Episcopacy by Divine Right Asserted, Part 2 · Section 12
§. 12.
The teſtimony of the Ancient Canons, called the Apoſtles.
YEt perhaps if Ignatius went alone, he might herein incurre ſome ſuſpicion; now all antiquity is with him, never any ancient Author ſaid otherwiſe: We will begin with thoſe Canons which are inſtyled (foreign) of the holy and moſt venerable Apoſtles; Surely if not theirs, yet of ſome Apoſtolicall men, near to their times, worthy even for their age and authority to be reverenced of all Chriſtians, as the moſt credible witneſſes of the ſtate of thoſe Primitive times. In them (beſides the note of profeſſed diſtance) betwixt the Biſhops and Presbyters proclaimed in every Chapter) there are thoſe which do imply a power and Iuriſdiction, as Can: 15.Can. 15. If any Presbyter or Deacon,foreign. or any of the number of Clerks, leaving his diviſion (or Pariſh) ſhall go to another,foreign. and without the leave or allowance of his own Biſhop abide in another Pariſh (or charge) we forbid him further to Miniſter, eſpecially if when his own Biſhop calls him back, he refuſes to return, continuing ſtill perverſe. And again in the next; If any Biſhop with whom ſuch a Clerk ſhall ſtay, ſhall there keep him againſt this decreed Ceſſation, Let him, as a maſter of diſorder, be barred from Communion. And Can: 32. If any Presbyter contemning his own Biſhop, ſhall hold Conventicles apart, and ſhall erect an other Altar, when he hath no juſt exception againſt his Biſhop, in matter of Religion or Juſtice, Let him be depoſed (foreign) as a man that affects to rule, for he is a Tyran. And Can: 33. If any Presbyter or Deacon ſhall, by his own Biſhop be put from his place, it is not lawfull that he be received by any other, but only of him that formerly diſcharged him, except perhaps, the Biſhop that put him out be deceaſed. And becauſe it was ſo early perceived, that even amongſt the Biſhops themſelves, an equality might breed confuſion; It is enacted in the 35 Canon, That the Biſhops of all nations ſhould know him that was (foreign) the prime amongſt them, and eſteem him as their head, and do nothing without him. Shortly Can: 39: it is ordained, That the Biſhop ſhould take the charge and care of all the affairs belonging to the Church, and diſpence them as in the preſence and view of God Almighty; and in the 40 Canon, Let the Presbyters and Deacons do nothing beſides the liking, and allowance of their Biſhop: for the people of God are committed to him, and an account muſt be required of him for their ſouls.
Hear this now, ye that pretend there is ſo much difference betwixt the ſtate of our Biſhops, and the Primitive; What do we challenge more than the Apoſtolike Canons injoyn, what do they preſcribe leſſe than we challenge? There is a power over the Clergie; a power of diſpoſing them to generall ſtations, a power of depoſing, or ſequeſtring them (upon juſt demerits) from thoſe charges; a power not to over-ſee only, but to regulate their Clergie; a power to manage all Eccleſiaſticall affairs; and if this be no rule no Juriſdiction, we claim none.
Certainly, no wit of man can deviſe any Evaſion here, but by exception at the credit of the Evidence; Loud clamours are raiſed of their Counterfayſance; Rather than fail, Pope Gelaſius himſelf is brought in to diſprove theſe Canons, as Apocryphall; And they that do moſt eagarly cry the Pope down, for the Antichriſt, are readieſt to plead his authority againſt their brethren: Not conſidering the Pope herein (Vafer Afer) as Fregevill juſtly calls him, drave his own Plough; for nothing could more cut him in the affectation of his Supremacy, than thoſe Canons, which therefore it is no marvell if he diſparage. The truth is, whereas there are 85 of thoſe Canons, in more than one Edition, 50 of them are moſt ancient and legitimate, the other 35 later and Superious. With this diſtinction Binius anſwers the cenſure of his Pope; The 50 firſt, ſaith he, are received as authenticall, by the ancient Popes, Councels, Fathers, as containing Orthodox doctrine; The other later are condemned by Gelaſius. Indeed ſuch age and worth plead for the firſt ranke,Iſidor. praefat. ad Collect. Canonn. that as Iſidorus truly; The holy Fathers confirmed their acts by Synodall authority, and placed them amongſt Canonicall Conſtitutions. If any man deſire full information concerning the antiquity, and authentiqueneſſe of theſe Canons, I remit him to Fregivillaeus, Fregivil. palma Chriſtiana.where he ſhall finde how many of theſe Canons were transferred into, and approved, and cited by the Councels of Nice, Gangra and Antioch, not without the very Appellation of Apoſtolicall; The like afterwards done by the Councels of Conſtantinople, Epheſus, Chalcedon, Orleans, Cabilon; There he ſhall finde them cited (for ſuch) with approbation of Euſebius, Socrates, Theodoret, Sozomen; There he ſhall finde that Aurelius, Biſhop of Carthage made uſe of theſe Canons as the Teſt whereby to examine the Roman Popes decrees; that by theſe the African Fathers repelled the Popes Tyrannicall Uſurpation; but what ſhall I need to urge theſe Atteſtations, when Calvin himſelf, and Chamier, Calvin. Valde antiqui teſtes moris Eccleſiae. Inſtit. l. 4. c. 4.and every ingenuous Writer, confeſſe them to be of very great, and (therefore very reverend) Antiquity.