to be deſcribed by their Linnen veſtures; other men by wollen; theſe are neither of both, but a mixture of both; a Linſeywolſey contexture: a compoſition, which as God (in type of what I now ſay not) forbad under the Law, ſo he never had uſe of it, never acknowledged it under the Goſpell; How therefore, in this fagge-end of the world, they ſhould come to have any new being in the Church, it is enough for me to wonder: if they affect to be ſeniores populi, we would not grudge them this title but if ſeniores, or Presbyteri Eccleſiae; they have no more right to that; than we Biſhops have to Crownes and Scepters; leaſt any doubt ſhould ſeeme ungrounded, Beza, who will not yeeld theſe Elders Laicks; to grace them the more,ubi ſupra. aſcribes to them ſome kinde of ſpirituall cure;Abrah. Henri. theſ. Genev. The adminitration of the Word is given to the Elders, but to another end, &c U…judicius Eccleſiaticis praecuntibus paſtoribus praeſunt. they feed the flock by governing; they are foreign, and preach after a ſort in the reproofe of ſin in their Conſiſtory; and yet he is faine to contra-diſtinguiſh them from teaching Elders; and their ſtile forſooth is foreign, governments: But, tell me, I beſeech you deare brethren, you that are ſo apt to affect, and receive a forraigne diſcipline; tell me in good earneſt; can you think this to be the feeding of the flock of Chriſt, which S Paul requires of the Elders at Epheſus? Acts 20.can you thinke theſe men to bee ſuch as the Apoſtle there ſpeakes of, In quo Dominus vos conſtituit Epiſcopos; enchargingthem with the flocke over which Chriſt hath made them Biſhops? Was ever any lay Elder ſtiled by that name? Doth not Calvin himſelfe confeſſe at the Presbyters both there mentioned, and Titus 1.5. are no other Doctors and Teachers; becauſe in both places they are…ſt led biſhops? And was there ever heard of a Lay-Biſhop in the world? Thoſe ſacrile… ious excepted in ſome parts of Germany, who retaine nothing of that divine order, but lands and name. Yea, my brethren, why are ye willing to be deceived? who ever ſpake or heard of a Lay-Presbyter in all the Church of God, till this age? Take the terme as it is: We are forced upon this epithete for diſtinction ſake; not out of any ſcornefull intent of diſcouraging Gods people: we know that in a generall acception they are all the Lords inheritance; but becauſe there is a neceſſary difference to bee put betwixt them, whom God hath ſeparated to his owne immediate ſervice in the Miniſterie, and thoſe Chriſtians which are under them in their Miniſteriall charge; we make uſe of theſe termes wherewith the greateſt antiquity hath furniſhed us. The old Canons, named Apoſtolicall, make frequent mention of it. The bleſſed Martyr, old Ignatius, as in other places, ſo eſpecially in his Epiſtle to them of Smyrna (which we have already cited) is cleare, foreign &c. Let the Laicks be ſubject to the Deacons, the Deacons to the Presbyters, &c. And before him the holy Martyr Clement B. of Rome; as we have formerly alledgd. A lay man is bound to Laick precepts. And yet before him a… ſo, I for my part am confident that St. Peter, whom this man ſucceede, both in his Chaire and Martyrdome, meant no other when hee charged his fellow Biſhops that they ſhould feed their flock, foreign, not domineering over their Cleargie:1 Pet. 5.3. for the word is plurall; not as if it were Clero, but Clericis: and in the verſe before it is, foreign, the very act of Epiſcopacie; thoſe that would have it taken otherwiſe, are faine to add a word of their owne to the text; reading it, Gods heritage; where as the Originall is meerely foreign, perfecyly to this ſenſe. Neither is there any Ataxie to bee feared in bringing in this diſtinction, betwixt Paſtors and flock; It is an Eutaxie rather: and ſuch as without which nothing could enſue, but confuſion. If theſe men then be ſpirituall and ſacred perſons, why do they not challenge it? If Laicke, why are they aſhamed of it? If betwixt both, let them give themſelves that title which Bernard gives himſelfe upon the occaſion of his forced forbearance of his Canonical devotions, Ego tanquam Chimaera quaedam mei ſeculi. Here then ye ſeduced Brethren, that go all upon truſt for the ſtrong beliefe of a Lay-Presbytery; your credulity hath palpably abuſed you; it is true, this advantage you have, that the firſt authors of this late device were men of great note in their times, but men ſtill; and herein they ſhow'd it too well: that for their owne ends, they not onelyonly invented ſuch a government, as was never heard of in any Chriſtian Church, throughout the whole world, before them but alſo found out ſome pretence of Scriptures, never before to underſtood, whereupon to father their ſo new, and (now) plauſible erection.
§.2.
No Lay-Elder ever mentioned or heard of in the world, till this preſent age: The texts of Scripture particularized, to the contary.
ANd that you may not thinke this to be ſome bold unwarranted ſuggeſtion from an unadviſed adverſary; let mee tender this faire offer to you: It is an hard and long taske for a man to prove negatives; let any of your moſt learned and confident teachers produce but the name of any one Lay-Presbyter, that ever was in the Church from the times of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, untill this preſent age, I ſhall yeeld the cauſe, and liue and die theirs. We finde in common experience, that we apprehend things according to our owne prepoſſesſion: Iaundiſed eies ſeeme to ſee all objects yellow; blood-ſhoten, red: it is no marvell if thoſe who have mancipated their mindes to the judgements of ſome, whom they over-admire, and have lent their eies out of their owns heads, whereſoever they finde mention of an Elder in the New Teſtament, think preſently of a Lay-Presbytery; like that man in Eraſmus, who perſwaded himſelfe, he ſaw a ſtrange Dragon in the aire, becauſe his friend confidently pointed to it, and ſeemed to wonder at his not ſeeing it but thoſe who with unpartiall and unprejudiced hearts ſhall addreſſe themſelves to the Booke of God, and with a carefull ſincerity, compare the Scriptures, ſhall finde, that whereſoever the word Elder, or Presbyter is, in an Evangelicall ſence, uſed in the holy Epiſtles, or the hiſtory of the Acts, (excep it be in ſome few places, where elderſhip of age may be meant) it is onelyonly and altogether taken for the miniſters of the Goſpell. There are (if I reckon right) ſome two and twenty places where the word is mentioned, were it not too long to take them into particular examination, I ſhould gladly ſcan them all; ſome we will; let us begin with the laſt;2 Ioh. 1. 3. Ioh. 1. The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius: And, The Elder to the elect Lady: 3 Ioh. 1.What Elder is this? Is it not the holy and deare Apoſtle St. Iohn? The Elders which are among you I exhort, who am alſo an Elder &c. Feed the flock of God which is among you, (ſaith Saint Peter. 1 Pet 5.1.) Lo, ſuch an Elder as Saint Peter, ſuch were they whom he exhorts their title is one, their worke is one: I ſuppoſe no lay-Elder will take upon him this charge of feeding the flock of Chriſt, with Saint Peter; and if Beza would faine, out of favour to their new erection, ſtraine the word ſo farre as to feeding by government, yet it is ſo quite againſt the hair, that Calvin himſelf and Chamier, and Moulin, (and who not) do every where contra-diſtinguiſh their Paſtors to their ruling Elders: And for the place in hand, Calvin is cleare ours, The flock of Chriſt, ſaith he cannot be fed but with pure doctrin, quae ſola ſpirituale eſt pabulum. Js any man ſicke among you? ſaith St. Iames, Iames 5.3… .Let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oile in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith ſhall ſave the ſick. Are theſe Lay-Elders, thinke we, whom the Apoſtle requires to be called for: who muſt comfort the ſicke, cure him by their prayers, anoint him with their miraculous oyle, for recovery? Let me aske then, were there no ſpirituall Paſtors, no Miniſters among them? And if there were ſuch, was it likely, or fit, they ſhould ſtand by, whiles lay-men did their ſpirituall ſervices? Beſides, were they lay-hands to which this power of miraculous cure by anointing the ſicke, was then committed? Surely, if we conſult with S. Marke, we ſhall finde them ſacred perſons; ſuch lips, and ſuch hands muſt cure the ſick; ſo then the Elders of S. John, S. Peter, S. James are certainly Paſtors, and Miniſters; And what other are S. Pauls? For this cauſe (ſaith he to Titus) I left thee in Crete, that thou ſhouldſt ſet in order the things that are wanting, and ordain Elders in every City. What Elders are thoſe? The next words ſhall tell you; Jf any be blamleſſe, the husband of one wife, having faithfull children, &c. For a Biſhop muſt be blameleſſe, as the ſteward of God; Lo S. Pauls Elder here, is no other than a Biſhop, even then, as the Fathers obſerve, every Biſhop was a Presbyter. And though not every Presbyter a Biſhop, yet every Presbyter a ſacred and ſpirituall perſon; ſuch a one as is capable of holy Ordination: thus might we eaſily paſſe through all theſe texts, wherein there is any mention of Presbyters; One onelyonly place there is, that might to a fore-inclined minde ſeeme to give ſome colour, (and God knowes, but a colour) of a lay-Presbytery, Let the Elders that rule well, 1 Tim. 5.17.ſaith St. Paul to Timothy, be counted worthy of all honour, eſpecially they who labour in the word and doctrine. A place, which hath been ſo throughly ſifted by all, who have medled with this ill-raiſed controverſie, as that no humane wit can deviſe to add one ſcruple of a notion, towards a farther diſcusſion of it. I dare confidently ſay, there is ſcarce any one ſentence of Scripture, which hath undergone a more buſie and curious agitation, The iſſue is this, that never any expoſitor for the ſpace of fifteene hundred yeeres after Chriſt; tooke theſe aeresbyters for any other then Prieſts, or Miniſters: Of eleven or twelve ſeverall expoſitions of the words, each one is more faire, and probable, than this, which is newly deviſed, and obtruded upon the Church: That the text is ſo farre from favouring theſe lay-Presbyters; that we need no other argument againſt them; For, where was it ever heard of, or how can it be, that meere Laicks ſhould be foreign? Biſhops and Paſtors have had that ſtile, as in Scripture, ſo in following antiquity, that paſſage of Clemens Alexandrinus, cited by Euſebius, concerning Saint Iohn, that he at Epheſus committed the charge of his young man to an old Biſhop, whom he cals foreign, beſides that of Iuſtin Martyr, already cited, and others, ſhew it plainly. And if (as ſome) our appellation of Prieſt come from foreign, as it well may, how can a lay-man be ſo? Or if from Prebſtre, (as the more think) let us have Lay-prieſts, if Lay-presbyters: And what better Commentary can we have of Saint Pauls foreign, than himſelfe gives of himſelfe, in his exhortation to the Elders or Paſtors at Epheſus, who interprets it, by carefull attending to themſelves, and their flocks; which even their owne authours are wont to appropriate to Paſtors. And what can that double honour be which the Apoſtle claimes for theſe Elders or Presbyters, but reſpect, and due maintenance? To whom is this due, but to thoſe that ſerve at the Altar? As for Lay-presbyters, was it ever required that they ſhould be maintained by the Church?
And what can thoſe foreign be, but thoſe Prieſts which diligently and painfully toile in Gods harveſt; in the Word and Doctrine? all the Elders therefore there intended, are exerciſed in the Word and Doctrine, but there are ſome that doe foreign, labour more abundantly than the reſt; theſe muſt be reſpected and incouraged accordingly; Neither is there any reaſon in the world to induce an indifferent man to think, that this foreign ſhould imiplie a ſeverall and diſtinct office, but rather a more intenſe, and ſerious labour in the ſame office; as might be ſhowne in a thouſand inſtances. Whereas therefore this is the onelyonly Scripture that in ſome fore-priſed eares ſeemes to ſound towards a Lay-presbytery; I muſt needs profeſſe for my part, if there were no other text in all the Booke of God more pregnant for their diſproofe, I ſhould thinke this alone a very ſufficient warrant for their diſclamation. And I doe verily perſwade my ſelfe, that thoſe men, who, upon ſuch weake, yea, ſuch no-grounds, have taken upon them, being meer Laicks, to manage theſe holy affaires of God, have an hard anſwer to make one day, before the Tribunall of Almighty God, for this their preſumptuous uſurpation.
Now then, ſince this one litigious, and unproving text, is the onelyonly place in the whole New Teſtament, that can beare any pretence for the lay-Presbytery, (for, as for their Dic Eccleſiae, and their foreign, they are ſo improbable, and have been ſo oft and throughly charmed, that they are not worth either urging, or anſwer) and on the contrary, ſo many manifeſt, and pregnant teſtimonies of Scriptures, have been and may be produced, within the Presbyters, or Elders of the Church, are, by the Spirit of God onelyonly meant for the ſpirituall guides of his people; I hope every ingenuous Chriſtian will eaſily reſolve, how much ſafer it is for him to follow the cleare light of many evident Scriptures, than the doubtfull glimmering of one miſtaken text.
§. 3.
Lay-Elderſhip a meere ſtranger to antiquity: which acknowledgeth no Presbyters, but Divines.
ANd as the Scriptures of God never meant to give countenance to a lay-Presbytery, ſo neither did ſubſequent antiquity; I ſpeak it upon good aſſurance; there was never any clauſe in any Father, Councell, Hiſtory, that did ſo much as intimate any ſuch office in the Church of God, or the man that weilded it: The fautors of it would gladly ſnatch at every ſentence in old records, where they meet with the name of a Presbyter, as if there the bels chimed to their thought: But certainely, for fifteene hundred yeares, no man ever dreamed of ſuch a device; If he did, let us know the man. I am ſure our Apoſtolicall Clemens makes a contradiſtinction of Laicks, and Presbyters:Clem. Ep…ſt. ad Corinth. ſupra. Ignat. Ep. ad Magn. Do nothing without your Biſhop, …eith…r Presbyter, nor Deacon, nor Laick. And Ignatius the holy Martyr, yet more punctually, goes in theſe degrees; foreign. This difference is ſo familiar with that Saint, as that we ſcarce miſſe it in any of his Epiſtles, in ſo much as Vedelius himſelfe finding in the Epiſtle of this Martyr to the Epheſians,Ignat. Epiſt. ad Epheſ. foreign, tranſlates it, memorabile ſacerdotum veſtrorum collegium, a Colledge of Presbyters: ſuch the Biſhops of thoſe firſt times had (as we have ſtill the Deane and Chapter, to conſult withall, upon any occaſion) but thoſe Presbyters were no other than profeſſed Divines: Neither were ever otherwiſe conſtrued. If we looke a little lower, who can but turne over any two leaves of the firſt Tome of the Councels, and not fall upon ſome paſſage, that may ſettle his aſſurance this way? Thoſe ancient Canons which carry the name of the Apoſtles, are exceedingly frequent in the diſtinction. They ſpeake of the Biſhops, or Presbyters offering on the Altar of God, which no Lay-man might do? They make an act againſt a Biſhops or Presbyters rejection of his wife,Can. Apoſt. c. 3.4.5. under pretence of Religion, which in a Lay-man was never queſtioned.c 6, 7. They forbid a Biſhop, Presbyter, or Deacon to meddle with any ſecular cares or imploiments; A Laick perſon had no reaſon to be ſo reſtrained; ſhortlie (for we might here eaſilie wearie our Reader) the ninth of their Canons is punctuall, which playnly reckons up the Biſhop,Can. … Presbyter, Deacon, as foreign, of the Prieſtly liſt; and in the foureteenth, if any Presbyter or Deacon, foreign; or whoſoever elſe of the Clergie.
Dionyſius the miſ-named. Areopagite hath foreign and, foreign, for Biſhops and Presbyters: and the holy Martyr Cyprian, Cum Epiſcopo Presbyteri Sacerdotali honore conjuncti, the Presbyters joyned with the Biſhop in Prieſtly honour, l. 3. ep. 1.Cypr. l. 3. Ep. 1. What ſhall I need to urge, how often in the ancient Councels they are ſtiled by the name of foreign, Prieſts; and how by thoſe venerable Synods they have the offices and imployments of onelyonly Prieſts; and Clergimen put upon them; our two learned Biſhops, D. Bilſon, and D. Downam, have ſo cleered this point, that my labour herein would be but ſuperfluous; I referre my reader to their unqueſtionable inſtances; One thing let me adde not unworthy of obſervation, I ſhall deſire no other authour to confute this opinion of the Lay-presbyterie, than Aerius himſelf, the onelyonly ancient enemy of Epiſcopacie; what is a Biſhop (ſaith he) other then a Presbyter? &c. there is but one order, one honour of both: Doth the Biſhop impoſe hands? ſo doth the Presbyter. Doth the Biſhop adminiſter Baptiſme? ſo doth the Presbyter. The Biſhop diſpenſeth Gods ſervice; ſo doth the Presbyter, &c. Thus he. Lo; there is but one profeſſed enemy to Biſhops, in all the hiſtory of the Church, and he in the very act of his oppoſition to Epiſcopacie, marres the faſhion of the Lay-presbytery: He could not in terminis directly oppoſe it indeed; How ſhould he oppoſe that wich never was? But he attributes ſuch acts and offices to a Presbyter, as never any Laick durſt uſurpe; ſuch as never were, never could be aſcribed to any that was not conſecrated to God, by an holy ordination: Had this man then, but dreamed of a Lay-presbytery either to ſupply, or affront Epiſcopacie, it might have been ſome countenance (at leaſt, to the age of this invention) but now, the device hath not ſo much patrocination (pardon an harſh word) as of an old Stigmatick: yea it is quaſhed by the ſole and onelyonly Marprelate of the ancient Church.
§. 4.
Ambroſe's teſtimony urged for Lay-Elders fully anſwered.
YEt, let me eat my word betimes, while it is hot: there is an holy and ancient Biſhop, they ſay, that pleads for a Lay-presbytery; and who ſhould that be, but the godly and renowned Archbiſhop, and Metropolitan of Milaine St. Ambroſe, a man noted, as for ſingular ſanctimonie, ſo for the height of his ſpirit, and zeale of mantaining the right of his function; and what will he ſay?Amb. in 1. Tim. 5.1. Vnde & ſynagoga, & poſteà etiam Eccleſia ſeniores habuit, &c. Whereupon (ſaith he) both the ſynagogue and afterwards, the Church alſo, had certain Elders, or ancient men, without whoſe counſell nothing was done in the Church; which, by what negligence it is now out of uſe, I know not, except perhaps it were by the ſloath of the teachers, or rather by their pride, for that they would ſeeme to be of ſome reckoning alone Here is all; and now, let me beſeech my reader, to rouze up himſelfe a little, and with ſome more than ordinary attention to liſten to this evidence, on which alone (for any likely pretence of antiquity) ſo a great cauſe wholly dependeth: And firſt, let him heare, that this is no Ambroſe, but a counterfeit; even by the confesſion of the greateſt favourers of the Lay-presbyterie;Park. Polit. Eccl. who), that they would thus eaſily turne off the chiefe, (if not the only) countenance of their cauſe, it is to me a wonder: but they well ſaw, if they had not done it, it would have beene done for them; Poſſevine thinks he finds Pelagianiſme in this Commentarie upon the Epiſtles:Bellar. Tom. 4. de Amiſſ. grat. c. 5. & l. 4. de Iuſtif. c. 8. both, Whitakers and Bellarmine diſclaime it for Ambroſe's; the later pitches it upon an hereticke; even the ſame wich was the authour of the booke of the Queſtions of the Old and New teſtament; Hilarie the Deacon, and the former, doth little other; whiles he cites and ſeemes to allow the Cenſors of Lovaine to this purpoſe.Maldon. in Mat. 19. Maldonate caſts it upon Remigius Lugdunenſis, who lived Anno 870. farre from any authentick antiquity; and confidently ſaies; no man that ever read Ambroſe's Writings, can think theſe to bee his. It is then firſt no great matter what this witneſſe ſaith; but yet let us heare him; Vnde ſynagoga, (ſaith hee) Whereupon the Synagogue, and after, the Church alſo, had Elders: And whereupon was this ſpoken, I beſeech you? Let my reader but take the fore going words with him, and ſee if hee can forbeare to ſmile at the conceit. The words run thus; upon occaſion of Saint Pauls charge, Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him, as a father, &c. Propter honorificentiam aetatis, majorem natu cum manſuetudine ad bonum opus provocandum, &c. For the honour of age, the elder in yeares is by meekneſſe to bee provoked to a good worke, &c. Nam apud omnes ubique gentes honorabilis eſt ſenectus: For, ſaith he, amongſt all nations every where old age 'tis honourable: And ſo inferres, whereupon, both the Synagogue, and afterwards the Church, had certaine elder or ancient men, without whoſe counſell nothing was done in the Church. Plainly the words are ſpoken of an elder in age, not any Elder in office. And ſo S. Pauls words import too, for it follows, the elder women as mothers, & I ſuppoſe no man will think S. Paul meant to ordain Eldreſſes in the Church; Thus in the ſuppoſed Ambroſe, all runs upon this ſtrane; fort here is Honorificentia aetatis, the honorificence of age; majores natu, honorabilis ſenectus; no intimation of any office in the Church. But you will ſay, here is mention of the Elders that the Synagogue had: True, but not as Iudges, but onelyonly as aged perſons; whoſe experience might get them skill, and gravity procure them reverence; and ſuch the Church had too; and made uſe of their counſell; and therefore it followes, quorum ſine conſilio, without whoſe counſell, nothing was done in the Church; he ſaith not, without whoſe authority. theſe then, for ought this place implieth, were not incorporated in any Conſiſtory, but, for their prudence, adviſed with, upon occaſion; and what is this to a fixed bench of Lay-presbyters? Or, if there were ſuch a ſettled Colledge of Presbyters, in ancient uſe (as Ignatius implies) yet where are the Lay? They were certaine ancient experienced Divines, who upon all difficult occaſions were ready to give their advice and aid to their Biſhop; how little the true Ambroſe dreamed of any other, let him be conſulted in his noble, humble, and yet ſtout Epiſtile,Am. l. 2. Epiſt 1… 3. to the Emperour Ʋalentinian; where that worthy patterne of Prelates, well ſhowes, how ill it could be brooked, that perſons meerly laick or ſecular, ſhould have any hand in judging and ordering of matters ſpirituall, Yea, for this very pretended Ambroſe, how farre he was from thinking of a Lay-presbytery; let himſelfe ſpeake, who in the very ſame Chapter, upon thoſe words (Let the Elders that rule well he counted worthy of double honour) conſtrues thoſe Elders, for boni diſpenſatores, ac fideles; and becauſe you may thinke this may well enough fit Laick Presbyters; he adds, Evangelizantes regnum Dei, thoſe that preach the Kingdome of God, And againe: Adverſus Presbyterum, &c. Againſt a Presbyter receive not an accuſation, &c. Becauſe, ſaith he, (Ordinis hujus ſublimis eſt honor) the honour of this order is high, for they are the Vicars of Chriſt; and therefore an accuſation of this perſon is not eaſily to be admitted; for it ought to ſeeme incredible to us; that this man, who is Gods Prieſt, ſhould live criminouſly; Thus he: ſo as this Ambroſe's Presbyters, are no other in his ſenſ… , than Gods Prieſts, and Chriſts Vicars: If our Lay-presbyters then have a minde to be, or to be called Prieſts, and Vicars, their Ambroſe, is for them; elſe he is not worthy of his fee for what hee hath ſaid.
If all antiquity have yeelded any other witneſſe, worth the producing, how gladly ſhould we heare him out, and returne him a ſatisfactory anſwer; but the truth is, never any man thought of ſuch a project; and therefore, if any authour have let fall ſome favourable word, that might ſeeme to bolſter it, it muſt be againſt his will: neither did any living mam (before ſome Burgeſſes of Geneva in our age took it upon them) ever claime or manage ſuch an office ſince Chriſt was upon the earth.
§. 5.
The uter diſagrement, and irreſolution of the pretenders to the new diſcipline, concerning the particurlar ſtate of the deſired government.
ALl this conſidered, I cannot but wonder, and grieve, to heare a man of ſuch worth as Beza was, ſo tranſported, as to ſay, that this Presbyter, of their device, is the Tribunall of Chriſt: a Tribunall erected aboue fifteene hundred yeares after his departure from us: an inviſible Tribunall to all the reſt of Gods Church beſides; a Tribunall not knowne, nor reſolved of by thoſe that call it ſo. Surely our bleſſed Saviour was never aſhamed to owne his ordinance; neither was he ever ſo reſerved, as not to ſhow his owne Crowne and Scepter to all his good ſubjects: he never cared for an outward glorious magnificence, but that ſpirituall port, which he would have kept in his government, he was farre from concealing, and ſmothering in a ſuſpitious ſecrecy. If this then be, or were Chriſts Tribunall, where, when, how, in whom, wherefore was it ſet up? Who ſees not that the wood whereof it is framed, is ſo green, that it warpes every way; Plainely, the ſworne men to this exoticall government, are not agreed of their verdict; An exquiſite forme they would faine have, but what it was, or what it ſhould be, they accord not: Even amongſt our own, in the Admonition to the Parliament, An… o 1572. a perfect platforme is tendred, not ſo perfect yet, but two yeares after it is altered, nine yeares after that, Anno 1583. a new draught, fit for the Engliſh Meridian, is publiſhed; yet, that not ſo exact, but that Travers muſt have a new eſſay to it, 29. Eliz. And after all this, a world of doubts yet ariſe, which were in 1588. debated at Coventry, Cambridge, elſewhere. And yet ſtill, when all is done, the fraternity is as far to ſeek in very many points for reſolution, as at the firſt day: yea, at this very houre, faine would I know whether they can ring this peale without jarres; It is not long agoe, I am ſure, that they found every parcell of their government litigious; Cartwright is for a Presbytery in every Pariſh, whereſoever a Paſtour is, and his late clients make every village a Church abſolute, and independent; the Genevian faſhion is otherwiſe; neither doth Danaeus think it to be Chriſts inſtitution, to have every Pariſh thus furniſhed and governed: Our late humoriſts give power of excommunication, and other cenſures to every Pariſh-Presbytery: The Belgick Churches allow it not to every particular congregation, without the councell and aſſent of the generall Conſiſtory: There are that hold the Elders ſhould be perpetuall: There are others, for a Trienniall, others for a bienniall Elderſhip; others hold them fit to be changed, ſo oft as their liveries, once a yeare. The Elders (ſayes T. C.) are joyntly to execute, with their Paſtour, the election and abdication of all their Eccleſiaſticall officers; Not ſo,Io. Calv. l. 4. Inſt. c. 3. ſaith I.C. Soli paſtores, onelyonly the Paſtours muſt doe it; And good reaſon; what a monſter of opinions it is, that lay-men ſhould lay on hands to the ordination of Miniſters; I wonder theſe men feare not Vzzah's death, or Vzziah's leproſie: There are that doubt whether there ſhould be Doctors in every Church, and I am deceived, if (in Scotland) you do not hold your Conſiſtories perfect without them: There are that hold them ſo neceſſary a member of this body of Chriſts ordinance, that it is utterly maimed and unperfect without them. And indeed, what to make of their Doctors, neither themſelves know, nor any for them, To make them a diſtinct office from Paſtors, as it is an uncouth conceit, and quite beſides the Text, (which tels of ſome Evangeliſts, ſome Prophets, ſome Paſtours and Doctors, and not ſome Paſtours, and ſome Doctors) ſo it is guilty of much errour and wildneſſe of conſequence. For, how is it poſſible, that ſpirituall food, and teaching ſhould be ſevered? Who can fe… d the ſoule, and not inſtruct it? Or, who can teach wholſome doctrine, and not feed the ſoule? This is, as if every child ſhould have two nurſes, one to give it the bib, another the breſt; one to hold the diſh, and the other to put in the ſpoone. Now, if Doctors muſt be, whether in every Pariſh one; whether admitted to ſit, and vote in the Presbyterie, and to have their hand in cenſures or not; or whether they bee Lay-men, or of the Clergie, whether as Academicall Readers, or as rurall Catechiſts; are things ſo utterly undetermined, that they are indeed altogether undecidable. As for Deacons, there is (if it may be) yet more uncertainty amongſt them, whether they bee neceſſary in the conſtitution of the Church, or whether members of the Conſiſtory, or not; whether they ſhould be onelyonly imployed in matter of the purſe, or in the matters of God; or if ſo; how farre intereſſed; whether fixed or moveable; and if ſo, in what circle? And leaſt there ſould be any paſſage of this admired government free from doubt; even the very widdowes have their brawles. Theſe to ſome are as eſſentiall as the beſt; to others like to ſome ceremonies, of which Iunius his judgement was, Si adſint, non recuſo; ſi abſint, non deſidero: not to be refuſed where they are, and not to be miſſed where they are not; however, I ſee not why the good women ſhould not put in for a ſhare, and chide with the Elders, to be ſhut out: Theſe which I have abſtracted from our judicious ſurveyer, and an hundred other doubts concerning the extent, and managing of the new Conſiſtory, are enough to let an ingenuous reader ſee, on what ſhelves of ſand this late Allobrogicall device is erected: ſhortly then, let the abettors of the diſcipline pretended, lay their heads together, and agree what it is that we may truſt to, for Chriſts Ordinance, and (that once done) let them expect our condeſcent; till then (and we ſhall deſire no longer) let them forbeare to gild their owne fancies with the glorious name of Chriſts Kingdome.
§. 6.
The imperfections and defects which muſt needs be yeelded to follow upon the diſcipline pretended; and the neceſſary inconveniences that muſt attend it in a kingdome otherwiſe ſetled.
THIS uncertainty of opinion cannot chooſe but produce an anſwerable imperfection in the practice, whiles ſome Churches, which hold themſelves in a Parochiall abſoluteneſſe, neceſſarily furniſhed with all the equipage of diſcipline, muſt needs finde thoſe defective, which want it; ſo as the Genevian and French Churches, and thoſe of their correſpondence, which goe all by diviſions of Presbyteries, muſt needs by our late reformers be found to come ſhort of that perfection of Chriſts kingdom, which themſelves have attained. Thoſe Churches which have no Doctors, thoſe which have no Deacons, thoſe which have no Widdowes, what caſe are they in? And how few have all theſe?
Neither is the imperfection more palpable, and fatall, where theſe ordinances are miſſing; then is the abſurdity, and inconvenience of entertaining them where they are wiſht to be: for howſoever, where ſome new State is to be erected (eſpecially in a popular forme) or a new City to be contrived, with power of making their owne Lawes; there might perhaps be ſome poſſibility of complying, in way of pol…cie, with ſome of the rules of this pretended Church-government: yet certainly, in a Monarchiall State fully ſetled, and a Kingdome divided into ſeverall Townſhips, and Villages, ſome whereof are ſmall, and farre diſtant from the reſt; no humane wit can comprehend, how it were poſſible, without an utter ſubverſion, to reduce it to theſe termes; I ſhall take leave to inſtance in ſome particulars; the ſtrong inexpediences, and difficulties whereof will ariſe to little leſſe than either groſſe abſurdity, or utter impoſſibility. Can it therefore be poſſible in ſuch a kingdome, as our happy England is, where there are thouſands of ſmall village-pariſh…s, (I ſpeak according to the plots of our own la…eſt reformers) for every Pariſh to furniſh an …ccl…ſiaſticall Conſi… tory, conſiſting of one, or more Paſtors, a Doctor, Elders, Deacons; perhaps there are not ſo many houſes, as offices are required; And whom ſhall they then be Iudges of? And ſome of theſe ſo farre remote from neighbours, that they cannot participate of theirs, either teaching, or cenſure: And if this were faiſible, what ſtuffe would there be? Perhaps a young indiſcreet giddy Paſtour, and for a Doctor, who, and where, and what? Iohn a Nokes, and Iohn a Stiles, the Elders, Smug the Smith, a Deacon; and whom, or what ſhould theſe rule, but themſelves, and their plougſhares? And what cenſures, trow we, would this grave Conſiſtory inflict? What deciſions would they make of the doubts, and controverſies of their Pariſh? What orders of government? For, even this Parochiall Church hath the ſoveraignty of Eccleſiaſticall juriſdiction: If any of the fautors of the deſired diſcipline dares deny thi…, let him look… to argue the caſe with his beſt friends, who all are for this, or nothing: Elſe what means Cartwright to ſay, that in ſuch caſes, God powres out his gifts upon men, called to theſe functions, and makes them all new men? Here are no miracles to be expected, no enth…ſiaſmes; an honeſt … hatcher will know how to hand his ſtraw no whit better, after his election, than he did before: and was as deeply politike before, as now, and equally wiſe and devout, though perhaps he may take upon him ſome more ſtate and gravity, than he formerly did; and what a mad world would it be, that the Eccleſiaſticall Lawes of ſuch a company ſhould be like thoſe of the Medes and Perſians, irrevocable; that there ſhould be no appeale from them: for, as for Claſſes, and Synods, they may adviſe, in caſes of doubt, but over-rule they may not; And if a King ſhould, by occaſion of his Court fixed in ſome ſuch obſcure Pariſh, fall into the Cenſure, even of ſuch a Conſiſtory or Presbytery, where is he? Excommunicable he is with them, and what then may follow, let a Buchanan ſpeake.
Now were it poſſible that an Hockley in the hole, or (as Cartwright pleaſes to inſtance) an Hitchin, or Newington could yeeld us choice of ſuch a worthy Senate, yet whence ſhall the maintenance ariſe? Surely, as the hoſt ſaid upon occaſion of a gueſt with too many titles; we have not meat for ſo many; it is well, if a poore and painefull incumbent can but live. But whence (as the Diſciples ſaid) ſhould we have bread for all theſe? And what doe you think of this lawleſſe Polycoyranie? That every Pariſh-Miniſter and his Elderſhip, ſhould be a Biſhop and his Conſiſtory; yea a Pope and his Conclave of Cardinals within his owne Pariſh, not ſubject to controlement, not liable to a ſuperiour Cenſure? What doe you thinke of the power of Lay-men to binde and looſe? What of the equall power of votes in ſpirituall cauſes with their grave and learned Paſtour? What, that thoſe which are no Miniſters, ſhould meddle with the Sacraments; or ſhould meddle with the Word, and not with Sacraments? To ſee a velvet cloake, a gilt rapier, and gingling ſpurres, attending Gods Table? To ſee a ruling Elder, a better man than his Paſtour? Who knowes not,Epiſt. before Helvet, Confeſ. that it is the project of Beza, and the preſent practice of Scotland, that Noble-men, or great Senatours ſhould be Elders, and perhaps at Geneva Deacons too; and then how well will it become the houſe, that great Lords ſhould yeeld their Chaplaines to be the better men?Danaeus de Eccleſ. Diſc c. 10. For as honeſt Daneus, (who knew the faſhion well) Longè est diſſimile, & inferius, &c. The place of the Elders is utterly unlike, and below the order of Paſtours; neither (me thinks) ſhould it work any contenting peace to their great ſpirits, to heare that upon their Conſiſtoriall Bench, their Peaſantly-Tenant is as good as the beſt of them;Artic. Genev. 7 and that if they looke awry to be ſo matched (which T. C. ſuggeſts) they diſdaine not men, but Chriſt: Theſe are but a handfull of thoſe ſtrange incongruities, which will neceſſarily attend this miſ-affected Diſcipline, which certainly if they were not countervailed with other (no leſſe unjuſt) contentments, could never finde entertainment in any corner of the world; but each man would rule; and to be a King, though of a mole-hill, is happineſſe enough. Had men learned to inure their hearts to a peaceable and godly humility, theſe quarrels had never been.
§. 7.
The knowne newneſſe of this invention, and the quality of of the late authors or it.
BVt that which is aboue all other exceptions moſt undeniable, and not leaſt convictive, and, which I beſeech the reader in the bowels of Chriſt, to lay moſt ſeriouſly to heart, is the moſt manifeſtly-ſpick-and-ſpannewneſſe of this deviſed Diſcipline, for all wiſe and ſtaid Chriſtians, have learned to ſuſpect, if not to hate noveltie, in thoſe things which are pretended to be the matters of God. In matter of Evidence they are old Records that will carry is. As the ancient of dayes is immutable, and eternall, ſo his truths are like him, not changeable by time, not decayable by age: who was the father of this child, I profeſſe I know not, otherwiſe than I have ſpecified in my premonition to the Reader. I am ſure Calvin diſclaimes it,Calv. Epiſt. ad Sadoletū Gar…m. Ego autem, Sa… olete, &c. who, in his Epiſtle to Cardinall Sadolet, hath thus; I, for my part, profeſſe to be one of them, whom you do ſo hoſtilely in veigh againſt; for although I was called thither (i. to Geneva) after the Religion was ſetled,Tametſi enim conſtituta ſam religione, ac correcta Eccleſiae forma illuc vocatus fui: quia tamen quae à Farello ac Vireto geſti erant, non modò ſuffragio meo comprobavi, ſed etiam, quantum in me ſuit, conſervare ſtuduē ac confirmare, ſeparatam ab illis cauſam habere nequoo, &c and the forme of the Church corrected; yet, becauſe thoſe things which were done by Farell and Viret, I did not onelyonly by my ſuffrage allow, but, what in me lay, laboured to conſerve and ratifie, I cannot hold my cauſe any whit different from theirs. Thus he. So as he profeſſeth onelyonly to be the Nurſe-father of that iſſue, which was begot by a meaner Parent. It is true, thoſe other were men of note too, but for ought I know, as much for their exuberance of zeale, as for any extraordinary worth of parts Farell indeed was called Flagellum ſacrificulorum, the ſcourge of Maſſe-Prieſts, and what he did for the reformation of Religion, I am as apt to acknowledge and applaud as the forwardeſt; But, that he preacht ſomewhere in the very ſtreets,Sp…nhem. Geneva Reſtituta. and even (Quam vis renitente magiſtratu) in Saint Peters Church, was not to be brag'd of by himſelfe or his friends.F…emente interim an m…ginā. te plebe, Ibid. And in his violent carriage in the animating of the people to the outing of their Biſhop Pet Balms; (though perhaps faulty enough) and the introducing of this new forme of government:Natus Vapine… , noto Delphinatus oppido. Idem: I wiſh he had lived and died in his Vapincum. His Coadjutor in this worke was (I perceive) one Antho. Frumentius, vehement young man, who was ſet up by the people to preach upon a Fiſhſtall; and no doubt equally heartned his auditors to this tumultuous way of proceeding; but then, when Viret came once into the file, here was, at the leaſt, fervour enough. The ſpirit of that man is well ſeene in his Dialogue of White Divels; theſe were the founders of that Diſcipline; men of eminence wee muſt believe, but farre inferiour to Calvin, who came into Geneva, firſt as a Lecturer, or Preacher, and then became their Paſtour,: inſomuch as Zanchy reports, when Calvin preacht at S. Peters, and Viret at S. Gervaſes, concurrent Sermons, a Frenchman aſked, why he did not come ſomtimes, and heare Viret,Zanch. Epiſt. ad Miſc. Citat in Surv. Diſc. anſwered, Si veniret Sanctus Paulus, qui eâdem horâ concionaretur, quâ & Calvinus, ego, relicto Paulo, audirem Calvinum: If Saint Paul ſhould come and preach in the ſame houre with Calvin, I would leave Paul, and heare Calvin; which was ſpoken like a good blaſphemous zelote: But it is not to be wondered at in men of ſuch ſpirits.Calvin. Farello I told you before what Calvin himſelfe writes to Farell; There was one at Baſil who profeſſed to attribute non minus Farello quàm Paulo, Not leſſe to Farell, than to Saint Paul. O God, whither doth mad zeale hurry men? It appeares then, that Farell and Viret roughhew'd this ſtatue, which Calvin after poliſhed; wee now know, Conſulem, ac Deim, and I doubt not but ſome doe yet live, who might know the man. For me, although I have not age enough to have knowne the Father of this Diſcipline, yet one of the Godfathers of it, I did know; who after his peregrination in Germany and Geneva, undertooke for this new-borne infant at our Engliſh Font; under whoſe Miniſtrie my younger yeares were ſpent:Trouble of the Engliſh Church at Frankfort. in marg. The zeale of A. G. The authour of that bitter Dialogue betwixt Miles Monopodius, and Bernard, Blinkard, one of the hotteſt and buſieſt ſtickers in theſe quarrels at Frankfort. So young is this forme of government, being untill that day unheard of in the Chriſtian world; in which name Peter Ramus (though a man cenſured for affecting innovations in Logicke and Philoſophie) is (if we may credit his old friend Carpentarius) ſaid to diſlike it, and to frump it by the name of Talmud Subaudicum.
I cannot be ignorant of the common plea of the pretenders, that ſo farre is this forme from novelty, as that it was the moſt ancient, and firſt modell of Churchr-government under the Apoſtles. Thus they ſay, and they alone ſay it; All they have to ſay, more, in colour of reaſon, for it, is, That the twelve Apoſtles themſelves were all equall: What then? If their pretended forme were bred From thence; where hath it lien hid all this while till now? That, they can tell you too: VnderUnder the tyranny and uſurpation of Antichriſt. Deare Chriſtians, I hope, you now believe it; that the very Apoſtles themſelves, who lived to ſee and act the eſtabliſhment of Epiſcopacie, would betray the Church, at their parting, to that man of ſin: That all the holy Fathers and Martyrs of the Primitive Church, were either, through ignorance, or will, guilty of this ſacrilegious treachery; that all the eyes of the whole world were blind, till this City (which was once indeed dedicated to the Sun, and beares it ſtill for her emblem) inlightened them; and if ye can believe theſe ſtrange ſuggeſters, wonder ye at them, whiles I doe no leſſe wonder at you.
But with all give me leave to put you in mind, that this is a ſtale plea for more vnholy opinions than one. The Anabaptiſts, when they are urged with the Churches ancient practice of baptizing of infants, ſtraight pretend, that this ill guiſe was brought in by Popery, and is aparcell of the myſtery of iniquity;Prolaeus. Feſciculo, &c. the New-Arrians of our times, helliſh hereticks, when they are preſſed with the diſtinction of three perſons, in the Deity, and one infinite Eſſence, ſtraight cry out of Antichriſt, and clamour, that this doctrine was hatched under that ſecret miſtery of iniquity; the Father of the Familiſts, H. N. Ibid.a worſe divell, if poſſible, than they, in his Evangelium Regni, ſings the very ſame note,Evang. Regni. for his damnable plot of doctrine, and government; ſadly complaining of Antichriſt and that the light of life hath lien hid under the mask of Popery, until this day of love; and now he coms to erect his Seniores ſanctae intelligentiae, Elders of the holy underſtanding, and his other rabble.
Beware therefore, I adviſe you, how you take up this challenge, but upon better grounds; diſgrace not Gods Truth with the odious name of Antichriſtianiſme; honour not Antichriſt with the claime and title of an holy Truth; Confeſſe the device new, and make your beſt of it; But if any man will pretend this governmet hath beene in the world before, though no footſteps remaine of it in any hiſtory or record, he may as well tell me, there hath beene of old a paſſage from the Teneriffe to the Moone, though never any but a Gonzaga diſcovered it.
§. 8.
A Recapitulation of the ſeverall heads; and a vehement exhortation to all Readers; and firſt to our Northerne brethren.
NOw then I beſeech, and adjure you, my deare brethren, by that love you profeſſe to beare to the Truth of God, by that tender reſpect you beare to the peace of his Sion, by your zeale to the Goſpell of Chriſt, by your maine care of your happy account, one day, before the Tribunall of the moſt righteous Iudge of the quick and dead; lay every of theſe things ſeriouſly together, and lay all to heart: And if you finde that the government of Epiſcopacie eſtabliſhed in the Church, is the very ſame, which upon the foundation of Chriſts Inſtitution, was erected by his inſpired Apoſtles, and ever ſince continued unto this day, without interruption, without alteration; If you finde that not in this part of the Weſtern Church alone, into which the Church of Rome had diffuſed her errours, but in all the Chriſtian world; farre and wide, in Churches of as large extent as the Roman ever was, and never in any ſubmiſſion to her, no other forme of government was ever dreamed of from the beginning; If you finde that all the Saints of God, ever ſince, the holy Martyrs, and Confeſſors, the Fathers, and Doctors, both of the Primitive and enſuing Church, have not onelyonly admitted, but honoured, and magnified this onelyonly government, as Apoſtolicall; If all Synods and Councels that have been in the Church of God, ſince the Apoſtles time, have received and acknowledged none but this alone; If you finde that no one man from the dayes of the Apoſtles till this age ever opened his mouth againſt it, ſave onelyonly one, who was for this cauſe amongſt others, branded and diſcarded for an heretick; If you finde that the ancient Epiſcopacie, even from Mark, Biſhop of Alexandria, Timothy, Biſhop of Epheſus, and Titus of C…ete, were altogether in ſubſtance the ſame with ours, in the ſame altitude of fixed ſuperiority, in the ſame latitude of ſpirituall juriſdiction; if you finde the Laicke Presbytery, an utter ſtranger to the Scriptures of God; a thing altogether unheard of in the ancient times, yea, in all the following ages of the Church; If you finde that Invention full of indeterminable uncertainties; If you finde the practice of it neceſſarily obnoxious to unavoydable imperfections, and to groſſe abſurdities, and impoſſibilities; Laſtly, if you finde the device ſo new, that the firſt authours and abettors of it are eaſily traced to their very forme, as thoſe that lived in the dayes of thouſands yet living; If you finde all theſe, (as you cannot chooſe but finde them) and many weighty conſiderations moe, being ſo clearly laid before you, I beſeech you ſuffer not your ſelves to be led by the noſe, with an vnjuſt prejudice, or an over-weening opinion of ſome perſons, whom you thinke you have cauſe to honour; but without all reſpects to fleſh and blood, weigh the cauſe it ſelf impartially in the ballance of Gods Sanctuary, and judge of it accordingly. VponUpon my ſoul, except the holy Scripture, Apoſtolicall acts, the practice of the ancient Church of God, the judgement of all ſacred Synods, of all the holy Fathers, and Doctors of the Church, all grounds of faith, reaſon, policie, may faile us; we are ſafe, and our cauſe victorious.
Why then, O why will you ſuffer your ſelves to be thus impetuouſly carried away, with the false ſuggeſtions of ſome miſ-zealous teachers, who have (as I charitably judge of ſome of them, whatſoever grounds the reſt might have) over run the truth in a deteſtation of error: and have utterly loſt peace in an inconſiderate chace of a fained perfection; For you, my Northerne brethren (for ſuch you ſhall be, when you have done your worſt) if there were any foul perſonal faults found in any of our Church-governours, (as there never wanted aſperſions, where an extermination is intended) alas, why ſhould not your wiſdome & charity have taught you to diſtinguiſh betwixt the calling, & the crime? were the perſon vicious, yet the function is holy: why ſhould God & his cauſe be ſtricken, becauſe man hath offended, & yet to this day no offence proved? Your Church hath been anciently famous for an holy and memorable Prelacie, and though it did more lately fall upon the diviſion of Dioeceſes;D. Henr. Spelman ex Hectore Boetio. Anno 840. ſo as every Biſhop did in every place (as opportunity offered) executo Epiſcopall offices (which kinde of Adminiſtration continued in your Church till the times of Malcolme the third) yet this government over the whole Clergie, was no leſſe acknowledged than their ſanctimony; after the ſetling of thoſe your Epiſcopall Sees, it is worth your note, and our wonder, which your Hector Boetius writes; Sacer Pontificatus Sancti Andreae tanta reverentia, &c. The Biſhoprick of St. Andrewes, was with ſo great reverence, and innocence of life, from the firſt inſtitution of it, in a long line of Epiſcopall ſucceſſion continued to the very time, wherein we wrote this; That ſix and thirty, and more, of the Biſhops of that See were accounted for Saints: Good Lord! How are either the times altered, or we? There may be differences of carriage; and thoſe that are Oxthodoxe in judgement, may be faulty in demeanour; But I grieve and feare to ſpeak it; There is now ſo little danger of a Calender, that no holineſſe of life could excuſe the beſt Biſhop from being ejected, like an evill ſpirit, out of the boſome of that Church. Deus omen, &c.
In the name of God, what is it, what can it be that is thus ſtood upon? Is it the very name of Epiſcopacie, which (like that of Tarquin in Rome) is condemned to a perpetuall diſuſe? What hath the innocent word offended? Your own Church, after the Reformation, could well be contented to admit of Superintendents; and what difference is here (as Zanchius well) but that good Greek is turn'd into ill Latin;foreign, Superintendens Their power, by your owne allowance and enacting, is the ſame with your Biſhops; Their Dioeceſes accordingly divided; their reſidence fixed: viz. The Superintendent of Orkney; his Dioeceſſe ſhall be the Iſles of Orkney, Catneſſe, and Strathnever; his Reſidence in the town of Kirkwall. The Superintendent of Roſſe; his Dioeceſſe ſhall comprehend Roſſe, Sutherland, Murray, and the North Iſles, called the Skye, and Lewes, with their adjacents; his reſidence ſhalbe the Canonry of Roſſe. The Superintendent of Argile, his Dioeceſſe ſhall be Argile, Kintire, Lorne, the South Iſles, Argile, and Boot, with their adjacents; his reſidence is at Argile. The like of the Superintendent of Aberdene; the Superintendent of Breckin; the Superintendent of Fiffe; the Superintendent of Edinburgh; the Superintendent of Iedburgh; the Superintendent of Glaſgow; the Superintendent of Dumfreys; all of them bounded with their ſeverall juriſdictions; which who deſires to know particularly, may have recourſe to the learned Diſcourſe of D Lindſey, then Biſhop of Brechen, concerning the proceedings of the Synod of Perth; Where he ſhall alſo finde the particularities of the function and power of theſe Superintendents: Amongſt the reſt, theſe; That they have power to plant and erect Churches, to ſet, order, and appoint Miniſters in their Countreys; That, after they have remained in their chiefe townes, three or foure moneths, they ſhall enter into their Viſitation; in which they ſhall not onelyonly preach, but examine the life, diligence, and behaviour of the Miniſters: as alſo they ſhall trie the eſtate of their Churches, and manners of the people; They muſt conſider how the poore are provided, and the youth inſtructed, they muſt admoniſh where admonitions need, and redreſſe ſuch things, as they are able to appeaſe, They muſt note ſuch crimes as are hainous, that by the cenſures of the Church the ſame may be corrected. And now, what main difference, I beſeech you, can you finde, betwixt the office of theſe Superintendents, and the preſent Biſhops? How comes it then about, that the wind is thus changed? That thoſe Church-governours, which your owne reformers with full conſent allowed, and ſet downe an Order for their Election in your Conſtitutions before the Book of Pſalms in Meeter; ſhould now be caſhiered? There, and then, M. Knox himſelfe, whoſe name you profeſſe to honour, by the publike authority of the Church, conceives publike prayer for M. Iohn Spotteſwood then admitted Superintendent of Lothian, in theſe words; O Lord, ſend upon this our Brother (unto whom we doe in thy name commit the chiefe charge of the Churches of the diviſion of Lothian) ſuch a portion of thy holy Spirit, as that, &c. And, in the name of the Church, bleſſeth his new Superintendent, thus; God that hath called thee to the office of a watchman over his people, multiply the gifts of his grace in thee, &c. Now I beſeech you, how is this Superintendency loſt? That which was then both lawfull, and uſefull, and confeſſed for no other then a calling from God, is it now become ſinfull and odious? Are we become ſo much wiſer, and more zealous than our firſt reformers, as there is diſtance betwixt a Superintendent, and no Biſhop? But what? is it the ſtroake the Biſhops have in government, and their ſeat in Parliament, which is ſo great an eye-ſore? Let me put you in mind, that your greateſt patrons of your deſired Diſcipline have ſtrongly motioned an Eccleſiaſticall Commiſſion for the over-looking and over-ruling your Conſiſtories; and even when they would have Biſhops excluded both out of thoſe Comitiall Seſſions,Moved alſo to the Lords of the Counſell in Q Eliz. time by the humble Mot. and out of the Church, yet have moved (ſuch was Beza's device long ſince for Scotland) That in the place of Biſhops there might be preſent in the Parliament-houſe, ſome wiſe and grave Miniſters of ſpeciall gifts and learning, ſorted out of all the land, to yeeld their Counſell according to Gods heavenly Law, even as the Civill Iudges are ready to give their advice according to the temporall Law; and for matters of greater difficulty. What a world is this? Grave and wiſe Miniſters, and yet no Biſhops? Doth our Epiſcopacie either aboliſh our Miniſtery, or detract ought from wiſdome and gravity? Away with this abſurd partiality. But theſe muſt be to adviſe, not to vote; in any caſe beware of that, where then is the third eſtate? Beza's Counſell, we ſee, is yet alive, but it comes not home to the purpoſe; Welfare that bold Supplicator to Q. Elizabeth, which moved, that foure and twenty Doctors of Divinity, to be called by ſuch names as ſhould pleaſe her Highneſſe, might be admitted into the Parliament Houſe, and have their voices there, inſtead of the Biſhops. O impotent envie of poore humoriſts; Doctors, but no Biſhops,; Any men, any names, but theirs; the old word is, Love creepes where it cannot goe; How much are we beholden to theſe kinde friends, who are ſo deſirous to eaſe us of theſe unproper ſecularities? Even ours at home can nibble at theſe (as they think) ill-placed honours, and ſervices; yours goe (alas) too roundly to worke; ſtriking at the root of their Epiſcopacie, not pruning off ſome ſuperfluous twigs of priviledge, & rather than not ſtrike home, not caring whom they hit in the way; would God I might not ſay, even the Lords Anointed, whom they verbally profeſſe to honour; at whoſe ſacred Crowne and Scepter, if any of the ſons of Belial amongſt you do ſecretly aime, whiles they ſtalke under the pretence of oppoſition to Epiſcopacie, the God of heaven find them out, and powre upon them deſerved confuſion But for you, alas, Brethren, what hopes can I conceive, that theſe pre-judged papers can have any acceſſe to your eyes, much leſſe to your hearts; my very Title is barre too much: But if any of you will have ſo much patience, as to admit theſe lines to your peruſall, I ſhall beſeech him for Gods ſake, and for his own, to be ſo farre indifferent alſo, as not upon, groundleſſe ſuggeſtion, to abandon Gods Truth and Ordinance; and out of meere opinion of the worth of ſome late Authour, to adore an Idoll made of the earings of the people, and faſhioned out with the graving toole of a ſuppoſed skilfull Aaron: Shortly, after theſe poore well-meant (howſoever, I doubt, ineffectuall) endeavours, my prayers ſhall not be wanting for your comfortable peace, loyall obedience, perfect happineſſe. Oh that the God of heaven would open your eyes, that you may ſee the truth; and compare what you have done, with what you ſhould doe, how ſoone would you finde cauſe to retract your own decrees; and to re-eſtabliſh that true Ordinance of the living God, which you have beene miſ-induced to abandon.
§. 9.
An exhortary concluſion to our brethren at home.
ANd for you, my dearely beloved Brethren, at home; For Chriſts ſake, for the Churches ſake, for your ſoules ſake, be exhorted to hold faſt to this holy Inſtitution of your bleſſed Saviour, and his unerring Apoſtles; and bleſſe God for Epiſcopacie. Doe but caſt your eyes a little back, and ſee what noble inſtruments of Gods glory, he hath beene pleaſed to raiſe up in this very Church of ours, out of this ſacred vocation: What famous ſervants of God, what ſtrong Champions of Truth, and renowned Antagoniſts of Rome, and her ſuperſtitions; what admirable Preachers; what incomparable Writers; yea, what conſtant and undaunted Martyrs, and Confeſſours; men that gave their blood for the Goſpell, and imbraced their fagots, flaming; which many gregarie Profeſſours held enough to carry cold and painleſſe: To the wonder and gratulation of all forraigne Churches, and to the unparallelable glory of this Church, and Nation. I could fill this page with ſuch a Catalogue of them, who are now in their heaven, that come for the preſent to my thoughts; (beſides thoſe Worthies yet living, both here, and in Ireland, who would be unwilling from my pen tO bluſh at their owne juſt praiſes) as might juſtly ſhame and ſilence any gaine-ſayer. After that a malicious Libeller hath ſpit out all his poyſon againſt Epiſcopacie, and raked together, out of all hiſtories, all the inſolencies, and ill offices, which have, in former ages, been done by profeſſedly Popiſh Prelates (which do almoſt as much concerne us, as all the Treaſons and Murders of formerly male-contented perſons can concerne him) faine would I have him ſhew me, what Chriſtian Church under heaven, hath, in ſo ſhort a time, yeelded ſo many glorious Lights of the Goſpell, ſo many able and prevalent adverſaries of Schiſme and Antichriſtianiſme; ſo many eminent Authours of learned workes, which ſhall out-bid time it ſelfe, let envie grinde her teeth, and eat her heart, the memory of theſe worthy Prelates ſhall be ever ſweet and bleſſed. Neither doubt I but that it will pleaſe God, out of the ſame rod of Aaron ſtill to raiſe ſuch bloſſomes, and fruit, as ſhall win him glory to all eternity: Go you on to honour theſe your reverend Paſtors; to hate all factious withdrawings from that government, which comes the neareſt of any Church upon earth to the Apoſtolicall. And (that I may draw to Concluſion) for the farther Confirmation of your good Opinion of the Biſhops of your Great Britaine, heare what Iacobus Lectius, Iacob. Lectius. Praſcriptionum Theologicarum l. 2. Nota. 2.the learned Civilian of Geneva in his Theologicall Preſcriptions, dedicated to the Conſuls, and Senate of Geneva, ſaith of them, De Epiſcoporum autem veſtorum vocatione, &c. As for the calling of your Biſhops (ſaith he) ſpeaking to his Popiſh adverſaries) others have accurately written thereof, and we ſhortly ſay, that they have a ſhow of an Ordinary Miniſtery, but not the thing it ſelfe, and that thoſe onelyonly are to be held for true and legitimate, which Paul deſcribes to us in his Epiſtles to Timothy and Titus, Cujuſmodi olim in magno illo Britanniarum regno extitiſſe, at que etiamnum ſupereſſe, ſubindeque eligi Epiſcopos non diffitemur; Such kind of Biſhops as we doe not deny, but yeeld, to have been of old, and to be ſtill at this day, ſucceſſively elected in the great Kingdome of Britaine: Thus he: when Geneva it ſelfe pleades for us, why ſhould we be our owne adverſaries? Let me therefore confidently ſhut up all, with that reſolute word of that bleſſed Martyr, and Saint, Ignatius: foreign. Let all things be done to the honour of God; Give reſpect to your Biſhop, as you would God ſhould reſpect you. My ſoule for theirs which obey their Biſhop, Preſbyters, Deacons; God grant that my portion may be the ſame with theirs. And let my ſoule have the ſame ſhare with that bleſſed Martyr that ſaid ſo. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Joseph Hall, Episcopacy by Divine Right Asserted (1640)