Exposition of the Apostles Creed, Part · Sermon 37

Exposition of the Apostles Creed · Part · Sermon 37

p. 477A Vindication of the Episcopal Power.

Hebr. 13.17.

foreign.

Obey them that have the Rule over you, [or guide] you, and submit [your selves] for they wait for your souls, as they that must give an account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.

THE Apostle had often in this Epistle made mention of Legal Sacrifices, and that foreign, they were out of date:Chap. 7.18. Well might the blood of a Bull or a Goat poured forth at the Altar, foretell and represent the precious blood of the Son of God to be shed upon the Cross, foreign, to make a bath for sin; but formally to produce such an effect it was too weak: This was not the end such a Sacrifice was ordained for.

What then? must Christians be foreign;Porphyr. Must they offer no Sacrifice at all? have nothing to bestow upon God? Yes verily, they have their Sacrifices also, something to offer. First, The Sacrifice of praise, Ver. 15. Then the Sacrifice of almes, Ver. 16. And lastly, The Sacrifice of Obedience, in the Ʋerse now read unto you. These three being offered upon the Altar of a pure heart, by and through his Son will delight and pacifie him; for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased.

1. foreign, It pleases him well that we spend some part of our lives in Devotion, and fet our lips awork to tell of his bounty and graces all the day long. It is the Tribute and Rent we are to pay him, and he is well-pleased when we come to tender it before his Foot-stool.

2. It pleases him well, when we spend some part of our means in contribution to his poor Members, and set our hands to work to make bread for the hungry, draw drink for the thirsty; to cut out cloth for the naked, and make salves and doses for the sick: These poor people are parts of that body of which Christ is the Head; and the Head is pleased, when the Foot is eased.

3. Lastly, It pleases him well, when the Elders that are in place Rule well, and they which are under obey, and submit to their Rules; when they that go before guide aright, and they that follow are well content to be led and guided: The diligent care of the one, and the ready submission of the other, give him great content. For the two first of these Sacrifices Saint Paul had given direction; but now for that of Thanks, and that other of Almes; and now he gives an order for the last, Obedience, foreign. To those there be that will more easily yield; for every man will grant that he is not worthy to live, who will not say so much as the Pharisee, God I thank thee; and that he hath not the bowels of a man in him, whom the misery of a man, a man like himself will not affect: But to the third the sullen nature of man is not e…sily drawn; to obey and submit are hard Lessons; Eritis sicut Dii; Gen. 3.5. Mat. 20.21. Mat. 23.6.Gen 3:5Matt 20:21Matt 23:6the Name of a God, and Place of a God is meat to be desired; and if that cannot be had, yet the right and left hand will be sought for; and when there is no hope of these, yet much shoving, and putting on, and shouldering there will be for the uppermost room, and chief seat. Luke 11.43.Luke 11:43Few men can be content to submit p. 478and come under, and take the lowest Room. It was the observation of the Attique Muse Xenophon, Xenoph. Cyrop. 1.that no great Monarchs, Potentates, and Despots, but even private Masters,foreign. Leg. Leunclan. who had but a servant or two, foreign; and that Shepherds and Herdsmen were in better case than Prelates; for their Cattel go whether they were driven, and feed where they are put, and willingly yield the profit of their Wool and Milk to su…h as take pains about them: whereas man is of a more rebellious disposition; for foreign. A precept then for the restraint of such an untoward humour was necessary, and a precept we have from the Spirit of God, Obedite Praepositis.

The Subject of this Ʋerse is foreign, Praepositi, those that Rule or Guide; and in it we are directed, 1. What is to be done unto them. 2. What is to be done by them.

1. To them two things are due. 1. Obedience. 2. Subjection; foreign & foreign; the Verbals of Saint Pauls Verbs, we must be perswaded by them, we must yield unto them.

2. By them likewise two things are to be done. 1. The one to men. 2. The other to God.

First, Over men they be set to keep Centinel, foreign, they are to be upon the Wall, and watch, when others are in their Beds; and wake, when ordinary men are asleep; for

foreign,

Ihad. β.foreign.

And their watch is so much more to be attended, because it is for the defence and safety of that which being lost, all's lost, the soul; foreign, they watch for your souls.

Secondly, To God likewise they owe a duty; Watchmen they are, but it is sub summo imperatore, under the Lord of Hosts, to him must they be accountable what passed in their watch; if ought were stollen by day, or slip't away by night, of their hands will he require it. Hence it is that at the great day of account two several passions may befall them, Joy and Grief, foreign & foreign, and both depend upon you.

1. If none of you be taken for disorderly persons in their watch, Their account will be with joy, and that is their end and aim; foreign: A comfort it will be to them to say at that day to their Lord, Of those that thou hast given me have I not lost one.

2. But if you be found in dissolute company, at unseasonable times, quarrelling and rioting, and drinking with the Drunken; if you be taken ever now and then stealing away to the Enemy, then we must bring you before our Lord, and th…ugh we do it foreign, yet done it must be, and afraid we are, lest at the account-day your blood be laid to our charge, that by our default our Master hath been at loss.

3. Then whatsoever become of us, you shall be but in an ill case; at loss we may be, have fewer Rayes in our Crowns, but you will be the greatest losers. God will hear our just Apology, that we watched out our time, and took the best way we could to Reform your disorders, but Reformed you would not be: With sighs and groans such a Bill as this must be put up by us, and God when he finds it true, will take revenge on you; foreign, and such an account will be altogether unprofitabl… for you.

The points then of this Text are evident.

First, the Supposition or Subject, foreign, those who are to Rule, those who are to Guide.

p. 479Secondly, A Mandate or Precept for O edience, for Submission, foreign.

Thirdly, Two things to be done by them.

1. One in this W…rld, Vigilare, to stand upon their watch, and look to such as God hath entrusted them with.

2. The other in the next, foreign, to give an account of their charge.

Fourthly, The Reasons to perswade men to yield to them; and in this place the Apostle hath twisted a four-fold Cord to tye men in obedience and subjection unto Prelates.

1. Because they have Curam animarum, They watch for souls.

2. Because they must foreign, account for souls.

3. Because it is their desire to pass their account with joy, with joy if you obey.

4. Because it is possible it may be otherwise a grievous account upon your disobedience; and if it come to that, it will be unprofitable for you. In all these Respects Obedite Praepositis, Those that are over you; and first of them.

foreign.] A word three times used in this Chapter, Verse 7, 17, 24. By the Latine Fathers rendred Praepositi; by Galenus out of the Syriack, Antistites; by the Rhemists, Prelates; by our Translatours, Those that Rule, or Guide. Neither have I read any Expositour either Ancient or Modern, who have not understood it of Church-Governours. Take Chrysostom's judgment for all;Chrysost. in 2 Cor. Hom. 15. As (saith he) a Civil Obedience to a Temporal Magistrate is commanded, and due by ver…ue of omnis anima, Rom. 13. So also is there an Obedience Spiritual enjoyned, and to be performed by the express letter of these words, foreign. And to say truth, it cannot be conceived that Saint Pau… intends any other; for it is of those he speaks, that invigilant animis, have curam animarum, and must account for them; it is of those, V…r. 7. That have spoken to us the Word of God; neither of which can directly agree to a Civil Power. It shall be then my postulatum, that Saint Paul's foreign, is no other than foreign, a Priest; not the Civil or Temporal, but the Spiritual Ecclesia…tical Guide & Ruler. A Ruler and a Guide; for the word carries it self indifferently unto both; and because both could not be well set in the Text [to guide] is by our Translatours placed in the Margent: And I will consider this S…ppositum in both Notions; either as Guides, or Rul…rs; and first as Rulers.

Those that Rule over you.] There cannot then either be an Anarchy or Parity in Gods Church; Rul…rs will exclude both.

1. The Church of God is a Society or Corporation made up of as many Limbs as Christians; and can any Society hold out long, when there is none to command in chief? Very nature hath …aught Birds, Beasts, and Bees to set a Master over them; ye…, and those who will not admit our Masters, wi l have a Master of their own; whence in the Lords Discipline as they use to grace it, executed by their Linsie Woolsie Vestry-Elders, a Lord they will have, a Superintendent, Pastors, Doctors, Elders; and whether the Deacon may set his foo… upon the holy ground, is not yet agreed on; without Government then they acknowledge they canno… stand.

2. And if there be Government, then there must be Governours: and where these, some to Rule, and some to be Ruled; for Superiority and Subjection are foreign, one cannot be conceived without the other; no Equality or Parity then; Praepositi will exclude that too, and the avoidance of confusion will require it; for if there be none to Rule, then there can be p. 480none to Obey; if none Positi prae, set above others, then there can be none to be under; and then there will be a mixt multitude confusedly packed together, without any Order, which God dislikes, who is the God of Order; and his Apostle contradicts,1 Cor. 14.40.1 Cor 14:40 who gives it out for a Rule, Let all things be done decently, and in order.

1 Cor. 15.41.1 Cor 15:41In Heaven you shall find Stars of different magnitudes, and different lustre, Stella à Stellâ gloriâ differt. Disparity there is among those Lamps; in the Hierarchy of Heaven, Angels in nature equal, in Office unequal; Angels and Archangels, Ephes. 1.21. Colos. 1.16.Eph 1:21Col 1:16Cherubims and Seraphims, Thrones and Powers, &c. A sweet order and obedience among them; if not ex praecepto, yet ex consilio; some to command, others to execute: Disparity among those blessed spirits; nay, Hell it self cannot admit a Parity; those damned Ghosts must have their Prince of darkness,Gassend. exc. in Fludd. Phi. cap. 16. and he his Angels under him, or else his Kingdom would come to ruine. Our Fratres Roseae Crucis, as if they had lately raked Hell, tell us of nine Classes of evil spirits: Disparity there is among Divels.

I come yet nearer: In the state of innocency, Man was not only set over all Creatures, Gen. 1.28.Gen 1:28Dominaberis, &c. but over his Wife too; he even then must Rule, and she must Obey; when the World consisted but of two single persons, a Parity might not be admitted. I need not go farther than our own bodies; Quam impar sibi, of what different parts is a man made! the head is plac'd in chief, the eyes keep watch, the hands execute, the feet lacky; that I name not our uncomely parts, nor yet how the foreign, should Rule within, and command the foreign. And it hath pleased the Holy Ghost to make choice of this last Resemblance of our own bodies, to teach us, that as in the Natural,1 Cor. 12.14, 15, 16.1 Cor 12:141 Cor 12:151 Cor 12:16 so also in the Ecclesiastical body there must be a disparity; the foot must not step into the place of the hand, nor the ear quarrel with the e…e, nor all these mutinie against the head, but remain in an equal concord, though with unequal dignity.

And thus much is confess'd by our advocates for the vestry, who write oversea unto us, that it is an Essential and perpetual part of Gods Ordinance for each Presbytery to have a cheif among them. So Beza. So a learned man since,Beza in resp. ad Tract. de minist. grad. Pet. Moulin. Epist. 1. Constitutum est, ut in una Urbe, unus inter caeteros Presbyteros Episcopus vocaretur qui in suos collegas haberet praeeminentiam, ad vitandam confusionem quae ex aequalitate nascitur, which he took out of Calvinn. cap. 8. de fide, p. 52. Preheminence and priority they are content to grant; the question on…y is about the Person, and the Power: For we say that these Praepositi, who are to Rule, Calv. loc. cit. sect. 42.must be Bishops; they a Sanedrim, or Consistory of Presbyters, Pastors and Lay-Elders; these they would have to be the Subject of Ecclesiastical Power, whereas we confine it to the Clergy. It will not then be amiss to enquire what these Praepositi were in the primitive Church, and how they Ru…'d; for by it we shall vindicate our Church from the slanders of Martinism, and from the Razors of ignorant Innovators.

Our Saviour in his life-time had many followers, and out of them he made choice of seventy persons, John 6.66. Luke 10.1.John 6:66Luke 10:1whom he sent with a Commission two by two to preach where he was to com…. These he added over and above, because the Harvest was great, Matth. 9.37. Matth. 10.2.Matt 9:37Matt 10:2and the Labourers few; having made his first Election of twelve others, who being foreign, eye-witnesses of his Life, Death, and Resurrection, Tertull. de Praes. cap. 20.might be Legati à latere, instructed with gifts from him, and sent by him to plant and govern the Church. A distinction and imparity here is among our Praepositi, ordained by our Saviour himself, some higher, some lower;Hieron. ad Fabiol. de 42. Mansion. these by a general name called Discipuli, those other honoured with the high name of Apostles. Suppose that I now have brought you to Elim, Exod. 15. where you meet with twelve Wells of water, and seventy Palme Trees, with whose streams you may be refreshed, under whose shadows you may p. 481rest safely; or if you had rather, Moses twelve Princes, and his seventy El…ers, design'd to be Rulers of the people. Upon those it pleased God to be…ow a part of Moses spirit, that they might bear the burthen with Him; and upon these our Lord took some part of his power, and put it upon them, that so they might come in partem sollicitudinis, share with him in his loving labour.

The Disciples Commission was not at any time renew'd or enlarg'd for ough… we know, but the Apostles was, when they receiv'd a new Ordination, John 20. Their first Commission had a limitation in it, nay, a flat proh bition, Matth. 10.. 5 Ne eatis in viam gentium, they must then have larger power, and ampler instructions, before they could be Apostles:Cyril. in Jo. lib. 12. c. 55. Such they had granted them from their Masters own mouth, sicut me misit Pater, sic mitto vos; he sent to be the great Bishop of our souls, so they sent to be in that place under him; he Bishop, they Bishops. This was their mission, after that they received their Ordination; he breath'd on them saying, R… c…ive the Holy Ghost with a faculty to binde and loose; and las…ly, an ample Jurisdiction, Euntes docete omnes gentes; the inhibition was cancell'd,Mat. 28.19.Matt 28:19 Ne eatis iu viam gentium, quite struck out; the world was their Diocess, every one of them was now made an Oecumenical Bishop.

Bishops I say they were, even as the other seventy were Presbyters; and I blush not to call them so, for I know I speak the language of Antiquity. Clemens was near the time, and he knew what he said, Episcopos vicem Apostolorum gerere, Dominum doc…isse, Clem. Ep. 1. ad Corinth.& reliquorum dise pulorum vicem tenere Presbyteros debere; and he makes Peter the Authour of his words; and Damasus affirms the same, Epist. 5. & Leo. Ep. 92. sayes it over again. Did I need a Cloud of Witnesses, I could produce a faithful,Sixt. 1. Ep. 2. Cyp. lib. 2. Ep. 10. Aug. Euthy Hi…ron. in Psa. 44. Chrys. Serm. de anathemate. Act. 1.20.Ps 44Acts 1:20 consentient Testimony of O…thodoxal Fathers, who with one mouth should affirm, That Bishops were the Apostles Successours; and a man cannot succeed in that Office of which his Predecessour was not seiz'd. Bishops then the Apostles must be.

But why do I produce humane Testimony, when the Holy Ghost calls the Office to which they were set apart, foreign, Acts 1. Judas filled the Room, and upon the Vacancy a better man was Elected foreign; so is the Apostleship call'd there, as if an Apostle and a Bishop, in some sence, were convertible termes. And by the way I pray observe that the Elected Bishop Matthias, was one of the seventy Disciples;Euseb. lib. 1. 12. & lib. 2. c. 1. Dor…theus & Epiphan hae. 20▪ a Presbyter then before; which Order had it been equal with the B shopship, there had not needed a Lot from heaven to promote him to that place.

And the truth is, that the Dignity and Office of an Apostle and a Bishop hath no real and essential difference. Some personal preheminences there were Simul… & in solidum, so annexed to the Apostolic…l body, that they might not be communicated to their Successours; such were immediate vocation, infallibility of judgement, an ability to speak all tongues, and lastly, a generality of Commission; (which last though in actu primo, every Bishop hath: yet in actu secundo, he hath not, being by a Church-law tyed to a particular Sea) But in the ordinary Episcopal power they were and are the same, quâ rector, quâ o…dinator, every Bishop; even he at Eugubium, being the same with the chief Apostle.

2. This shall suffice for the Person; I next come unto the Power; for Ʋt vocaretur Episcopus, Moul. Ep. 2. Or such a one, Cu… specialiter dabant titulum Episcopi, Calv. loc. cit. S…ct. 52. to whom they gave the Name of Bishop will be granted: Upon ut sit, is the doubt; and how can there be a better Constat that the Bishop so call'd, was the same with ours p. 482now, than by examining in what manner he was set apart to this Dignity, and how he us'd it. For if it shall appear, that they were in a Solemn manner ordained to this Office, as ours are, and that being in the place they did discharge those Episcopal Acts which ours do, I know no reason, why any Innovatour should make ours only titular and nominal, and not real Bishops.

First, No man takes this Honour upon him, but he who is call'd as was Aaron, Heb. 5.4. Exod. 29.35.Heb 5:4Exod 29:35by a Solemn Ceremony set apart to God; after his Election, an Ordination he must have by a Solemn Imposition of hands; such the Old Bishops had; the Apostolical Canon enjoines that ordinetur à auobus, aut tribus Episcopis, Can. 1.and the 4. Can. of Nice, if it may be, that it be done ab omnibus Episcopis in Provinciâ. Had the Bishop receiv'd no more than foreign, or praeeminentiam, above other Presbyters, what needed here any new imposition of hands? In the conferring of other eminent dignities this is not done: Not to an Arch-Deacon, not to an Arch-Priest, not to an Arch-Bishop, all which are higher foreign, or steps in their several Orders. Evident therefore it is,That foreign was foreign, Vid. Bilson. c. 7. …. pag. 69. ad 72. Calv. de fide. Sect. 49. 1 Tim. 4.14.1 Tim 4:14 that since he who was in Orders afore, at the receipt of his Episcopal Function needs a new foreign, or rather foreign (which better avoids the Geneva Criticisme) a new imposition of hands, that with it he receives an Order in which he was not before, and foreign, to performe some special Act, with which before he might not intermeddle.

Hence it is, as our profound Andrews hath well observ'd, whose steps in this point I tread in, like little Julus, Haud passibus aequis: The word Consecration in the Creation of a Bishop,Winch. opus. pag. 168. was fetch'd è pontificali, out of a New Mint; the Old Church spake more to the point, when they wrote Clemens à Petro ordinatus, Jacobus Episcopus ordinatus, Cretae ordinatus, which answers unto the Greek foreign, which lest any Critique should Cavil at, is by St. Peter, Acts 10.41. us'd for Ordination, Jesus, saith he, appear'd not to all the people, foreign; and those were not elected by holding up of hands.

To collect all, an Ordination they had then, an Ordination we have now; by Bishops only then, by Bishops only now; imposition of hands used then, imposition of hands used now; by which there was a power given to execute some special Acts, which now only our Bishops can execute; and therefore why are not our Prelates in Office and Nature the same with theirs?

Two peculiars were especially reserv'd to them; power to Ordain, and power to Rule; which our Prelates justly vindicate as their own.

1. The authority of Ordination was in them. The words of the Grant are plain enough,Joh. 20.21.John 20:21 Sicut misit me Pater, &c. You I send, and none but you; you therefore may send others, and none but you; for he never can confer a power, that hath none in himself; de jure then to give Orders was in them.

And will you see de facto how they made use of this power? At Samaria upon the conversion by Philip, Act. 8.14, 15.Acts 8:14Acts 8:15there wanted a Presbytery; and Peter and John, men that had the Commission, were sent from Hierusalem to do that which Philip, though a Presbyter, and one of the Seventy, could not. Those two Bishops being arriv'd by pra…er,Dorotheus. Act. 8.17.Acts 8:17 and a Solemn Imposition of hands conferr'd upon them the Holy Ghost; i. e. bequeath'd to some power and authority to be Ministers in the Church of such holy things of which the Holy Ghost is Authour. And he who shall consider how ambitious Simon Magus was of this power, may less doubt of it, ver. 19. Compare with this Act. 11.19, 22.

p. 483No question St. Paul upon the conversion of the Ephesian Church ordain'd many Presbyters; for it cannot be conceiv'd, that he would leave so great a flock without their Shepherds; and yet had any of these, or all these joyntly power of Ordination, what need was there to appoint Timothy to be their Bishop, to separate him to that Office purposely, though not only, to impose hands? The like may be said of Titus in Cre…e, 1 Tim. 5.22.1 Tim 5:221 Tim. 5.

This evidence there is out of Scripture; but in Antiquity a whole Cloud of Witnesses, that the Apostles ordain'd not only Presbyters, but Bishops in every Church. Cl…mens at Rome, Polycarpe at Smyrna, Timothy at Ephesus, Titus at Crete, James at Hierusalem, Mark at Alexandria, Euodius and Ignatius at Antioch, &c. Neither did the Apostles live only to see this done, but they did it, they approv'd it. Ʋid. Winch. opusc. pag. 170. & Eliens. preface to the Sabbath.

And that you need not doubt but what they did was well done, the Holy Ghost design'd, consecrated, and set apart these Apostolique men to this Office. Posuit vos Spiritus Sanctus Episcopos, Act. 20.28.Acts 20:28are Saint Pauls words to the Bishops of Miletum; Hist. Trent. lib. 7. p. 548.out of which words Anthony Crosset at the Trent Assembly, aptly collects two things. 1. That Bishops were de jure divino; the Commission to execute their Office, was not from men; for so they should be hirelings only, that mans servants that set them awork; and so care were taken that he might be satisfied and contented, of any accompt to be made to God, the matter were not great. 2. Next, that the Bishops at Miletum were not of that number which were ordain'd by Christ, but either by St. Paul, or some other of the Apostles, and yet the Ordination is attributed to the Holy Ghost; what the prime Ordainers did, that the Holy Ghost approv'd; whom they made Bishops, he made Bishops; the Act is Attributed to him, and own'd by him, though executed by the Apostles hands.

2. This was the prime power granted to, and reserv'd in the Old Bishops; but another power they had, and that was foreign, to Rule the Church.foreign. The distinction in Nazianzen is obvious of foreign & foreign He calls the Priesthood foreign,Calvi… need not reject the word foreign. Inst. lib. ult. Sec…. 54. and the people foreign Should a Bishop speak so in these dayes, he would be held for a proud Prelate: Yet Joan. Euchait. joyns the King and the Patriarch, saying, foreign.

foreign then, and foreign Subjects they had, over whom they did Rule, but not they alone. For this must be granted,Amb. in. 1 ad Tim. 5. Hier. in Isa. 3.Isa 3 that the Bishops in divers Churches had their Colledge of Presbyters who did assist them▪ in their Ecclesiastical Government.

These by Ignatius are call'd foreign; by Hieron. Senatus Ecclesiae, in Tertul. Seniores, who foreign,Ad Tral. Apol. 39. and by their common Advice and Counsel the Church was governed; and I doubt not but the Presbyterium of which S. Paul makes mention 1 Tim. 4.…4. is to be understood of this Sacred Senate.

The Bishop was the Praepositus, set to Rule by God; the Co-Presbyters chosen by him to that purpose; what power they had they receiv'd from him, and therefore together with him they might sit and determine; but without him, or his authority, they might do nothing. Now this power was either preceptive, or corrective; Rule they might either praecepto or virgâ. These by Clem. are call'd foreign by Cyprian, Magisteria.

First, A precept or mandate; he alone, or else with them, might send out for what was to be done. Praecipe haec & doce, 1 Tim. 4.11.1 Tim 4:11praecipe tanquam Episcopus docendj & praecipiendj potestatem habens; but it must not be what he p. 484please; haec it must be, those things only which St. Paul taught him. To make Rules for obedience, or new Articles of Faith, is more than any Bishop can warrant: In the essential points of Faith there is una & irreformabilis regula; Tert. de vel. virgin. cap. 1.nor a virtual, nor a representative Head hath any power to command in these; the Praecipe of those that Rule, must not over-rule in this case. The more to blame then those praepositj, who have given out a praeceptum for twelve Articles more,Trent Council. and clap'd them to the body, requiring obedience and submission to these, as well as to the unalterable Rule formerly deliver'd.

But parts there are that are accessory, or rather appurtenances of Gods Worship, and in these we give power foreign, to our Reverend Prelates to enjoyn holy Ceremonies for Decorum and edification only, or for the beauty of holiness. Yea, but you will say, quo warranto? whence comes this power for this praecipe? shew for this Haec Dixit Dominus, and we will obey, we will submit. An unjust demand is this, to require that of us, which they themselves are not able to shew for their Magisterial Affirmative and Negative positions. It may suffice therefore reasonable men, that though in foreign, actually and particularly dixit Dominus for gesture, habit, place, and time, cannot be produced; yet in foreign, or a general position, a warrant there is for these; and the general Rule or Principle of Scripture in which thus much is virtually and potentially contain'd, is, Let all be done docently and in order.1 Cor. 14 ult.1 Cor 14

1. foreign, with that Decorum, gravity, and modesty, that becomes actions of that Nature, and with such Rites and Ceremonies as may stir up devotion.

2. And then foreign, in such order, that there be times appointed, and places consecrated for publick service, when and where the Priest must pray and preach, and administer the Sacraments, and the people hear with a silent devotion, pray with him, and reverently approach Gods Table. And for the external guiding of this whole action,Platform of new-Engl. c. 1. those that are to Rule in Gods Church, may and must send forth a precept and Command; and in case their precept be disobeyed, then they have a Rod or Corr…ctive power to Reform what is amiss; which by St. Paul to Titus, cap. 1. vers. 5. is called foreign, or a setting things to right; For this cause left I thee in Creet, foreign, that thou shouldst set in order what are l ft undone or wanting. Now, a man cannot set things in order that hath no Power, and his Power must extend to divers particulars.

First, He must have power to hear Complaints, and such a Bishop hath; what else did Dic Ecclesiae stand for?As the Consistorians urge it. what, shall men go tell a Tale to them that have no eares to hear?

Secondly, Next he must have authority to convent offenders, and examine, and determine the cause; otherwise it were but in vain to receive petitions, and give audience; and such power had the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, who was in a special manner entrusted with the Government of that Church,Rev. 2.2.Rev 2:2 and commended for his Tryal of the false Apostles, and finding them lyars. Those that had the light of Nature only to guide them, have discern'd this truth; and therefore even they had in matters of Religion their Priests for Judges, that I say nothing of the Rex Sacrorum, or collegium Pontificum, who in Religious Ceremonies ordered all among the Romans. In Greece there was over their Eleusinian mysteries, foreign,Hesych. Lys. in Andoc. or foreign, whose Office was foreign and if any man were found profane and negligent that way, he the next day after the great Feast, was to call a Court consisting p. 485perchance of the four foreign, and the ten foreign, who were to act their parts in this Solemnity, and to punish the Offenders. Andocides orat. foreign. Pollux. Lib. 8. Cap. 8. S…ct. 3. & Sect. 26.

Look into the 19th. of the Acts, and you shall find some such order to be easily garhered from the Town-clerks Apology. If (saith he) Demetrius and the Craftsmen had any matter of lay-cognizance against any man, Acts 19.38.Acts 19:38the Law was open, foreign, they were with a proconsular power, before whom they might implead one another: But if the action lay for other matters, as it here did, about Diana's foreign, Diety and Worship, whether she were foreign, or foreign, a plain Church-case, then a lawful Assembly there was, in which the matter was to be decided; and this foreign, was the Ephesian Consistory,Vide Selden. Marm. Arund. who had at that time the honour to be foreign, to be the superintendent for the whole service of this Goddess.

Shall men out of the strength of Reason hold it necessary to establish a Court, and appoint Judges to decide all matters incident to the external worship of their gods? And shall we then hold such an order more than needs, or such Officers superfluous in Gods Church? But I return from Ephesus to Corinth, and from their Pontifices to an Apostle; power this way he had, and reserved to himself;1 Cor. 5.3, 4.1 Cor 5:31 Cor 5:4 he would not have the Presbyters of Corinth proceed against the incestuous person, but in his spirit; i. e. in his Authority, the matter he had first heard, and upon hearing, he had decreed to deliver him to Satan.

Thirdly, For after a Trial and a Sentence, then the punishment must follow, in regard of which the other two acts do precede; and this punishment respects either the whole Flock in General, or else the Clergy in particular.

1. foreign, A Reproof doth well, 2 Tim. 4.2. But if that may not be heard, then a Bishop must go further, Take the Rod, and whip an obstinate impudent sinner out of the Church; this to the whole:1 Cor. 4. ult.1 Cor 4 But if the Offendor be a Clergy-man, then the punishment must be proportioned to his offence.

2. If he be foreign, one that did not build Hey and Stubble upon the Foundation, but alter the Ground-work quite,1 Tim. 1.3.1 Tim 1:3 an absolute prohibition must be served upon him, foreign, charge him that he do it not.

3. If he be foreign, such an one who foreign, steps up into a Pulpit, & magno conanime nugas, 1 Tim. 1.6.1 Tim 1:6though he quotes Chapter and Ʋerse for every word he sayes, yet he is far wide of the Mark; for 'tis to as much purpose, as the Divel alledged Scripture, O Timothy, Thou Man of God, foreign, be about him,2 Tim. 2.16.2 Tim 2:16 and put him to a strait.

4. If he be foreign, or foreign, a filthy Dreeamer, that will despise Dominion, and speak evil of dignities, Jude, ver. 8.Titus 1.9.Titus 1:9 A Leader of that company who separate themselves, Ver. 19. and subvert whole Families, Titus 1.11. Then foreign, it is Timothies duty, an oportet is laid upon him to put him to silence. And when neither a fair admonition, nor yet a prohibition, nor an inhibition will serve the turn, then either suspension, or deprivation, or degradation, which is an utter deposition from the Ministerial Function cannot be unseasonable.

True it is that the Character of the Priesthood is undelible, and therefore Saint Paul adviseth Timothy, Not to have foreign, not to be too light finger'd in imposing hands upon every head; for what grace was once conferr'd, could p. 486not be revok'd: Nevertheless the execution of this power may be stop't by him that gave it; so that the Orders being taken away, the degraded person hath no license in foro exteriori, to execute his Function: Neither is this course so harsh as it is conceived; for first, Thereby the unity of the Church is best preserved, which must be preferred before any mans interest. Secondly, Their offence is greater than it is taken to be; for it amounts to Nolle obedire; nay, to teach Nolle obedire to the Superiours command in adiaphorous points; upon which there follows a Schisme and Dissention, and a Rent in the Church: Why may not I therefore wish with Saint Paul, and the Prelates put to their helping hands to perfect this wish, Utinam abscindantur, Would they were rent off, Gal. 5.12.Gal 5:12which do thus rend asunder Gods people; for Non opus est Ecclesiae eo Ministro qui parêre nescit.

I have been I confess too tedious upon this point, but it is no more than needs; for it removes the exceptions, which may be put in to dissuade obedience to those that now Rule; for they carry the same names that they did, they are ordained in the same manner that they were, they assume to themselves no greater power than those Ancient Bishops had, either in Ordinations of Priests or Deacons, or for giving precepts for comeliness, and order in Gods worship; or else in hearing, conventing, sentencing, and correcting Offenders; and therefore Saint Paul's Mandate for obedience, must now be of force as well as when he gave it.

'Tis a saucy speech then of any mutinous Corah to come and tell his Aaron he takes too much upon him, when he assumes neither other Name or Power than the Scripture warrants, and the practice of the Church confirms; and yet there be who hold it a point of conscience to resist. By a scurrile kind of Martinism with them our Church is Babel, our Prelacy an Antichristian Corporation, and the whole state of our Clergy unruinated Towers of the City of Confusion; upon these speculations they grow contumacious, and separate, and cast in our Mothers teeth a Name which it grieves her good sons to hear. And would to God this Rebellion had stop't in Corah the son of Levi; like a gangrene it is farther spread; Dathan and Abiram, and On of the Tribe of Reuben are joyned with them; three of the people for one Priest refuse to come up.

I would advise such to hearken to the counsel of old Clemens, the Apostle (saith he) of our Lord foresaw that a contention there would be, Epist. 1. ad Corinth. p. 57, 58.foreign and therefore foreign, or as Mr. Young reads it, foreign, they assigned out the Bishops, Priests and Deacons places**Mr. Young in his Notes upon Clem. out of an Author which Master Petty brought out of Greece, saith, that Peter was in Britany, that foreign. Distinctly three orders. Not. ad pag. 8. pag. 53. Matth. 2.7. Isa. 30.21.Matt 2:7Isa 30:21; yea, and designed to them Successors. Thus it was when Clemens wrote, and this is with us now the order for Church-government; never go about now after so long possession to thrust these out of their Right, to get you a new Brood of Rulers; for foreign The Laique is bound to obey, and let those Bonds hold him; and so I will shake hands with this point, and come to consider foreign in the other Notion as they may be taken for Guides.

Secondly, Obey those that guide you.] The way to heaven is a hard way, and not easily hit; there may be many by-wayes and paths, and cross-wayes in it, and it may well be mist; had not a wise man therefore need to take a Guide along with him? And who is so fit to be a Guide as the Priest, whose lips ought to preserve knowledge? at his mouth thou oughtest to ask the way, whose duty it is to stand in the head of the way, and answer every Traveller that asks, Haec est via, ambulate in eá: But before we walk any farther, let us sit down and pause a little, and take notice of a direction or two, very useful for the Passengers and Guides.

p. 4871. The Passengers that would be led, ought to hearken to Joseph's counsel, See that they fall not out by the way; and especially about the way, when they are not to point it out, but those that guide them: The way they go in, is the way of peace; first pure, then peac…able; and it behoves them to carry themselves peaceably in it. Rubs and doubts if they found any in the way, so that they lie not in the plain beaten path that every man must go, (as God be thanked there lies but few in that; for in the mid'st of all disputes that lies fair enough) they need not turn aside to enquire about them; about other matters that lie aside of the way, soberly they may enquire, and fairly discuss, so that they go not out of the way of peace, and submit themselves to those that have Authority to be Guides in the way.

2. To submit I say, foreign, to those who are to guide them, which is the second direction for a Traveller, and very necessary: A Lesson often taught, but soon forgot; for the World is come to that pass, so old, that it needs no Guide, of age it is to go alone; or if any Guide at all, one of its own choosing; not foreign, not that hath Ducatum, as Cyprian speaks.Judg. 17.9, 10.Judg 17:9Judg 17:10 Let but a young man a Levite, who goes to so…ourn where he can find a place, hired for ten shekels, meat and cloaths, (a goodly prize to value a guide to heaven at) start up in an odde corner of the way, and cry, Lo here is Christ, or one of Jeroboam's Priests cross him on the other hand, and say, No,Mat. 24.23.Matt 24:23 he is there, the Guide set over them by God is forsaken presently; after those they go.

I can think no less than that the time of which Saint Paul foretold, is come, That men will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves Teachers, having itching ears; 2 Tim. 4.3, 4.2 Tim 4:32 Tim 4:4and that they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned to Fables. An foreign of our times, when as if men were all ears, they would convert their Guides into nothing but Tongues; alwayes they must be licking the itch that stirs there, and rub they must, and scratch, to allay their curiosity,foreign. not according to truth; for from that avertunt, they turn away; but preach they must ad sua desideria, as the Poet made his playes, Populo ut placerent quas fecisset Fabulas; Fables to please, not Truths to guide Gods people.Terentius.

And this is the true Reason that foreign, they heap Preacher upon Preacher, and Lecturer upon Lecturer, and Guide upon Guide: 2 Tim. 4.3.2 Tim 4:3'Tis not to be satisfied of the way, but to oppose and thwar't those that should keep them in the way; to pull back, and resist, rather than to yield and follow; the Guides appointed by God will not serve the turn: And why not these I pray as well as the other? what infallibility of judgment is there in a private Priest more than in a Bishop? Or which way went the Spirit of God from the Guide, to speak to him that must be guided? (for the best of them all who holds himself to be foreign, some goodly Master in Israel, and is consulted with as the only Guide, is under yet, and ought to be guided.Acts 8.10.Acts 8:10) They then take too much upon them, and the people attribute too much to them, when they enquire of them only, and neglect foreign, Aaron, that under God, is to lead and guide his people.

And these two Directions shall serve for the Passengers.

First, That they behave themselves quietly in the way.

Secondly, That they set not over them their own Guides, but content themselves with such quos praeposuit D…us.

Now for the foreign; those who are to be guides, a Rule or two will not do amiss.

1. That he be well acquainted with the way; for he is never like to lead aright, th…t knows not which way to go; 'tis not for a blind man to take upon him to lead the dark; for si coecus, coecum, Matth. 15.14.Matt 15:14easie it is to know where to find p. 488both. Ignorance in a Traveller may be borne with, but in a Guide it is unexcuseable, whence Saint Paul adviseth Timothy to be attentive to reading; 1 Tim. 4.13.1 Tim 4:13d…cat prius q…od alios doceat, that he learn before he teach; and continual reading was the w y to make him skilful about the way. And if Timothy, 2 Tim. 3.15.2 Tim 3:15that had l…arn'd t…e way from his youth, was yet to learn; then certainly other Guides far inferiour to Timo hy, must ply thei… Book better, and read more: by this means they come to know the way: But to know it is to little purpose, except he will be foreign, a Guide al…o in it; and a better way there cannot be to guide aright, than to lead he way in words and works. Saint P…ul requires in a Guide both; Be thou an example of the Believers, foreign, in Word and Conversati…n.1 Tim. 4.12.1 Tim 4:12

2. Go before in Word; the Word of God must be a Guide to him, otherwise he never will be a good Guide to them; he must be sure that what he delive…s, be sound and solid meat, pure and sincere truth, not serous and watery stuffe, in wh ch there is no spirit. The Apostle requires in a good Guide ability to divide the Word f God so ri…ht,2 Tim. 1.15.2 Tim 1:15 that every one have his portion; that the Bab…s have their milk, 1 Cor. 3.2.1 Cor 3:2the strong m…n their …olid meat; that it be Lucerna pedibus, a Lanthorn to the wandring foot, and a light to the …lind m…ns eye: Psal. 119.105.Ps 119:105So it should be, and so a good Guide will use it. But there be that tur… it to another use; from Rome we hear of foreign, at home foreign, Oratores Novi, Stulti Adolescentl…, everywhere foreign, that make it their practice to seduce: Those false Guides, if they make the Word any thing besides a Nose of wax, make a dark Lanthorn of it; these new and vain Guides while they labour among the people to divide the W…rd, make the Word a means to divide the people; all three of foreign, become foreign, or foreign Of D…ctores, Seductores; they neither walk aright themselves, nor any man that w…lks after them; whereas he who hath a care to be a true Leader of Gods people,1 Tim. 5.17.1 Tim 5:17 must labour in the Word and Doctrine; set his feet by that rule, foreign. Gal. 2.14. Fetch his Notes and Observations thence, and not b…ing them thither; what he fancies must not be …he way, but what God the chief Guide hath taught him; for then he shall be sure to go before his people in truth.

3. But to go before Gods people foreign, is not enough; a Guide must adde foreign, his Co…versati…n; and good example to; for otherwise he does but bid others go, he is no Guide, foreign, he leads not. The counsel …hen which Saint Paul gave at Mil…tum, cannot be ill taken, & Tibi & Gregi; Acts 20.28.Acts 20:28Take h ed to yo…r own feet first, an… to the steps of your Flock after; for I cannot be perswaded that he will have a conscionable care to lead his Flock without Errour, that never c…res how often, how fouly, how fat he steps out of the way himself. It was observed by Tertull…an, Tum denique auditur Philosophus cum videtur; De Pallio. cap. ult.not so much the position, as the disposition of the Preacher is hearkned to, the life being the strongest leading Reason. Your words and doctrine will prevail with the judicious only, and they are like a Ber…y or two in the top of an Ol…ve; but your foreign or foreign, Phil. 3. will draw the many after you,Isa. 17.6.Isa 17:6 Confessor Papa, Confessor Populus; and therefore you that are Guides,Cyprian. lo k you tread not awry; for the least dev…ation in a Guide, is like the Errour in a principle, Mille s…quuntur; the absurdity is scarce visible at first, but after it appears so vast, that no Art can cure it. Behold thou art confident that thou art foreign, a light to them that are in darkness, Rom. 2.19, 20.Rom 2:19Rom 2:20an in…ructer of the fool sh, a teacher of babes; glorious titles, and specious prerogat…ves; well now, thou that teachest another, &c. I forbear the rest,Euseb. Hist. lib. 6▪ cap. 2. desiring to conceal it for very shame: Pray yet I will, that Origens Encomium may be your Crown of Glory, who as he lived, so he taught; p. 489and as he taught, so he liv'd;Idem. lib. 7. Cap. 30. for we know as the Clergy of Antioch wrote to Rome, that the whole Order of Priesthood ought to be a pattern of good works unto the common people, that so they might de occursu suo vitia suffundere, as that African Master speaks, their very life might put sin out of countenance. Now could we find these duties performed by the Guides,De pallio cap. ult. it were no hard matter to perswade men to obedience and submission, which are the two duties the Apostle calls for.

foreign.] I never yet could encline to think there were Tautologies in Scripture; the Spirit by which those Sacred Oracles were inspired, was too wise foreign, to speak superfluously; hence it is that I distinguish these duties, and make them two, obedience, and submission, in respect of the objects to which they are referr'd. If those that are to Rule, give out precepts and directions for the policy of the Church, or the Decorum, or Order of Divine service, obedite then; in this case obedience is due. And if they do either foreign, or foreign, then yield to them; here submission is necessary; in a word, obedience active or passive, is there due.

1. But first Obedite, be obedient to their commands; for if you yield that, you shall not need to submit to their Censures. That severity takes no place, but upon supposal of your stubborn disobedience: Neither do the Act only, but do it from the heart, willingly do it; the very word of the Apostle will enforce that; it is not foreign, or foreign, the ordinary words for obedience, but foreign, a choice word, and full weight, be perswaded men to obey; not by a necessary compulsion, but out of a voluntary submission; let Reason and Religion perswade you to it, not the Rod, not the power, not the fear of the Superiour. God loves not that any duty be drawn from us as Ʋerjuice from a Crab; Rom. 13.5.Rom 13:5with much pounding and squeezing. Non propter iram, saith he; ira is the servants and hirelings Argument. In the conscience God sits as Judge, and considers what is done, and with what heart it is done; whether …ad oculum, or ex corde; and if it come freely and chearfully from us, then he is pleas'd with it, and he will reward it; but if otherwise, it is foreign, away with it, it stinks in his nostrils.

And I pray consider how necessary it is, that it be foreign, when to be perform'd to Prelates. Withdraw your submission to your Soveraign, or any of his Substitutes, and some Law or penal Statute shall bring you to it again; either loss of Liberty, Limb, or Life, or Estate, &c. will force you to submit. But with the Prelacy it is not so; Co-active power they have none, they claim none; compulsion they can use none; their authority is not regalis, but purè Ministerialis; perswade they must, and exhort they may; and chide they ought, and use the Church Rod, when any thing is amiss. In foro coeli, they can go no further. In foro soli, what you are forc'd more than this to endure, is done by vertue of the Civil Sword, put into their hands by the indulgence and favor of the Prince.

Now when the Ecclesiastical Arme will not reach home, if they make use of the secular, and give a blow with that, as afore with the other, yet you are bound to suffer and submit to both. To the secular, …y vertue of omnis anima, now put into their hands; to the spiritual, by the Apostles foreign here, to yield to their Rod, as well as their words;Rom. 13.1.Rom 13:1 foreign requires this last, foreign exacts the first. To submit, is within the Apostolical charge also.

2. foreign.] Subjacete, vulg. lat. Even put your hands under their feet to do them good; Concedite, Erasm. give way to their C…sures; if they require your helping hand, Ne detrahite, pull it not aside. Oecum. p. 490& Theophil. require the most exact obedience that can be expected by vertue of this word, for it signifies cedere, locum dare, se submittere, & obsequentem praebere.

The Master, (whose seal we have set upon our foreheads, and whose Name I hope is in our hearts) appears before an unjust Judge, was accus'd maliciously, condemn'd unjustly, crucified most ignominiously; and yet, what one ill word fell from his mouth? He revil'd not, but pray'd; pray'd for them that despitefully used him; and in a most pathetical manner, at the very last gaspe,Luk. 23.34.Luke 23:34 Pater ignosce. His servant Saint Paul being convented, sayes in his haste, Paries dealbate; but how suddenly, how coolely doth he recant?Act. 23 3.Acts 23:3 Brethren, believe me, Non novi, I knew it not that he was the High Priest; for this, saith he, ought not to be done; flat Scripture there is against it;Exod. 22.27.Exod 22:27 Non maledices, Thou shalt not speak …vil of the Ruler of thy p…ople. Both good examples to be well weighed by our furious spirits; for both these did nothing amiss, and yet were content to suffer under mal…cious, hypocritical Prelates: Whereas these men resist and do harm, and suffer too too seldom under a just Judge, and yet yield not. Michael the Arch-Angel who strove with the Devil about Moses body, Jude Epist. 9.shall rise up in Judgement against them, and condemn them; for he durst not b ing any rayling accusation against him, no not against the Devil, that unclean spirit: The sharpest word he spake, was, The Lord rebuke thee; he referred the matter to God,Naz. foreign. foreign, and to his Tribunal; foreign because he could not repay the whole, he remitted the whole Vengeance.

But these men do ill, and yet will not submit to suffer for it; and are highly guilty of the gainsaying of Corah, and yet for all that, are murmur…rs and complainers, Jude Ep. 16.walking in the…r own lusts, and their mouths speak proud sw…lling words, having mens persons in admiration, because of advantage: The Apostles direction then would be laid to heart by such, that since they cannot frame themselves to obey, they would be content foreign, to yield, and submit, and frame themselves to undergo that punishment which is due to gainsayers. This were the way, could they justifie their cause, to come in the L…st of Martyrs; whereas by their out-cries, and murmurs, their libels, and opprobious words (let their cause be what it will) they come in the compass of Revilers, and must lose the Crown of Patience.

Would to God the Authours of these scandalous Pamphlets and Rebellious distraction, in the Church, would lay to heart our Saviours words, Ʋae …lli per quem scandala fiunt: Mat. 18.7.Matt 18:7Zeale they would seem to have, and fired it is, but not about that which concer…es their salvation; they are foreign,1 Pet. 4.15.1 Pet 4:15 too busie in the B…shops Diocess, where they have not to do; and hence proceed tongues that a…e set on fire by hell. Jam. 3.6.Jas 3:6Before they vent such scurrilous and scandalous Books,Mat. 18.6.Matt 18:6 they should do well to weigh Molam asinariam, the weight of the Mill-stone that were better about the neck than the offence given to Chris…s little ones.

For this their scurrility and separation hath given occasion to many a wanton Wit, to turn things serious into mockery; and by their hot pursuit of lesser Controversies, to contradict the chiefest and settled principles of Religion,Clem. rom. 1. Ep. ad. Corinth. p. 61. 2 Tim. 4.16.2 Tim 4:16 foreign, to use Clemens words. God grant that this sin be not laid to their charge; and that it appear not upon the Bill, that these men who would appear so little in the eyes of the World, would fain be foreign and that because they are in despair of a Rulers place, therefore they have taught others to disobey, and not to submit to Rulers.

p. 491But, they will say, Is there not a cause? Pretences they have, and specious Arguments, why they may be back-sliding heifers. Were the Yoke,Hos. 4.16.Hos 4:16 say they, of Gods making, then God forbid that we should strive against God; the words of many are steep'd in such smooth oyle. But when man in Gods stead will be a Yoke-maker, then he is liable to many exceptions;Psa. 55.21. Act. 15.10.Ps 55:21Acts 15:10 either his Yoke is too heavy; nec nos nec patres; or else it is too strait; it wrings too much, or else it is superfluous, more than needs; it may be laid by, or else those that Rule have no power to put it on. So unwillingly do men obey, and submit to their Superiors. To speak a little more plainly, exceptions they have against▪ 1. The person of the Prelate. 2. Against their injunctions. 3. Against the manner of imposition of them. First, say they, these Prelates are wicked men. Secondly, Then their injunctions are the Doctrines of men. Thirdly, And yet are impos'd upon necessity, and to bind the Conscience; and therefore in these cases we need neither obey nor submit.

1. It is a Note from Geneva upon this Text, Jubet Apostolus piorum Episcoporum doctrinam obedienter amplecti. But who taught any man to adde p…j to Episcopi? I am sure there is no such word in the Original. Saint Paul speaks indefinitely, obedite praepositis, good or bad; and for any man to tie obedience to piis, is more than can be warranted. True it is, that the Holy Ghost describes here the Office of good Bishops, that they should watch over mens souls; that they should alwayes be casting up their Reckonings, and think what accompt they should make: But he saith not that if they sleep when others watch, or be careless of their Audit, that then presently every Rebellious Dathan, or Abiram, shall step up and say,Num. 16.12, 3.Num 16:12Num 16:3 We will not come up; or factiously revolt, and say, What portion have we in Aaron, or what to do with the Son of Levi? By this Rule a Servant need not obey a froward Master, nor a Childe a naughty Father; which is contrary to St. Pauls Order, and St. P…ters too, 1 Pet. 2.3. Servants, Eph. 6.5. Col. 3.22.Eph 6:5Col 3:22be subject to your Masters; not only to the good, and gentle, but also to the froward; foreign, pravis, morosis, Masters of as an untoward nature as may be.

Let praepositi therefore stand alone, as St. Paul set them; Pii is more than needs; vitiosa est glossa & corrumpit textum; not that the command of a good Prelate is not to be obeyed, but not so, as if his only, and none but his. For to tye obedience to his manners only, is more than ever the Apostle meant, or our Saviour either, who commanded thus much to those hypocrites which sate in Moses chaire. Mat. 23.2.Matt 23:2It was not our Saviours purpose in that place, to command the people to obey the Pharisees in all points of Doctrine, or to teach that they could not erre è cathedrâ, but that they should not, for the evil life of those Hypocrites, be offended at that which they might teach well: In Moses Chaire they were, and that was enough for obedite.

Every Prelate were in an ill case, if this exception were of force against him. Take the words in the literal sence,Wickliffe. Praelatus in mortali peccato desinit esse Praelatus, and farewel all obedience. The good man that first spake them, meant them not, as they were interpreted at Constance. Rivet. in Hos. c. 2. pag. 61.Hos 2His meaning only was, that a Prelate was no Prelate, that is, he had no power to be a Prelate, or command any mortal sinne; or if he did, he was not to be obey'd; not that any man who was under him, upon his Commission of any mortal sinne, may lawfully withdraw his obedience. For if this were true, what sonne of Belial, that were dispos'd to draw his shoulder from the burden, or his neck from the Yoke, would not step up and cry, Thou painted Wall, D…us te percutiet, and so slide back. The first exception then to the p. 492Person of the Prelate, is very ill taken.

2. And the next is of no more force, viz. That their injunctions and Doctrines are from men; meerely humane Traditions, and constitutions; and therefore cannot binde those men who mean to worship God in Spirit, and in Truth.Joh. 4.24.John 4:24

For first, it is an errour in them to call these injunctions meerely humane constitutions; for howsoever, they are not fram'd by an immediate inspiration from heaven,New Englands platform. c. 1. as are those precepts found written in the Law and Gospel, yet grounds they have out of the Scripture which make them Divine and Venerable. Those that make them, are Authoriz'd thereto; such quos praep suit Spiritus Sanctus, Act. 20. In the framing of them they follow those Rules which the Apostle requires, Rom. 14.19. 1 Cor. 14.26, 40. Being made, there is nothing in the general Laws of Nature, or any positive Law of Scripture to contradict them;Thom. 1. 2. q. 95. Art. 3. and the end for which they are made, is not to adde to the Rule of Faith, or to cast a new frame of obedience; but only that the Church be well govern'd, and God decently and reverently served; and therefore whether you look upon the Authours giving out these Laws, or the end for which, or the Rules by which they are made, they cannot well be call'd Humane Constitutions; Can. in 1 Cor. 14.40.1 Cor 14:40and this Calvin acknowledgeth, Ʋnde colligere promptum est has posteriores [leges Ecclesiasticas] non esse habendas pro humanis traditionibus, quandoquidem fundatae sunt in generali lege Omnia decenter & in ordine.

It will not be sufficient then to separate, and cry out Superstition, Will-worship, or Doctrine of men. The Ancient Christians did not so, who were obedient, and did submit to those Constitutions of their Prelates; a List whereof we find in Tertul. cap. 3. de coron. militis; and for which they had no other ground than Tradition and the Mandate of Superiours: For till such time that they prove these precepts to come within the compass of foreign, and make them meerly humane additions, this very Text will bind them to obedience, and a comformable observation of them.

Praefuerunt Timotheus & Titus tantum ut bonis & salutaribus consiliis populo p aeirent. Calv. de fide. c. 8. Sect. 49. Hook. praef. pag. 7, 8.3. Yea, but say some of that side, so long as so much is done by counsel only, we are content to obey. These injunctions are not grievous, so long as they leave what they enjoyn, adiaphorous. But if you command the observation of any Rite or Ceremony under this peremptory form of Hoc fac, then we must re…use. For then our praepositi set a bar upon our Christian liberty, and bind the conscience by a bond of necessary obedience, which no humane Constitution can do.

First, It behoves him that shoots a bolt, to take heed that it be not return'd in his own face. For how comes it to pass that the Humane Constitutions of our Church, as they call them, do more debar their Christian liberty, than those of their own? Why must theirs be necessary, and ours left loose and at Randome? Sana consilia, good counsel only, and for every man to embrace or cast off at his pleasure. Is it, that there is more authority to prove theirs than ours? I suppose that when all's done, Omnia decenter, & in ordine, must bear the burden of both sides.

Those that have wrested the Scripture that way, could never yet finde what they aim'd to collect from thence, farther than by poor and marvelous slight conjectures. The Father of the Consistory could never conclude in foreign, in every particular circumstance from Scripture what he desired; potentially he confesseth the Platforme he drew, might be there contain'd, but actually he knew it was not. And therefore all he desired of the Helvetian Churches, was no more than a Declaration that his Discipline was consonant unto the Word of God, without any qualifications, cautions, ifs, or ands. And their answer was as modest, that it was a Godly Ordinance p. 493drawing toward the prescript of Gods Word; that it was there contained, nor he desired, nor they determined.

Was it not strange then that he at his first admission should bind the whole City with a Solemn Oath to live in obedience to such Solemn and Ecclesiastical Constitutions as the Consistory should ordain;Idem. pag. 3. and a second time after his Revocation from Banishment renew this Oath again?Idem. pag. 5. We are accused to lay a snare upon mens consciences, and to confine into narrow bounds Christian liberty, when we say that these Rites and Ceremonies are to be observed in Gods Worship, and settle such a Form of Aristocracy in the Church, which may be easily proved by the perpetual practice of the Church in all Ages, enjoyning inferiours to obey the Constitutions of those whom God hath set over them; and yet he which laid his burden upon their necks with the strictest Bond that man can be bound in, with the Bond of a double Oath, was never yet impeached for incroaching upon Christian liberty; it seems he might do what we may not, and yet with the person the case is quite and clean altered.

2. But the truth is, nor we, nor he can violate any mans Christian liberty, nor take from that liberty with which Christ hath made us free, Gal. 5.2.Gal 5:2a place by that side pressed very much to this purpose; but will it thence follow, that we may not be commanded to obey an Ecclesiastical Constitution consonant to Gods Word? Or if we be commanded, that then our Christian-liberty is trampled upon?

Never any sound Expositour that wrote upon that Text yet thought so; the liberty of which Saint Paul there speaks, was from the observation of the Mosaical Law, out of a Jewish opinion of Justification to arise from thence: Those Ceremonies then by Christ antiquated, were not to be pressed upon any mans conscience, as observations necessary to salvation; for in that sense they were mortiferae; Circumcision, or any other Rite used to that end, made a man a Debtor to the whole Law, and evacuated the vertue of Christs blood. Should any Jewish Proselyte urge the Observation of a Mosaical Rite unto that end, here a new Convert might plead his Christian liberty, stand upon it; and he that should go about to bow his neck to Moses yoke, was to be accounted an enemy to his freedom which he had in Christ. Now what makes all this to withdraw obedience from Church-constitutions, in things indifferent in their own nature, imposed by a lawful Authority? Men must not be forced to observe Moses Law, therefore not the precepts of those that Rule; that is against Christian liberty, therefore this, Arena sine Calce. Seneca.Did ever any press these as a necessary means of Justification, or a way to purge and abolish sin? Cannot a man be a partaker of that liberty which he hath in Christ, which is a freedom from the Curse of the Law, and the Dominion of Sin, and yet observe Church-constitutions! It behoves those men who with such zeal press the Commandment, Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain, to take heed, lest by putting false glosses upon Gods Word, they be not guilty in a high manner of the breach of this precept.

Yea, but say some of them, let these things remain as they are in their own nature, indifferent things, left to every mans judgment to observe, or not to observe, and not to be made necessary; and we will submit; marry when they are imposed upon us with the opinion of necessity, a burden they prove, and tye the conscience (which is free from every Bond, except it be imposed by Gods Law) to a necessary obedience of the Traditions of men.

Grave crimen Caje Caesar, and such as in their sense cannot be justified against us; Say we should call these injunctions sometimes necessary and a burden, yet we had good warrant so to do;Act. 15.28.Acts 15:28 Caft your eyes upon that Aposto…ical Decree which Saint Chrysostom call'd a Lordly Charge▪ and you shall find it p. 494about such things as are in controversie betwixt us, meer indifferent things, such as were alterable, and are altered (except you will hold that it is now unlawful for Christians to eat any blood, or what is strangled) and yet in this very Decree, we meet with both terms necessary, and a burden: It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us, to lay no more burden upon you, than these necessary things.Vid. Zanchi. Exp. Mandati 2. Thes. secunda. Did we then follow the Apostles letter, we might call these indifferent constitutions necessary, which yet we do disclaim, and say plainly, These Ceremonies are retain'd for Discipline and Order, which upon just occasions may be altered and changed, and are not to be esteemed equal with Gods Law: Thus we publish before the Service-book. Their loud clamour then, or leud slander is more than needs, that they are obtruded upon them as necessary observations. Indeed we must confess that there is a necessity in them, but not such as they dream of; necessary they are, and must be performed; yet not for themselves, but in regard they are commanded by a Superiour. To illustrate which point, we distinguish necessity.

There is a Necessity of Doctrine, when out of an opinion of Sanctity, Efficacy, or Merit, or Gods Essential Worship, any Ceremony is ordained; and whatsoever is thus decreed, must have three Essential Properties.

Morton. Episc. Cestrens. Dif. of the 3 Cer. pag 176.1. It must be necessary to salvation.

2. It must be unalterable by the Authority of man.

3. It per se, must bind the conscience to observation; What humane prescription soever shall be imposed with an opinion of this Doctrinal Necessity, is a presumptuous Act against the Soveraignty of God, and a manifest incroachment upon our Christian-liberty; Opinio nec ssitatis in this sense, tollit libertatem.

But there is a Necessity of Obedience, established not by Permissive or Admonitory, but by Mandatory precepts; such as are, Children, obey your Parents; Ephes. 6.1. Colos. 3.22.Eph 6:1Col 3:22Servants, your Masters; Inferiours, foreign; and by vertue of these commands it is, that positive constitutions in things of their own nature lawful, tye and bind the conscience to obedience. We look not then upon the precepts of men, as they are meerly such, when we require obedience to them; for we know that directly and immediatly, qua talia, they bind not; but we consider man as a Superiour, as he that is set in Gods Room over us; and then acknowledge that by this Text, Obedite praepositis, and the like, we are tyed in conscience to obey his commands, and to submit to his censures.

Bonavent. ad secundum. Dist. 35 Art. 2. Q. 1. Con.It is a Rule in the School, that Voluntas humana eatenus est bona quatenus continuatur Divinae Voluntati ut principio moventi, & conformatur ei ut regulae dirigenti; that the will of man becomes then most right and equal, when it conforms it self to the will of God, as the first Mover, as the first Director; which Rule if we will here follow, we shall obey, we shall submit; for in this one Ʋerse he is both principium dirigens & movens. 1. He directs by his precept, Obedite praepositis; and then he moves by a four-fold Reason, They watch for your souls, they must give an account, &c. therefore obey; of which briefly in the last place.

To command had been more proper for the Majesty of Heaven; but he vouchsafes to give many Reasons of his Will, that he might find us a willing people; he would not force, but encline and win men to obedience.

1. Consider the care and employment of those that Rule and Guide, it will draw on your obedience; invigilant animis; as the Liver in man, which is Officina sanguinis, is at work, when every sense is fetter'd with a deep sleep▪ so these our praepositi, are watching, when others are fast; for that of the King of Sodom runs alwayes in their heads;Gen. 14.21.Gen 14:21 Take thou the Goods, and give p. 495me the souls. Quia tot occidimus, quot ad mortem ire quotidie tepidi & tacentes videmus. Greg. Hom. in Ezek. 11.

Look into the World, and you may find many men awake, but to little purpose; watching, when it were better they were fast in their Beds: Ad Galli Cantum consultor, the Client betime at at the Lawyers door;Horat. Sat. 1. Pers. Sat. 5. Chrysidis udas Ebrius ante fores extincta cum face; a drunken wanton knocking at his Mistress Closet before day: Covetousness pulls the pillow from that mans head; Surge inquit avaritia, eja surge; and which is yet worse,Hor. surgunt de nocte latrones; all these rise early, and too late take rest; but they place their di…igence awry, and upon a wrong obiect, be it spoken to their shame.1 Cor. 6.5.1 Cor 6:5 There be that are up to a better purpose, that watch to save not vestra …ed vos, you, and the best part of you, your souls; the soul, which wh…so loseth, Mat. 16.26.Matt 16:26though he gain the whole wo…ld, yet he m…k s but an ill bargain; the soul, which cost the Son of God his life; and therefore it fits not well that if they be so careful about you, and watchful to save what is most precious in you, that you be disobedient, and untoward to them.

But if you be careless and regardless of their great care, yet let meer pity move you to obey, and submit; foreign, they poor men must give an account for every one of you; for the Lor…s sake pity them when you hear this; good God, what a danger are they in, to be accountable for every …oul that is under them! Oh happy you of the Laity, that must give an account only for your selves; our case of the Clergy is far more dangerous, that must account for you and our selves to; too too much we shall have to answer, when we reckon for our selves; but the Lord knows what we shall say, when we must put in a reckoning for your lives too; this consideration did so amusest Chr…s… stom, that it made him cry out in a fearful and terrible pang,Citat Estius in locum. Miro… an fieri possit, ut aliquis è rectoribus salvus sit. Some pity then we beg of you for Gods sake; obey our directions, and submit to our censures, for by it our account will be the easier.

3. Be but such as you ought to be, a willing and an obedient people, and we shall be glad at heart to answer for you: To live without sin, we expect not from you; sine scandalo, sine querelâ, that you may; do but so much, we shall give up our account with joy.

4. Whereas if you be a stubborn and stiff-necked Nation, that will neither obey what we teach, nor submit to what we order, our audit will be with grief: We have not converted so many as we desired unto righteous… s, Dan. 12.3.Dan 12:3and therefore we shall not shine as the Sun; shine yet we shall, but like some lesser star.

Our loss will be great, but nothing to yours; we shall be saved as through fire; whereas you shall go into eternal perdition;1 Cor. 1.15.1 Cor 1:15 the account we shall make with grief, will be altogether unprofitable for you; for what profit will there be in your blood, when you go down into the pit? What profit in all things under the Sun, when your souls are lost? What sorrow and grief to you,Psal. 30.9.Ps 30:9 when your Pastour and Guide shall step forth and say, Ʋoluimus sanare Israel, sed sanari noluit; Lord, thou knowest we would have cured this man of the dropsie of covetousness, and that man of the tympany of pride, and her of the itch of lust, and him of the feaver of revenge; but sanari noluerunt, Jer. 51.9.Jer 51:9they would not be healed; such a Bill as this will be unprofitable for you. Now all these Reasons brings us about again to foreign & foreign; our care about you, our account for you, our joy if you do well, our grief if you do ill, your own loss if you be disobedient, are sufficient inducements to move you to obey and submit.

And if these work not upon you, all I can say else will be to little purpose; my Reasons will be Tekel, Tekel, all too light,Dan 5.25.Dan 5:25 where the Holy Ghosts are not p. 496not of weight enough. I will not therefore presume to adde to these, but leave them with you to ponder; and God grant that they may so far prevail with you, that you may obey those that have the Rule over you, that you may submit to their Directions and Censures, that when the day of Reckoning shall come,Mat. 5.29.Matt 5:29 they which have watched over your souls, may give up their account with joy; for that will be profitable for you: Profitable indeed, in that for your obedience and submission here, you shall have a Reward in heaven; a Crown you shall have for your head, a Palme in your hand, a long white Robe on your back, and live in joy, and rest and peace for ever and ever, Amen, Amen.

These Objections had they been put into the Body of the Sermon, would have swollen it to a distasteful length; I thought it fit therefore to dispose them with the answers in this place; if you judge ought in them worthy the light, you may transpose them to their several places, or else cash them; but I refer the whole to your judgement. Judicio statque caditque tuo. Objections put in against Bishops answered.

Object. 1. THE first Objection against their Ordination, that they only did not ordain.

That Bishops did ordain is granted, but that not they only; and so this property shall agree Omni, but not Soli.

Resp. But it seems that only a Bishop did ordain; for Ambrose, Chrysostom, Epist. ad Evag. 85.Theodoret upon 1 Tim. 3. & 4. and Oecumenius upon 1 Tim. 5. are resolute, and say, that it is neither fas nor jus, that any besides a Bishop do it.

Ambr. loc. cit. Episcopus patres generat, Presbyter non nisi filios. Epiph. Haeres. 75. Synod. Chal. Can. 6. See Dr. Ridley's view of Civil and Ecclesiastical Law. pag. 194, 195. Vid. Concil. Hispal. cap. 5. & Concil. 1. Constant. cap. 6. Epiphan. Haer. 69. Athanas. Apol. 2. in the case of Ischyras.And Hieron, no friend to Bishops, confesseth that a Priest could not ordain; Quid enim facit exceptâ ordinatione Episcopus, quod Presbyter non facit? and Chrysostom that they were Ordinatione superiores. A Majority and Superiority here was in respect of Ordination, and from whence came that? from a Presbyter it could not be taken; for he was Minor Episcopo; neque fas erat, aut licebat ut inferior ordinaret majorem: And therefore he must have it from one that was Superiour; though therefore, which yet is not proved, it should be lawful for a Presbyter to ordain a Presbyter, one of his own order; yet a Bishop he could not ordain, being one Superiour to him; and therefore we must utterly take the priority of Bishops out of the Church, contrary to all antiquity, or else admit some of equal rank and order unto them by whom they must be ordained.

Secondly, The Ancient Canon is, That no man should be ordained at large, or sine titulo; but be with his Ordination assigned and confined to a Church; now none but Bishops had right in Churches, and therefore none but a Bishop could ordain.

Thirdly, And put case that any usurped this power, and did confer Orders, his Act was reversed by the Church as unlawful; as it appears in the case of Colluthus, who took upon him, being a Presbyter, to give Orders; but those whom he ordered, were held for Lay-men, and himself censured.

p. 497Object. 2. But did not the Chorepiscopi ordain? and ye… if we will believe Damasus, Epist. 5. these must be reckoned in the sole order of Presbyters.

Resp. True it is they did so, but rather by an usurped power, than by any Original Right; Bal…aman in his Observations upon the 14. Can. of the Neoces. Con. conceives that they were instituted in the place of the seventy Disciples, whose charge at first was to take care of foreign, which did issue for the poors use out of Country-Farms: But Petavius, In animadv. ad Epiphan.that the Bishops appointed them their Vicars in the Rural part of their Diocess, being detained themselves in the Cathedral: Well be it how it will, power either they had granted, or usurped to ordain; and it seems they usurped it: For Damasus controlls the sauciness of these Suffragans, complaining that being but Presbyters, they presumed to ordain Priests, and Deacons, and do such things as none but Bishops ought to do. And the Council of Ancyra gives a direct prohibition for their intermedling in this matter,Can. 13. Chorepiscopis non licere Presbyteros aut Diaconos ordinare; sed nec Presbyteris civitatis sine praecepto Episcopi, vel literis in unaquâque parochiâ aliquid imperare, &c. For so the Canon is to be read, and not as Gentian turns it: But if so be they were true Bishops, as Petavius takes pains to prove, though I fear me to little purpose, then the Objection falls of it self, they might ordain.

But I rather conceive that their power was usurped,Loc. cit. and that they did what they should not; as in a corrupt state there be that invade that power which belongs to their Superiours, by vertue of which they do such acts which they should not, which yet being done are of force, though the Doer cannot be excused for after; factum valet, fieri non debuit.

Object. 3. Yea but say some, this may be done; for the debet, or licet at least Saint Paul gives warrant; 1 Tim. 4.14.1 Tim 4:14his words imply a practice of Ordination by the Presbyters hands; Neglect not the grace of God which was given thee by the imposition of the hands of the Presbytery; Presbyters then, and not only Bishops, imposed hands upon Timothy.

This Objection shall receive its answer out of Calvins instit. cap. de fide. Sect. 50.

First, That it was certain none of the Laity, but the Pastors only did impose hands; but whether divers of them did it, or one chiefly among them, is uncertain; notwithstanding Manus Presbyterii in this place, yet Calvin is resolute, that Saint Paul only, and no other imposed hands upon Timothy; and his proof is 2 Tim. 1.6. Stir up the grace of God in thee, by the putting on of my hands, signanter, my hands; and therefore it was not necessary that in the Creation of Timothy a Bishop there should be Presbyters admitted to his Ordination.

Secondly, By Presbyterium is to be understood, not persona, but munus; not the persons that did ordain, but the Office to which Timothy was ordained; so Calvin understands it, Manum Presbyterii, non de seniorum collegio, sed ordinationem ipsam intelligo, quasi diceret, Fac ut gratia, Hieron. Primas. Ansel. Haymo. Lyra, omnes in hunc locum.quam per manuum, impositionem recepisti, cum te Presbyterum crearem, non sit irrita.

But if we shall understand with the Ancient Expositors, personam, not munus; then Presbyterium in this place, is no more than Collegium Presbyterorum, or totus Presbyteratus ordo, which I mentioned before, who might assist, and impose hands together with Saint Paul in the Ordination of Timothy; and yet that these were of no higher order than Presbyters, will not be so evident out of the name, as shall by and by appear.

p. 498They object in the second place, against the institution of Bishops, that they are not of Divine Ordinance; that Munus ejus est humano sensu inductum, Calv. Sect. 52. and to this purpose, Hierom is alledged, Noverint Episcopi se magis consuetudine, quam Dominicae dispositionis veritate Presbyteris esse majores.

Resp. 1. As I have shewed before, their institution was in the Apostles, and their Ordination foreign, Acts 1. by our Saviour himself, John 20. They were not then humano sensu inducti.

Secondly, The Church hath ever had them, and honoured them by that name, as is evident by all Ecclesiastical Stories, and Ancient Fathers.

Thirdly, That Tradition, were it no more, which hath antiquity, universality, and consent of Scripture to speak for it, is more than humane; and such is this; for so ancient it is, that the institution appears not in any Council, nor indeed can it, because it came from Christs example, and from the Apostles dayes hath been so universally received, that in the Patriarchal Seas the Catalogues of the first Bishops are yet extant; and to is foreign, to posuit vos Spiritus Sanctus Episcopos; to the seven Angels of the seven Churches in the Revelation, &c. I know not therefore why man only should be said to be the Author.

Fourthly, Farther, the Apostles practised what our Saviour began, ordained Bishops to succeed them, as I proved before; and if Calvin's own Rule be true touching the Ceremony of imposition of hands, Licet nullum extet praeceptum de manuum impositione, quia vero fuisse in perpetuo usu Apostolis videmus, Loc. cit. sect. 50.illa tam accurata eorum observatio praecepti vice nobis esse debet; then it will follow that Bishops are not humano sensu inducti; but that there is as strong a proof for their institution as a precept amounts to, because it was in perpetuo usu Apostolis, as I now made good; Traditio Apostolica toti orbi manifesta, as Iraeneus calls it, lib. 3. cap. 3.

Fifthly, True it is that poor Hierom hath been pitifully lased for his hasty words; Michael Medina fetched blood at Trent, when he enrolled him for this with Aerius in the Catalogue of Hereticks; but he might have spared the good old father; for the good mans meaning was not with Aerius, to remove out of the Church the order of Bishops; (for he establisheth their power in divers places, and maintains that they are necessary in the Church for avoiding of Schismes) he doubted only quo jure they exercised their Authority; whether Consuetudine Ecclesiae, or Divinae dispositionis veritate; and positively resolves for the Negative, in which he is to be blamed; if his words be not to be mollified by Bishop Bilson's interpretation, Perp. Gov. of the Ch. cap. 12. pag. 236. The truth is, he was a Presbyter only, and no Bishop; (Arrius and Aerius, and Valentinius stomached that others were above them, men of less deserts, as they conceived) it might be Hierom's case; and if not so, yet we know that he was too much addicted to a Monastical life, and displeased with John the Bishop of Hierusalem, who as other Bishops, oftentimes drew forth some marks to the service of the Church from their Cloysters; this perchance moved Hierom's blood, whom the World knew to be of a cholerick nature, and in his heat he easeth his spleen, Noverint Episcopi.

Sixthly, But were not this so, but that he spake in cool blood, what reason is there to believe his single word before a full Jury of Orthodoxal Fathers, in whom they might have read presently after our Saviours Ascension,Vid. Winch. opusc. pag. 170. Bishops ordained, constituted, placed in several Churches by the Apostles themselves? it must be wilfulness and partiality in them to pass by so p. 499full a Testimony, and pick out, and press an inconsiderate sentence of a hasty man.

But what now if out of these very words of Hierome, it will appear that Bishops were ordain'd in the Apostles dayes? Antequàm, saith he, fi…rent studia in Religione, & diceretur in populis, Ego sum Pauli, ego Apol…o, ego Cephae, communi Presby…erorum consilio Ecclesiae regebantur: postquam vero unusquis{que} eos, quos baptizaverat, suos esse putabat, non Christi: in toto orbe decre…um est, ut unus de Presbyteris electus sup…rp neretur caeteris, ad quem omnis Ecclesiae cura pertineret, & schismatum semina tollerentur, &c. Hieron. in 1. Cap. ad Titum, & in Epistol. ad Evagrimu.

Out of which words I thus argue: When Shismes began, and one said, I am of Paul, then were the Churches committed to the chief care and pre-eminent charge of one; But these Schismes arose in the Apostles time; therefore. And this one was a Bishop by Jeroms confession. And out of Ecclesiastical story it is evident, who this one was in the Patriarchal Seas. And this one there set viventibus & videntibus Apostolis, and I dare say, constituentibus. For I say no more than I will prove by the Ancientest Records of the Church.

Thirdly, They Object, That no Argument can conclude for Bishops from the name Episcopus, because that the name of Episcopus and Presbyter in the Scripture are promiscuously used; and to this purpose they all…dge the 20th of the Acts, where the Presbyte s of Miletus are afterward c…ll'd Bishops. 2. And the first to the Philippians, where Saint Paul sends his greeting, Episcopis & Diaconis; why should he send greeting to the Bishops in the plural number, when he writes to one Church only, except the Presbyters were those Bishops? 3. That the precepts which are given to Timothy touching Bishops, agree to Presbyters, whose name is there omitted; for from the office of Bishops, Saint Paul descends to Deacons. 4. That Saint John calls himself a Presbyter, John 2. & 3. Epist. Lastly, That Saint Paul writing to the Hebrews, gives his precept for obedience, foreign, in the plural number; and therefore there were divers praepositi in the same Church, not one Bishop only.

Resp. We answer, that foreign, is foreign, an Argument that sets a good face on the matter, and hath no substance in it, because quaedam dicuntur de, sed non insunt in. And therefore as we do not conclude that there were Bishops in the Apostles times, because there were that bore the name; so neither can they conclude, that these Bishops were no more than Presbyters, because they were call'd Presbyters. The truth is, that though they might communicate in name, yet they were two really distinct Offices, which we prove from their power of Ordination, of jurisdiction to them reserv'd, and not from the names; or at least that if there were not in Ordine Episcopali novus character, certe character Presbyteralis extensior, vel major factus nova manuum impositione.

Secondly, That their names were confounded we grant: for B…shops were call'd Presbyters, and Presbyters Bishops, foreign but afterward, saith the same Father, there was a distinction made.Chrys. in 1 Phil. The name of a Bishop properly given to a Bishop, and that of a Presb…ter to a Presbyter, these functions were subordinate one unto another; the Priesthood to the Bishopship; that lower, this higher; and in the common phrase of men, it is no absurdity to give the appellation of the lower orde… to him that is in a higher decree. Lawful it is to call a Doctor by the name of Master, or an Earle by the name of Lord or Baron, because they are so, the higher Honour including in it the Inferiour. But from hence to ar…ue p. 500that a Dr. were not Superiour to a Mr. of Art, or an Earl to a Baron, were an absurd inference.

Object. But were it not absurd to call a Baron an Earle, or a Master a Doctor? Though in respect of subordination the Superiour may be call'd by the name of the Inferiour when he hath both capacities in him; yet to put a higher Title upon an Inferiour is not justifiable; you may then call Bishops Presbyters, but not Presbyters Bishops, except they were so.

Resp. Saint Chrysostome answers this Objection, that though now to do it were absurd; now, when foreign, each hath his proper name; yet then to call them so, was no foreign, because it was a common custom; quem penes arbitrium est & vis & norma loquendi; and the reason why they did so, might be this.

Such was the love, and humility, and unity, and alacrity in the Presbytery of those times, to discharge the Office to which they were call'd, that the Bishop upon the highest staire, would descend, and submit, if need required, to execute the Office; not only of the Presbyter, but even of the very Deacon too. Then according to our Lords direction, foreign, was in the Family foreign. Then as Chrysostome observes, Apostolatus non erat dignitas, In Act. 3.Acts 3non honor Apostoli, sed opus & Ministerium; and therefore they writ in a low stile, We your servants for Christs sake, 2 Cor. 4. and to their brethren, foreign. Chrys. in 1. Phil. St. John, foreign and St. Peter to his fellow Presbyters, foreign. No marvel if they took the name to themselves, when they did execute the Office.

Thirdly, To that place of the Philippians that seems to enforce, that either there were divers Bishops at Philippi; or else, that they were no other than Presbyters, because their name is omitted in the Salutation; it is Answered

First, by Chrys. Theod. Hieron. and Ambrose, That in one City there could be but one Bishop. Vid. Winch. opusc. p. 167.To which purpose Bilson, Cap. 13. produceth 9. Fathers.

Secondly, That under the Name of Bishops, both the Orders, & Episcopatus & Presbyteratus, may be understood; the Name being common to both, in that exceptâ ordinatione, & jurisdictione, the Offices are common; yet Chrysostome, Theodoret, Oecum. Hierom. by Bishops in this place understand Presbyters.

Thirdly, Ambrose refers those words to the Bishops and Deacons that were with him and Timothy, and not at Philippi, thus ordering the words, Paul and Timothy the Servants of Jesus Christ (to all the Saints that are at Philippi) with the Bishops and Deacons; making it to be an indirect Syllepsis; and the fence to run thus, Paul and Timothy, and the Bishops and Deacons, to the Saints at Philippi; for had he written to Bishops, he would have named them as he did Titus and Timothy.

Lastly, As Epiph. hath observ'd against Aerius, haeres. 75. In divers of the first Churches converted to Christianity, there might be no Presbyters at all. For there needed none; the number of the faithful was so small, that the Bishop with his Deacon, might very well supply the place. Power he had to do it; for the whole essential Character of Priesthood was resident in him; quicquid enim presbyter facit, & Episcopus facere potest; and will he had to do it; for his love and care was such, that he was wil…ing invigilare gregi; he took his Office to be foreign, opus & ministerium, as but now I alledg'd out of Chrysost. And this might be a reason that Saint Paul sends his Salutation to the Bishops and Deacons, and not the Presbyters at Philippi.

p. 501We reade of Greg. Nyssen when he first came to be Bishop of Neocaesaria, the whole Church consisted but of seventeen Souls;Estius in 1 Tim. 1.3.1 Tim 1:3 and what needed he then a Priest under him to Rule and Guide them? And this might be the case of Philippi; but I stick to the second Answer as more probable.

Fourthly, The precepts given to Bishops in Timothy, belong for the most part to Presbyters; it had therefore been in vain to repeat them with their names.

Lastly, To the Objection taken out of the Text, the Answer is very easie. For first Saint Paul wrote foreign, to the Hebrews dispersed in P…ntus, Asia, Galatia, Cappadocia, Pamphylia; &c. as well as dwelling at Hierusalem; not to one particular, but many Churches; and what hinders, but in those there might be divers Bishops?

2. Or else praepositi is not so to be understood of the Bishops here, as that the rest of the Clergy is to be excluded; for every Clergy man is foreign, upon the staire, a degree higher than a Lay-man; and in some sense or other praepositus. Obedience then to him is due; subjection according to his Rank; first to the Bishop, then to the Priest, after to the Deacon; because every one in his place is a Superiour: Saint Paul therefore speaks in the plural number, because in the Church there be divers Orders of Rulers. So obey them, that you exclude not the Bishop; so the Bishop, that you exclude not the ….

3. Or perchance St. Paul might understand the Collegium or Senatum that I before mention'd, evident it is, that such a one there was at Hierusalem, Acts 8.14. & cap. 11, 22. & cap. 15.4, 6. and that it continued long; in which were Apostles, and Elders; and therefore St. Paul writing to the Jews, might have an eye unto these praepositi, among whom there were divers Bishops.