-jKi''*' '
"Wj!
^ PRINCETON. N. J. -i^
Presented by Mr Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa.
Agnciv Coll. on Baptism, No.
^iii^
DISCOURSE
Proving The
Divine Infticution
O F
Wherein The
Quaker- Arguments
Againft it, Are
COLLECTEDandCONFUTED.
With as much as is Needful concerning
%\)t £o?Ds Supper*
By the Author of, Tte Snake in the Grafs,^ . ^^
Jf ye Love me, keep my Commandments, Joh. xiv. 15.
LO N D 0 N:
Printed for C. Brome, at the Gun, at the Weft-End of C "^atils,
W* Kj:hlewhitey at ^^WhiteSwan^ in St, Pauls Churcb-Tard,
And H, Hmdmarfhy at the Golden Ball, over-againft the
Royal Exchange, mCornh ill, M.DC.XC.VIL
Cmcg»C£»',^^^Q^^ Mi^Wlii:ai^QP(^(^Z0-Cfff^^Cff9^^
THE
P R E F A ^^
CONTAINS.
I. A ' Short Proof for Infant Baptifiii.
II. ''^ -*• Tz&e feveral forts of Conteniners of Baptifin
amongft us.
HI. The Presbyterians m Scotland.
IV. i)^ Ireland.
y. In England.
VI. Too many of the Communm of the Church of England.
VII. Whence this Difconrfe ufefnl to others befdes Qjaakers-
VIII. The Part Mar Occajion of Writing this Difcourfe.
The Contents of this Difcourfe.
Sect, L TPHat Matth, xxviii. 19. was meant of fVaer"
JL Bapt/fm. Page i^
IL That Chrifi did PraOrife Water-Baptifm, 2. That the
Jjfoftks did it after Him. j. That the Catholick
J". Church h^VQ donQ it ^her Them. ^. j.
711. That Baptifm mull be Ontivard and F///^/e, becaufe it is
-an Ordinance appointed whereby to Imtia Men into an
Outward and ^///^e Society^ which is the Church, p. 7,
77;e Arguments of the Quakers ^^4/;?/> ^^c Outward-Baptifm,
Jr. I . That the Baptifm Commanded Math, xxviii. 19. was
only the Imvardy or Spiritual Baptifm. p. n.
r. 2. That Water-Baptifm is Jt^^^i^'s Baptifm, and therefore
Ceafed. p. 12,
r/. ^. That Chri(t and the Apoftles did Baptize with
y<?/;;^'s Baptifhi. Z'* i4»
/^7/. 4. ThatPW was not fent to Baptize, i CorX.i^.i'^.p.ii,
fill. 5. That Baptifm is not the putting away the Filth of the
flefh ; but the Anfwer of a Good Confcitnce^\ Vet. i\u
2 1. Therefore that it is not the Outward but the Inward
Baptifm^ which the Apoftles Preached. p. ^ j.
/X. 6. That there is but One Baptifm^ Eph. iv. 5. therefore not
both Outward and Inward. P' J')*
JT. 7. That the Outward Baptifm is to be left behind, and we to
getbeyondit,He^. vi. I. p. 38.
^7. 8. That there are no ♦%;?j under the G<9/^e/. p. 4^.
jrJ/. The Conclufwn. Shewing the. Necefftty of Water-
Eaptifra. p. 59.
Erratum. P. 5. 1. 14. r. A^. x. 47.
There will fbcn be Publiflied a Difcourfe^ by the fame
'Anther^ {hewing whom Chrift hath Ordained to Adminifter the
^^fr^^f/zrx in His Church. And another, wherein it is prov'd.
That the Chief of the Quaker -Ht re fes were Broached, and CV/?-
demned^ in the Daysof the^/<5///ej, and in the fuft 150 Years
■^im Chrift,
APREFACE.
S Baptlfm if futtiftg Off Qhx\i\i giving up our Names to Him ; hi
Admitted as His Difciples ; and a Pubiick Profeflion of His D
(Eirin : So the Renouncing of our Baptifin, i^ a^ Pubiick a Difbvv
■ing of Him ; anda Formal Apoi\2ii'y fro/n His Religion.
Therefore the Devii has been moft hufe in all ages (hut has pi
-mailed mofi, in our Utter Corrupt timts^ to Prejudice Mtnyhymany fa
Pretences J againfl this Divine Inftitution. Having ken able toptrfwadefo^
quite to throw it off^ ^^ernicious and Hurtful; Others to think it^
ly Lawful to be done^ bm to lay no great fir efs upon />, andfoufe it^ rvhi
it is Enjoined, as a thing Indifferent. Others deny it to Infants, up
this only Ground^ That they are not fuppos dCapable of being Admitted iK
the Covenant of God, which He has made with Men : For^ if they are Ca^
hie of being admitted into the Covenant, thert can be no Reafon to de
them the outward Seal of it.
But this being Foreign to my prefent Undertakings which is to L
monftrate to the Qjuakers theNecefftty of anO\itw2ixdorV^2itQT'b2i'i^i\{i
in the General {for as to Ptrfons capable of it^ rve have no Controvt
fie with thofe who deny it to All) therefore.^ I have not dignfs'^d into ar.
ther Subje^, rvhich is, that ^/" Infant Baptifm,/';? /^e/a/^;W;^^ Dilcourj
I. Tetthmmuchlrvillfayofit^inthisplacSj T/'^f Infants are Capable
being admitted into the Covenant, and therefore that they cannot he Exclua
from the outward Sq^lI of it. TheConfequence the Baptifts cannot deny. A,
that they are Capable^ 1 thm prove. They were Capable under the Law, a,
before the Law, of being admittted as Members of the Covenant in Chrift
comey made with Abraham, by the Scal*c/Circumcifion, at the Age of^ig
Days ; And therefore there can be no Reafon to Exclude them from the fa?.
Privilege^ to the fame Covenant, now that Chrid ts come ; unlefs Chrift h~
debarr'^d them from it : The 'Ld.w flandingfl ill, as it was, where He has n
Alter'd, or Fulfill'd it. But He has not debarrdthem. Nay^ on the contrary y 1
has yet further confirmed their being within the Covenant. He called a I.:
tie Child, (Mar. xviii. 2, ^, 5.) andfethim in the midjl of His Apoftles ; ai
Propofed him as a Pattern to Them, and to all Adult Chriflians.And faid^h
nonejhould enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, except thofe whofhau
become as little Children. And that whoever did Receive a Little Child
llis^^irCiQ, did Receive Qhx'iit Himfelf. And {vQ.r lo.) in Heaven, the
Angels {faith Chrift) do always behold the Face of my Father which is
HQ3.v^n.And therefore He bids tts Take heed thatwe defpile not one of the
Little Ones ; by which term tho Adult Perfons are fornetimes meant, jet intt
Texts before qnoted^it is exprefly apply^d to Little Children. And what great
Defpifing of them can be, than toReje5l them as no Members ^/ChriftV Bod
mdconfequinth mmorthy oftht out^vard Seal ofHPi CovenaaL ? Chr
A Prerace.
mheen AA^imJlrtdtillthe Rtftauration^ 1660, that is ^ in [ome Churches for T^iCi^ in
for Twelve Tears together.
. Thefe Presbyterians in Dublin) and in the South and Weft parts o/Ireland, were fen
I Engla.ndiafid had lear?;t the Contempt of this SacramefJt thire- Whtre^ even /» Ox-
I, tt ivas mt Adminiftred in the whole Univerfity, from the Eje^ion of the Epifcopal
^^"^^in the Year 1648. to the Reftauration in 166O) as is objerved in //?(? Antiquit.
)n. So that the Q^zkcis have only taken that out of the xvay^ which the Presbyterians
worn int 0 Dif ttfe .
' I. And from all thefe Enemies^ and the Jhhtle J/^Jinuatio-^s which they have broached in
udice of thv\K*s Holy Injlitution cf ^2i^i\{\Wi andlikcwife of the Lords Supper (for
arc flighted by the fame Ferfons^ and upon the fame Grounds^ it is to be feared^ that Jevc-
evcnofthe Churctl of Engl^ndy have been wroii^ht^ tho' not tnto a Dif-ufe, or dovcnrioht
\X.^yet into a lefs Eiteemi a>d greater Indifferency as to thefe Holy Sacraments than
ought ; and confequently receive lejs Benefit by them ^ much lefs than if their K nowledge,
their Faitii were tetter rooted^ and more jhtblime Nay^ there is not any Degree of indif -
ncy, bat what is Culpable J in this Cafe -^ and may bring a C^ivic tint bit, in fie ad of a
iing : /or, whatfoever, tfpecially in Religious Worjhrp^ is not of Faith, is fin. A^d
rdini to our Faith, it is tous^ in all om Terfor?nances of Religion.
^11. For all thefe Reafons^tho"* this Difconrfe was wrote wholly on Behalf of the Quakers,
■I hope t it will not be un-ufeful to many others^ to fee the ftrong Foundation? Great Ne-
ty, and In-eftimable Benefits of Saptifm and the Lord'j Supper, when Duly Admini.
d^ and Received with Full Faith and Atfurance^^ the Power and Love of God, that
will not fail to afftft His own Inftitutions, when we approach unto them^ withfincere Re-
\2L\\cty and H^doubting Dependar.ce upon His Promifes. And many of the Objeciions
after anfwered^ tho* nfed by the Quakers, to Invalidate BAPTISM, are likewife infijied
^ fever al of the Sefts, which I have named above, to Lefl'en and Difparage it. In which
?, the following Difcourfe, tho'* it refpcCts the QUAKERS Chiefly? yet not them Only,
t contains the joint A''gutnems of all the fever at fizzes of the Oppofersj or Contemners
aptifm.
III. B'it as tothe immediate Occafion^ which engaoed me in this IVorl^^ it was upon the
Oitnt of a particular Fcrfon., who had been EJac^ited fr'jm his Childhood in the Quaker
iciples^ and Communion. And the Obj Siions which ^rre hire confdcred againfi Baptifm,
hefe whichj at fever al conferences with other Quakers, to whom that Perfon brought me^
' in f fled upon ^ At lengthy after more than Twelve Mo:7ths con f deration of this Jingle
'ty and diligently Reading ove^y and weighing every particular^ which Rob. Barclay had
e, in his Apology, againfl the Outward, or Water Baptifm, it pleafed Godfo to open
Eyes ^ af^'d per fwade the Heart cf this Gentleman^ that, having Informed himfelf in the
Frinciples of the Chriftian Religion, as ccntained in our Church Catechifm ; he has
y with great jyfulncjs^ and futisju^tiony Received the Baptifm of fihrift? as Admini-
{ in the Church of England. And it was his De/ire^ that this Difcourfe (thiP wrote for
Frivat Vft^ might be made Publick, in hopes^ that it may have the like Ejft^s upon others^
has had upon himfelf, by the great M^fcy of G'^d. A'ld I knowing fevcral others who
^ of late been ConvhiCQd and Baptised, '» the J an^e m^.nier^ as this Gentleman \^ / have
Reffted his invitation to contribute my Mite towards the Recovery of fo many Thoufand
as now for ^6 years .^ have thrown (jfthe Sacraments ofChrift's Infiitiition : and there-
is one main Caufe^ h^uve loft the Subfiance^ even Faith if^ the Blood of Chrill, outwardly
for our Salvation, as I h.ive elfe-wlercjhewn. The Lord accept my mean Endeavours j
make them Jnfir amenta! to His Glory? ^w<^ f'^c. Salvation of Soujs* Amen-
[i ]
DISCOURSi.
PROVING
The DIVINE INSTITUTION
O F
WATER-BAPTISM-
SECT. L
That Matth. xxviii. 1 9. tpa^ meant o/" Water-Baptifm,
TH E Words of the Text are thefe : Go ye^ therefore, Ana,
Tench all Nations^ Bapnzmgthem in the Name of the Fa-
ther^ and, of the Son^ and of the Holy GhoH.
The Quakers will not own that the Baptifm here mentioned
was the Outveard^ or Water-baptifm : Which I will endeavour to
make very plain, that it was ; and that in the firft place,
-From the Sigaifcation and Etymology of the word Baptize,
I. The word is a Greek word, and only made Englijh by our
conftant ufage of it : It fignifies to Wafb, and is apply'd to this
Sacrament ofBaptifm, becaufe that is an outward Wajhing,
To Wafb and to Baptize are the very fame ; and if the word
Baptize had been rendred into Englijh, inftead of, Go and B a-
p T I z E , it mufl: have been faid , Go and Wa s h Men, in the
Name of the Father y and of the Son, and of the Holy GhoH, So that
the outward Baptifm, with Water , is as much here command-
ed, as if it had been exprelTed in Englifh words, or as we can
BOW exprefs it, B But
[ ^ ]
But becaufe the word Baptize was grown a Technical Term,
in other Languages, whereby to exprefs the Holy Sacrament of
]3apfif;?;,\ong before our EKgUj'h Tranflation,therefore our Tran-
fators did rightly retain the word Baptize In this Text, Matth,
xxviit^ i(^, and in other I exts which Ipcak of tliat Holj Sacr^t-
fxent. '. '
Buirin other places they tranflate tlic Word B.tptize^ asuMark
vii. 4. IVhen they come from the Market lx,v fin Bcc-TrJlcrtovTecty except
they are B.iptizedy which we literally tranflate except they f^Vaf/j.
And in the fame Verfe, BaTrfto-fit^; 7roTwgA«f> ^c» The BaptiJ'ms
of Cups and Pots, 3ec. which we tranflate the VVajhing of Cups
and Pots. And Heki%, 10. (peaking of thefc Legal Infl:ituti-
ons, rvhich Jhood only in JMeAts and Drinks^ and divers fVaJbi/^gs^
and carnal Ordinances, See, the word which we here ti'anflatc
Wajhings, is, in the Original, Bct7rTio-juo?s, Baptifms ; In Meats
and Drinks, and divers Baptifms. And in tlie Vulgar Latin, the
Greek word is retained in both thefe Texts, Mark vii. 4. iVifi
Baptizentur , non Comedunt. Except they are Baptized , i. e.
IVafi their Hands, they eat not. And Baptifmata Calicum, &-c.
The Baptifms o^Cups, 8cc. And Heb. ix. 10. In Cibis & Potihus,
& varlis Baptifmatihm ; i. e. In Meals and Drinks, and divers
Baptifms. So that it is plain that the word Baptifm, and the
woid JVaJhing^ tho' not the fame word, have yet the lelf-fame.
meaning..
2. It is true, that the word Baptifm is often taken in a Figura-
tive ?Lnd Allegorical Senfe, to mean the Inward Baptism, the
Wajhing, or Clean ftng of the Heart : But fb is the word Wajbing
alfb, as often, as fp\iv. 1 4, &c. And there is fcarce a Wordin the
V/orld'but iscapableof many Figurative and Allegorical ^S/ifz^an-
ings. Thus Circumcificn is very often us'd for the Inward Cir-
citmc'ifion or Purity of the Hearty And Fire is taken to exprefs
L^ve., and likewife Anger, and many other things.
But it is a receiv'd Rule for the Interpretation of Scripture,
and indeed of all other Writings and Words, that the plain Li-
Ural Meaning is always to be taken, where ther€ is no manifeft
Confradi^ion or Ahfurdity in it; as when a Man is faid to have:
zFire^ burning in his l^rfii//, it cannot be meant of the Literal
Jkire ;, fa. when we are commanded to J^^'^/Z? or Circumcife our
HeartSj,
[ ? 3
Hearts^ and the like. But, on the other hand, if any Man will
take upon him to underfband Words in a Figurative Senfty at his
own will and pleafure, without an apparent NecefTity from the
Scope and Coherence, lie fets up to Banttr^ and leaves no Certaiff'
ty in any Words or Exprejjions in the World. Therefore I will
conclude this Point of the natural Signifcution and Etymohgy of
thQWOrdi Baptize: And, unlefs t\iQ Quakers can fliew an appa-
rent Contraditfion or Abfurdity to take it in the Literal Sigmfica-
tioHy in this Text, Matth.y^yiviiu 19. then it mufl: be meant of
the Outward Washing or Baptism, becaufe that is the only
True, and Proper , and Literal Signification of the Word.
And it will be further Demonftrated in the next Se6fioft, that
there can be no Contradiction or Ahfurdity to take it in a Literal
Senfe , becaufe the Apo[lleSy and Others thereunto CommiJJiona-
red by them, did Pradife it, in the Literal Senfe.
SECT. II.
I. That C U Rl ST did TraEfife Water-Baptifm.
II. That the Apofilrs did it after Him. III. That
the Catholick Church have done it after Them,
I. 'T~^Hat Chrisi did Praftife Water-Baptifm. It is written,
\ ^ohn iil. 26. And they came unto 'John, and faid unto
him, Rabbi, He that rvas with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou
harelt witnef, Behold, the fame Baptizeth, and all Men come t9
Him.
That this was Water-Baptifm there can be no Doubt, be-
caufe,
I . The Baptifm with the Holy GhoH was not yet given : For
that was not given till the Day o^ PentecoH, fifty Days after the
Refur reel ion of ChriH, as it is Recorded in the Second of the
Ails,' 'This Spiritual Baptifm was ^pvomiicd, John ydv, 16,26,
XV. 26. xvi. 7. And the Apojlles were commanded to tarry m
the City of Jerufalem till it Ihould come upon them, Luh xxiv.
49. 2. The Quakers diWow th2X John ^id. Baptize with Water ^
and there is no other Ibrt of Baptifm here mentioned , with
B 2 which
[ + 1
which ChylH did ]3/t^//>&5 ; and therefore, thefe Bafpfms being
fpoke of both together, there can be no Reafbn to interpret the
o^e to be witli Watery and the other not. It isM&Joh-nw-, i.
The Pharifees heard that Jejus made And baptiz>ed more Difciples
thm Johfj, How cou'd the Pharifees hear of it, if it was not an
Outward and Fifth le Bapttfrn ? For, as before is ^id, the outward'
and miraculom Effects of the Baptifm with the Holy Ghosi- were*
not then given.. And fince it Was an Outward^ it mufl be the
Water-baotifm^ for there WdiSthen no other.
Ohp But tiiQ. Quakers' {k2iVt an Objection here. That it is-faid
^ohn iv. 2. 'jeffis.himfelf baptized notybut his Difciples;
I . Anf. Tho Jefffs himfe If baptized ^ot,yet It is (aid in the Ferfi
foregoing, that He made and haptized^ i.e. thofe whom ///>
Difciples^ by His OrdcVyBaptizsd, . For, if it had not been done
hy His Order, it cou'd not be (aid that he had Baptized thofe
whom his Difciples Baptized, But becaufe, He that doeth a thi/?^
by AnotheKy is laid to do it Himfelf therefore ChriH himfetf is
faidto hciVQ Baptized t\\o^Q^ whom his Difciples, by his Order,
did Baptize,
2. . Anftv, That Baptizing wMidi ChriH is laid to have Admi^
m^iY^d himfelf y Johfzm.26. might have beenat another jT/^^e
than that which is mentioned in the 4th Chapter : And then the
'coniec^uence will only be this;, Th^t,?it fime Times, Chrifl did
Ba-iptiic Himfelf ; and SLt other Times, he left it to his Difciples,
Tho, as to our Argument, it is the fame thing, whether he did
k Himfelf, or commanded his Difciples to doit. For, cither
Way, it is hr's Baptifm^his^Onely j his Difciples d^d h\xt'. Admimfier
what he commanded.
II. As ChriH himfelf did Baptize with Water, and his Difcii^
fhsyhj. his Commandment, while he was widr them upon
Earth ; fo did his Apojlles, and Others . thereunto by them com-
mifFonated, after his Death j and RefurreBian, by vertue of his
Command to them, , Matth. xxviii. 1 9. after he was Rilen frorar
the Dead.
What is faid above of the Etymology and true SignificatiofPO^
the word Baptize, is, of itfeif, fuiEcient to prove,tliat by*7^4^^(/«r
iiuhis Xfjf/^jthe outward Baptfm with Water is meant ; efpecially
tillthe ^4^6-?^ can fhew any CohtradiBion or Abfurdity in ha-
ving the word, taken in t^e proper B.nd liberal ^nQ*y in this, and^
the. o\Lix Tasts which Ipeak of iu Andi
[5 J
And this win be very hard to dOy fincc, as k is jufl now pro
ved, that Christ did Baptize with /'K^/^r, as well as John, And
what Abfurditj^ or Comradi^Hon can be allc^ged, that his ^/{j-^
//fi fhou'd Adminifter the fame iort of Baptijm, after his Deai/;^
as- he had Practifed and tommanded during;, his Life ? Nay
rather, what Reafon can be giv^en, why they iLou'd not be the
iame, fince thei&me nwrdy i. o. Baptize, is usM in Both, and no
new Se^tfe orJcceftation of tlie tvord is-fb much as hinted ? And
therefore to put any new feftfe or acceptation^ of ^he wordy mufl
be wholly ^r^/>r4rK and P/'^frfr/Wy.
But, as I promisM, I will Demonftrate yet more fully and
plainly, that the Apoftles did P/aBife- the Omvardy i. e. JVater^
BaptiJmzitcrCuKiST^s death,
♦A«fts X, 4.J,' Can any Man forbid Water^^ that^theje ff^ot^d not
he Baptized ? ^ ■:•'-.;
Actsviii. 36. As they {"fliiYi^ and the VAxnudx) rvent on their
jvay^ they came to a^ certain Water, and the Eunuch faid^ See here /k
Water, xvhat doth hinder me to k Baptized? — And (Verfe 38.)
- they went both down into the Water, horh Philip and the Eunuchy
4nd he Baptized him : And when they were come up out of the Wa-
ter, C^'j, ..
Ads xxii. 16. And now why tarrieH thou ? Arife and be Bapti-^
zed, and wafh away thyfms.
And, to favc more Quotations, the (inkers do own that the^
Baptifm of the Corinthians^ mentioned i Cor-'i^i^^ ly. was
Water-baptifm,
Therefore I will conclude' this Point, as undeaiable , That-
the Apojlles did praQ:ife Water-baptifm.
And the Argument from thence will lie thus : The Apoftks
did praftife that Baptifm which Chrili commanded M4/. xxviii, -
19. But the^^/'o//^^ did ^x^^i^tWater-baptifmy therefore Wa^^
ter-baptifn* was that E4^f//jf?^ which. C^r/i"/ -commanded Matth.
xxviii. 19.
III. Andj as thePr^^//^.of thej^^^^/fy isa moftlure-Rule
whereby to underftandtkc meaning of that Comiratnd which
they put in execution ; la the PraUife of t-hoie who- immediate*
iy jfiicceeded'the Apofiles, who.wereCotemporarie& with. them,
and learnM the pai^h from their Mouths, is as certain, a Rule to
Jtuow what th^ fr^^ife, .and-wliat t^e J^f;i?j^',of': the Afofthf^
L ^ -1
WQTC. And thus the Frncl-ife of the frcfim Jge:, in the Admini-
ftration of JVater-bjiprifm, is an undeniable Evidence, that this
was the Pra^ife of the /aft Age \ the fame Perfbns being, many
of them, aUve in both the UH and the ^refent Age, For one Age
does not go off the World all at once, and another fucceed all of
prfeci Age together; but there are eld Men of the/.i/;f Age, and
young Men and Children growing up to another Age all alive up-
on Earth the fame time ; and Mankind being difperfed into far
diftant Countries and Climates^ who know not of one another,
nor hold any Correfpondence : It is, bythefe means, morally
impoilible for any Man or Men^ to deceive us in what has been
the Vniverfal and Receiv'd Praclife of the I all Age, to which
the prefent Age is fo linked, that it is even a part of it : I fay it is
impoffible for all the Fathers of the World, to be flippos'd rv/^-
ling, or if they were, to be capable of impofing upon all younger
tHan themfelves, namel}-, That they had been all Baptized^ and
that this was an univcrially receiv'd Cnfiom ; and of which Regi-
Jlers were always kept, in every Farifh^ o^ all who had been, from
time to time, Baptized ; and that fuch Regijlers were public k, and
to be recurr'd to by all that had a mind to it : Every Man's rea-
fon will tell him that it is utterly impoffiblcfor fiich a thing to
pafs upon Mankind.
And as certainly as the prefent Age is thus affur'd of the Pr<«-
Bife of the laH Age^ in a Thing of ib public k and univerjal^ na-
ture ; fb certainly, and by the fame Rules, muft the laH Age
know.the BraBite of the Age before that \ and fb backward all
tlie way to xkit ftirU Inftitution^ to the Age of Christy and the A-
pojlles,
"The publihk nature of this Water-baptifm^ as now praQ:ifed,
being an outrvard matter of Fa5t^ of which Mens outward Senfes^
thoiv Eyes and Ears are 'Judges; not like Matters oi Opinion ^
which Ibrt of Tares may be privately fbwn, and long time pi'opa-
gated, without any remarkable Difcovery ; And to this ib pub-
lick matter of Facl^ adding the univerfal Pradice of it, through
all the far diflant Nations oiChriftianity : I fay tliefe two Marks
make it impoffible fbr the World to be impos'd upon, nor was
it ever, or ever can be impos'd upon, in any flich publick Matter
of Fa6l^ fo univerfally pradifed. All this makes it undeniably
phtin, Tlut the' Idii Age did Jfhaclife the fame outrvArd Water-ba-
ftifm jyhich is prad:is'd lathis Age ; aad that the fame was, as
certainly, pra^cisM in thcjge before, the /^/if J^^, and by the
fame Rule, in the Jge before that ; and {b onward, as abovefaid,
to the Age of the .Affofiks, 1 have .made more Words of this
than needed>;b,ut I wof-i'd -^endpi: icexGceding plain, confidering
with whom I have to do. An6. I befeech tlitm to confider.
That all the Authority which they have to Over-ballance all
tm^ Demonftrations, is the mad Enthufiafm of a Layy-Apofi/e,
George Fox, a Mechanick fo Illiterate, that he was hardly Mafler
of common Senfe, nor cou'd write Engliflj, or any other Lan-
^guagc ; and ftarted up amongll us in the Year 1650, (the Age
M" Schifm and Rebellion ) and Damn'd, as ApoJ^ates, all Ages fincc
the Apofiles.
In all of which no One cou'd be found (before G. Fox) to
bear their Teft-imony a gain ft this IVater-haptifm, tho' it was con-
Jl^ntly and tmiverfally praftifed ; and that Clrifiians were tliea
fb XsaIous as to contend againft the leaft Variation or Cori'upti-
on of the FAtth, even unto Df^;/?, and the moft cruel fbrtof il/^r-
tjrdom.
Can any Man imagin, that if Water-baptifm were a Huma?%
Invent tony or Superftitioujly either Continued, or Obtruded upon the
Church, no One fhom'd be found, for 1650 Years, to open his
Mouth againft it ; when Thoufands facrific'd their Lives, for
Matters of much lefs Importance?
But I have over-labour'd this Point, to any Man who will
give himfelf leave to make ufe of his Realbn. Therefore I will
proceed to the next Section.
SECT. HI.
That Baptifm muU be Outward and Vifible, becaufe
it k an Ordinance appointed whereby to Initiate tJ^^/i
into ^n, Outward^7i Vifible Society, which Is the
Church.
THere goes no more towards the proving of this, than to
fhew, I ft, That the Church is an Outrvard and Viftble Sch
Bitty. 2dly, That Baptifm was appointed and us'd for Initinting:
or Admitting Men into the. Church . i ft^
C 8 1
ift, That the Church is an outward and vffiUe Society . Our
Suviour OiWsky A City that is fet on a Hilly (Mztth^v.i^,) The
Quakers themielves are an outward and vifible Society ; and ft arc
all thofe who bear the Name of Churches upon Earth. They
couM not orfierwife be Churches, For that impHes a Society of
Teople ; and dVery Society m the World, is an outward and vifi-
hie Thing.
And, as it is fo, has an outward and vifible Form of Admitting
Men into it : For otherwife it woii'd not be known who are
Members of it. Every Society is Exclufive of all others who are
-not of that Society; otherwife it cou'd not be a Society : for that
liippofes the Men of that Society, to be thereby diftinguifhed
from other Men : And that fuppofes as much that there muft be
Ibme outward and vifible Form whereby to Initiate Men, and in-
titie them to be Members of fuch a Society : otherwife it cou'd not
foe known who were Members of it, and who were not ; and it
wou'd thereby ipfo facto ceafeto be a Society ; for it cou'd not
dien be diflinguifhed from the reft of Mankind : as a River is
lofl in the Sea^ becaufe it is no longer diflinguifli'd from it, but
goes to make up a. part of it.
From hence it appears, that the Church, being an outivard and
vifible Society, mufl: have Ibme outward and vifible Form to ini-
tiate Men, and make them Members of that Society.
sdly, That Baptifm was that outward Form. ATI the feveral
Baytifms that were before ChrisPs^ were all meant for Initiating
Forms. The Jews had a Cuftom long before ChriJl, to initiate
the Profelites or Converts to their Religion, not only by Circum-
cifion, but by Baptizing, or WajJjing them with Water, The
iame was the meaning of John's Baptifm, to make Men his Di-
fciples. And the fame was the meaning ofChrili'^s Baptifm, to
initiate Men into the Chrijlian Religion, and make them Difci-
fles of Christ.
Hence Baptizing Men, and making tiiem Difciples, mean the
fame thing. Thus John'iv. i. it is laid, That Jefuf made and
baptized more Difciples than John. That is, be baptized them
Difciples, which was the Form o^ Making them fiich. If any
-will lay, that he baptised them to be Difciples to John, that will
i^e anfwer'd Se0, yi. But as to the prefent Point, it is the fame
[^9 1
thing whofe Difciples they were made ; for we are-now only to
ihew that Bapt^fm,m the general, was an ImPiatmg Form,
And when ChriH praatifed it^ as well as John, as this Text
does exprefly declare, no Reafbn can be given that he did not
ufe it as iniImtUting Form, as well cisjoh/z ] efp.ecially when
the Text does exprefs that lie did make thetn Djf^iplesy by hapn*
z,ing>Qi them, as above is (hewn.
And purfuant to this, when ChriH fent his Jpoflles to convert
all Nations, his CommifTion of Baptizing was as large as that of
Teaching, Matth. xxviii. 1 9. Go Teach all Nations, Baptizing
them, ike. i., ^e. Baptizing all who fliall receive your word. And
accordingly it is faid, Jcls i'l, 41. Thej that received the word
ivere baptized, Purfuant to what the Apofile had preached to
thtm Verfe i?>. Repent and be baptized. -
And accordingly we find it theconftant CuHom to baptize all
that were converted to the Faith. Thus Pa»l, tho miracdoujly
converted ^^QVi\ Heaven, was commanded to be baptized., A.dis..
xxii. 16. And he baptized Lydia, and the J^jlor, and their Houfe-
hoJds, as loon as he had converted them, Jcls xvi. 15, ^ ^. And
the Corinthians, A6:s xviii. 8. And the Difciples of John, who
had not yet been made Chrijlians, A£ls xix. 5. Philip did ba-
ptize the Eunuch, as ibon as he believed in ChriB, AQ.S viii. 37,
^j8. And Peter, immediately upon the Converfion diComeliiUj
and' thofe with him, faid. Can any Man forbid iVater, that theje
jhou^d not be baptized ? AdiS X. 47.
It wou'd be endlefs to enumerate all the like Inflances of Ba-
ftifm, in the NeivTefiament. And it Was always us'd as an
-.Initiating Form.
^dly, Baptifm was not only an Initiating Form : But it ferv'd
for nothing elfe. For it was never to be repeated. As a Man can
be horn but once into this World, ib he can be but once regenera^
ted, or born into the Church ; which is therefore, in Scripture^ cal-
led the New Birth.
It is faid of the other Sacrament (of the Lord^s Supper J as of-
ten as ye eat this Bread,. Sec. I Cor. xi. 26. This was to be often
repeated.
Baptifm is our Ad?nifIion, Initiation, or Birth into the Society of
the Churchy and accordingly once only tQ,be adminiftred. The
C Lord^s
[ lo ]
Lord^s Supper is our Nourijhmem and Daily Food in it ; and there-
fore to h^ oft en repeated.
And as of our Saviour\ ^o of other Baptifms, ofjohn^ and
the Jejvsy they behig only Imtiatmg Forms, tiiey were not re^
peated. The 'Jews did not bapnze their Frofelites more than
o?7ce. And Joh^idi not bapttz>e his Difdples. more than tf/2c^. So
neither were Men tmce baptized into the Chriftian Fmth^ more
than they were twice Circumcifed, or Jdmitted'mto the Church ^ht-
fore ChrisL
Thus having proved, i ft, That the Church is an outward and
'z////^/(? Society. 2dly, That Baptifm was the Initiating Form of
Admitting Men into that Society, ^dly, That it was only an
Initiating Form. I think the Confequence is undeniable, that
this Bapttjm muir be an outward and vtfible Form .• Becauie other-
wife it cou'd be no 6V^;? or Badge of an Admiffion into an outward
and i^i/^^/f Society*; for fuch a Badge muft be as outward as the
Society,
Again, AQ:s of inward Faith are, and ought to be often repeat^
sd : Therefore this Baptifm, which cou'd not be repeated, cou'd
not be the inward, but the outward Baptifm.
And thus having prov'd that Baptifm commanded Mxtth.
}£xviii..i9. to he tliQ outward, thztis, Water-baptifm : ift. From
the true and proper Etymology and Signification of the Word,
^Aly, From the Praclije o^ Christ, and his Jpofi'les, and the
wliole C^r//?/^;^ C^^rc/; after them. And, ^dly, From the Na-
ture of the Thing, Baptifm beingan Ordinance appointed only for
initiating Men into an outp^ard.2.i\d t'ifble Society ; and thei'efore
never to be repeated: Having thus prov'd our Conckifion from
fiich plain, eafie, and certain lopicks; I will now proceed to
tlioie Objeftions (Rich as they are) which the Quakers diO fet
up againfl all thefe clear Demonftrations. And O-iail according-
ly, in thefirft place, take notice of tht'iv graundleji Pretence ni
making that Baptism commanded in the Holy Gojpel, and pro-
ved an Oriaj NANCE external and vifebk, to be underftood only
or tiie Inward arid Spiritual B'Avtism, not with Water, but the
Hoi-Y Ghost.
SEC T.
[ II 3
S E C T. IV.
Quakers fay^ ift, That the Baptism commanded
Matth. xxviii. 19. r^as only meant of the Inward
and Spiritual Baptifm^ with the Holy Ghoft.
'Hey fay this ; and that is, all. They neither pretend to «
anfiver the Arguments brought againft them, fuch as thefe
b el ore-mentioned ; nor give any Vroof for their own Affertiof^,
Only they/^j'/d?; and they nnll believe it ; and there is an End
ofit.
And truly there fhou'd be an End ofit, if only DiJ^nUtion^ or
Victory \yqxq my Defign : For to vdiat non-^lm can any, Ad-
verfary be reduc'd beyond that of neither Anfvering^ nor l^ro-
'ving ?
But becaufe the Pains I have taken is only in Charity for tlieir
Souls, I will over-look all their Impertinency, and deal with
them as with wey ward Children, humour them,and follow them
thro' all their Wmdmgs and Turnings ; and fubmit to over -f rove,
what is abundantly proved already. Therefore, fince they can
■give no Reafbn why that Baptifm commanded Matth. xxviii. 19.
Ihou'd be meant only of the Baptifm with the Holy Ghost ; anijj
wou'd be content that we fliouM leave them there, as obftinate
Men, and purfue them no hirther ; but let them perflvade thoic
whom they can perfwade : By wliich Method (unhappily yield-
ed to them) they have gain'd and fecur'd rnoft of their Profe-
luesy by keeping them from Dljputing or Reajoning ; and by per-
fwading them to hearken only to their own Light within : To
RefcLie them out of this Snare, I will be content to undertake
the Negative (though againft the Rules of Argument,) and to
prove, that the Baptifm commanded Matth, xxviii. 19. was not
tilt Baptifm with th.Q Holy Ghoft For,
I ft, To baptize with the Holy GhoH is peculiar to ChriB a*
lone. For none can baptize with the Holy GhoH^ but who caa
fend and beftow the Holy GhoH, Which is *BUJ^hmy to afcribe
to any Creature. ' C 2 ChriH
ChriH has indeed committed the Adminiftration of the out-
rvard Baptifm with Water to his Af o flies ^ and to Others by
them thereunto c?r^^/>^^; and has proraifedthe mrvard Baptifm
of the Holy GhoH to thofe who {h^iWdtdy receive the outward Ba-
ftijm.
But this canitDt give the Jpoflles, or any other Mrniflerso^
ChriHy the Title of hptiz,m^_ with the Hol/GhoFt; though the
Holy GhoH may be given by their Miniftration, For tlicy are
not the GiverSy that is Blajphemy.
And purluaiit to this^ it is obfervable, that none is ever (aid
in the Scripture', to baptize with the Holy Ghosl but Chr/S alone :
The fa?ne is he who baptiz^eth with the Holy GhoB^ John i. ? ? .
And therefore^ it that Baptifm commanded M'dtth. xxviii. 19.
was tlie Baptifm with the Holy GhoH, it wou'd follow that the
Jpoflles- cou'd baptize with the Holy G ho fly v/hicli. is Blajphe-
my to aiTert,
2dly, It is written, John iv. 2. That Jefm himfelf baptized
mty but his Difci^les, If this was not meant of JVater-baptifm .
but of the Baptifm with the Holy GhoH', then it will follov/
That Cbrisi did not baptize with the Holy GhoH^ but that his
Dijciples did.
This, in fhort, may fuilice in return to a meer Pretence, and
proceed W'e next to confider, if their main Argument alfo prove-
:^ unfiipported and precarious.
SECT. V.
Zhe great Argument of the Quakers againn:\Y a-
ter-Baptifm i^s thU : jGhnV Baptifm m ceafed :
But Jchn'j Baptifin j^a^ Water-Baptifra : There-
fore Water-Baptifm m ceafed, This their Learn-^
e.d Barclay makes ufe of. But',
ifl:,. X T is fb extreamly C/^//^//^, that if it were not Hi^y no Rea-
JL der wou'd Pardon me for Anfwering to it. Yet fincc
tlleydoinfift upon it, let them taketlii§ eafie Anfwer: That
%ohn^s
[I? 1
Joh/Ps Water-baptifm is ceafed ; but not Chrili^s Water^haptifm:
All outward Bapttfms were Water-haptifms, as the word Baptifm^^
ijgnifies, (See Sed. I.) The Jews Baptifm was Water-iaptifm^,
as well as John's, And by this Argument ofBarcIaj\ the Jeirj
and John's may be prov'd to be. the fame. Thus. The Jews>
Baptifm was Water-baprifm : . but John's Baptifm was Water-h^t-
fttjm : therefore John'^s Baptifm was the Jews Baptifm,
And thus, Chrilfs Baptifm \V2ls John\, and John^s was the •
JVjVw'-, and the Jews was ChrilPs ;. and they were 4// one and tli€-
lelf-fame Baptifm, becaule they wefe all IVater^baptifms:
So without all Foundation is this great Rock of the ^^j^-^^-x,
upon which they build their main Battery againft Water-ba--'
ptijm.
ilyy It will be proper here to let them fee (if they be not wil-
fully ignorant) What it is which makes the Difference of Ba-
ptifms :■ not the outward Matter in which they are adminiftred^
(for tliat may be the fame in m.any Baptifms, as is fliewn.) But:^
Baptifms do differ, i. In their Authors. 2. In the different
Berm^, in which they are adminiftred . 3 . In thedifferent Ends ^
for which they were inftituted.
And in all thefe t\\Q Baptifm of ChriB does differ vaflly from -
tlie Baptifms both of John and the Jews , 1 . As to the Author ^
The Baptfm of the Jews was an Addition of their own to x\\q
Law ; and had no higher Author diat we Imow of But John
was lent by God^ to baptize^ John i. 3 ^. And it was ChriH tha-^
Lord who was the Author of the Ghrifiian Baptifm. 2. As to'
the Form : Perfbns were baptized unto thofe whole DifcipksthQy
were admitted by their Baptifm, Thus the Profelites to the
Jtwi/b Religion, were baptized unto Mofes. And Men were ^
made DijcipUs to John, by his Baptifm,^ But the Chriftian Ba-
ptifmtilonQ.is adminiftred in the name of the- Father, and of the'
Son, and of the Holy Ghost This is the Form of the Chriflian "
Baptifm, a.nd which does diftinguifh' it from all othtr Baptifms
whatever, . 3 .. The End of the Chrifiian Baptifm is as highly di--
fiant and different from the Ends of other BavttfmSy as their An-*
thors differ^ The E?id of the Jew/Jh Baptifm was to givethe i?^-
ptized a Title to the Priviledges of the Law ofMofs. And tlie .:
End of John's Baptifm w^s to point to Hlm who was to con>e ;
and to pi'epareJVlen, by Repent anct^ for the Reception oithe-a^'
[ H 1
Jpel. But the £/;iof ChristV Baptifm was to Inflate Us into
aH the Unconceivable Glories, and High Eternal Prerogatives
which belong to the Members of his Body, of his F/e(b, and of his
Bones, Eph. v. 30. That rve might receive the Adopion of Sons,
Gal. iv. 5. Henceforth no more Servants, but Sons of God ! and
Heirs oi Heaven ! Thefe are Ends fo far tranfcendent above the
Ends of all former Baptifms, that, in comparifbn, other Baptifms
are not only le/i, but none at all; like the Glory of the Stars, in
prefence of the Sun ; they not only are a /ejfer Light, but when
he appears, they become altogether invifible.
And as a Pledge or Fore-tafte of thefe Future and Boundlep
Joys, The Gift of the Holy GhoH is given upon Earth ; and is
promised as an Effect of the Bajjtifm 01 Chrisl, As Peter preach-
ed, Acts 11. 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the
name ofjefm Chrifl, for the remijfion of fins, and ye fijall receive
the gift of the Holy GhoH. And Gal. iii. 27. As many of yon as
have been baptized into ChriB, have put on Chrisl.
This of the Gift of the Holy Ghosl was not added to any Ba-
ptifm before ChrifPs : and does remarkably diftinguifli it from
all others,.
SEC T. VI. .
That Clirift and the Apoftles did not Baptize with
JohnV Bapiifm.
"His is a Pretence o^t\\Q Quakers when they ^nd themielves
diftrefled with the clear Proofs of Chrisi and the Apojiies
having adminiAred Water -baptifm. They fay that this was
John'^s Baptifhfj, becaufe it was Water-baptifm. And, as before
obierv'd ScB.lV. they only ^% this, but can bring no Proof
But they put us, here again, upon the Negative, to prove it was
not.
As to their Pretence that it was John's Baptifm, becaufe it was
Water-baptifm, that is anfivered in the lafl Section.
And now to gratifie them in this (though unreafbnable) De-
mand, I will give thefe following Reafbns why the Baptifm
which
Ci5l
which ChrtH and his Jfoftles did pradile, was not Joh?i's Ba-
ftifm :
I ft, l^ChriH did b/iptize, with "John's Baptifm ; then he made
Dffcfples to Joh?^, and not to himlelf. For it is before Ihewn
SefL III. Num. ii & iii. That Baptifm was an Initiating Form^
and nothing elfc, whereby Men were admitted to h^Difciples
to him unto v/hom they were baptized. 7'hus the 3*^)1'/ who
were baptized unto iV/t^y^ j- faid, We are Mofes^s Difciples. John
-ix. 28. And thofe whom jffji?;; baptized, were called t\\Q Difci-
ples of John. And there needs no more to fliew that Christ- did
not baptize with the Baptifin of John, than to fhew that the Di-
fciples of Chrisl and of Jo^jn were not the fame, which is made
evident fvow-John'i. 35, 37. where it is told that fn'<? ofjohn'^s
Difciples hit liim, and followed Jefas. And Matth. xi. 2. jTt?/?;?
lent /JVC) of his Dijciples to Jf/z^j-. And tlie Dtfciples ofChrisl li-
ved under a difTercnt Oeconomy^ and other i^«/e/ than either the
Dtfciples ofjohn.or of theP/^^-irz/e-fi-jto fliew that they were under
another Majhr, And tlie Difciples of yc»/^y?i< were Icandaliz'd at
it, Matth, ix. 14. Then came to htm (Jesus) the Difciples of John^
faying., Why do n-f ,. and the Fharifees fast oft^ but thy Difciples fast
not ?
Therefore the Difciples of ChriH and of John were not the
fame : and tlierefore Chrifl did baptize Men to be his orvn Difci-
pjes, and not to be the Difciples of John : and therefore the Ba-
ptifm of Christ was not the Baptifm of John.
2d]y, If Christ did baptize with John's Baptifm^ the more he ^^-
ptized, it was tlie more to the Hofwtir and Reputation of the i?^-
^///k? of Jo/'/^ : But Chriffs baptizing was urg'd, by the Difci-
ples of John, as a lelTning ofjohn^ John iii. 26, Therefore the
Bdpftjm with which Chrift did baptize couM not hQlh^Baptifm of
5^(?^/?. Though it be faid Jt;/?;? iv. 2. That^jV/^/^' himfelf bapti-
zed not, but his Difciples : (For fb the Apofrles and othQvMinijIers
ofChrift have baptized move into the f /?/>// ofChrifi; than C/^ri/?
ktmjtlf has done :) Yet here is no ground of ye/*''; .y?'^ Oi- Rivalfiip
to Chrifi^ becauie the Adminrllration ofChriffs Baptifm, is a if to
the Honour and G/{>r)' of Chri/t : And therefore ChrijPs baptizing
more Difciples than John, cou'd be no Leffntng of j^^/^.^, but ra-
ther a Magnifying of him fb much tlie more, ifChrfl had ba^tiztd
with JohrP.s Baptifm .
3dly,
C i6 ]
i^\y. When Joh/i^\ Tfifiipies had told him of Chrifi'^s out ri-
valUng him, hy baptizwg more than he, 'John anfwer'd, He mufi
4ncreaj€^ but Imufi decreafe, John iii. 30. But if Christ did ba-
ptize with the BaptiJ'm of John, than John -ftili i?icreafed, and
Christ decreafed. For,
4thly, He is greater \\\y:) infiiiutes a Baptifm^ tlian tliofe who
only adminifler a Bapifin of another'^s appointment : Therefore
if Chrifi did baptize with the Baptism oljohn, it argues ^i?//;^ to
; be^rf^/-fr than Chrifi, and C/;r/// to be but a Minifier oijohn.
5thly, All the y«w who had been baptized with the Baptifm
,o^Johf?, did not turn Chrifiians; therefoi'e jTi^/^/^'s Baptifm was
iiot the Chriflian Baptifm.
. 6thly, Thofe oi'John'^s Difciplcs, wlio turned Chrijlians, were
baptized over ciguin, in the Name -of C/?r/y/ ; of which there is a
remarkabJe Inftance, J^-^xlx, toz'. 7. But the fame Baptifm
.was never repeated ( as is fhewn above. Sect. III. Numb, iii, )
therefore the B/z/?///^ which the Jpofies- did admimjhry was n(^
Johri's Baptifm.
ythly, The ,F(5r;z; of the Baptifm vA\iQ\i£hrift commanded
M^z-.xxviii. 1 9. was, In the Name of the Father., and of the Son^ and
of the Holy Gho(i : But that was not the form of John\ Baptifm :
Therefore that was not John's Baptifm, S^e what is before faid
Seel. V. A^um. ii. of the DiiTerence ofBaptifms^ as to the Juthor,
the TfJr/^, . and the End of each Baptifm: And, in all thele Re-
ipefts, it is made apparent that the Baptifm which w^as pra-
,Q:is'd by Chrif and the Apojlks^ was not tht Bapr if m of John.
To ail theie clear Arguments the Quakers, without anfwer-
'ing to any of them, do iiill infill:, That the Water -baptifm
which the. ^/.^//f id id admioiller, was no other than Johnh Ba-
..ptiffn. That tliey had no Comm.and for it ; only did it in CoiTt-
pliance with the Jews, as Pad circumcis'd Timothy, (Jets xvi.
3.) And purify'd himielf in the Temple, (JoJsy,%i. 2i,f<? 27.)
.^8ut this io all Gratis Diclum ; here is not one word of Proof-
And they might as well fay. That the Jpofiks Preaching was
only in Compliance with the Jews, and that it- was the fame with
^(9//;?'s Preaching ; for their CommifTions to T^-W/, and to B^-
■ptize were both given intlie fame Breath, Matth. xxviii. 1 9. Go
^^e- T5.ACH all Nations, Baptizi'^g them, 8<:c.
:Now why the Teaching here fliou'd be Chrtfi^s^ and baptizing
only
[ '7 ]
onlyJohu'Sy the leakers are defir'd to give fome other Realba
befides their own Arbitrary Interpretations ; before which ne
Text in the Bible, or any other Writing can ftand.
Befides, I woii'd inform tiiem, That the Gr^^)(r word jt^aS-n-
Tivaaliy in this Text, which we TranOate Teach, figniiies to
make Difciples ; fb that the literal, and more fr^^er reading of
that Text is, Go, andDilciple^// A^4?;(?>^/, or make Difciples of
them, baptizing them, &c.
If it beask'd, Why we fhouM Tranflate the Word /M.flt3-j«-
rrBVdCLh, Matt, xxviii. 1 9. by the Word Teach, if it means to
Difciple a Man, or make him a Difciple ?
I Anf.ver : Tliat Teachi^/g was the Method whereby to Per-
fivade a Man, to Convert him, ib as to make a Difciple of him.
But thtForm of Jdmitti/^g him into theChurch, and actually to
m.ake him a Difciple, to give him the Friviledges and Be/^efts of
a Difciple, was by Baptifm.
Now the Apjfiles being fent to Teach Men, in order to make
them Difciples \ therefore inftead of Go, Difciple Men, we Tran-
flate it, Go, Tsach, as being a more Famihar Word, and better
underiioodin E^iglijh.
Tho' if both the Greek words /xaS-jjTguVccfg, and BccTfJl^o^et,
in this Text, were Tranflated Literally, it would obviate thefe
ffuaker'Ob]QB.ionsi more plainly : For then the Words wou'd
run thus ; Go and Admit ail Nations to he my Difciples, by Wafhing
them with Water, inthe Name of the Tatlur, and of the Son, and
of. the Holy GhoH. L^iS'cco-icoyiei, Teaching them to obferve all
things vs>hatfoever I haue commanded iiou.
Here the V/ord AtcTao-xoiTes, 1. e. Teachif^g, is plainly di-
ftingifi filed from ttaS-wTguVoTg, to Difciple them j . tlio' our E^r^
gli/h renders them both by the Word Teaching, and makes a
Tautology : Go Teach all Natiojis- Teaching ^/;<';».
But, as a Child is Admitted into a School before it be Taught :
So Children may be Admitted into the Pale of the Church, and be
made Difciples, by Baptifm, before they ai^ Taught. Which
fhews the meaning of tliefe two Words, /. e,. Dfoipling^ and
Teaching, to be different. Becaufe, tho' in Perlbns Adult, Teach^
ing muft go before Difcipli'ng ; yet in Children (who are within
t\\Q Covenant, asoftheL^jv, to be ^^dmitted at eight Days o\i\,
by Qircumcifwn ; fb under the Gojpel, by Baptifm) Difcipling
O goes
goes before Teaching : And that Difciplwg is only by Bii-
But to return. The Quakers are fb hard put to it, when
they are prefs'd with that 1 ext, AltsY.. 47. Can- my forbid, JVa-
ter^ &c? That they are forced to make a Spippofe^ (without, any
ground or appearance of Truth) That thefe Words were an
Anfwer^o a Queftion. And that the Queftion was, Whether
they might not be Baptized witli "John's Baptifm ? And that this
proceeded from a Fondnefs the Jews had to John's Baptifin.
And that the Apoftle Peter only Comply'd with them out of
Gondefcention, as Paul CircumcisM 7'imothj.
Jlnf,i, Cornelius^ miA thofe whom P^/fr Baptized, ABs x.
were Gentiles and noty^Ji^^- ; They were Romans ^2ind. therefore
cannot befuppofed to have had any Longing after John^s Ba--
ptifin ; none of them having ever owa'd it, or having been .
Baptiz'd with it.
2; TliQ Gentile Converts to Chrijlianity, refus'd to Ribmit to
the Jeivijb Circumcifivn^ or any of their Law fJcfs xv.) And
therefore it is not to be imagin'd, that they wou'd be fond of any
of the Bapifms which were us'd among the Jews.
^. Even all the y^3?j themfelves, no not the C^/>/ and Pr/>-
cJpalof them, neither the P/'^r.y^fi' nor Lawyers did fiibmit to
jc?/?//s Baptifm, Lr<kevn.^o.
4. I'he Ethiopian Eunuch requefted Baptifm from Philips
(Ails, viii.) And it cannot be fiippos'd, that the Ethiopians had
more knovv' ledge of Johnh Baptifm, or regard for it, than the
Ro??ians^ or great part of the Jews themlelves.
5. There is- no ground to fuppofe that St. Peter'^s words, Can
nny Man forbid Water, 8^c ? were an Anf\ver to any Queltion
that was asked him. The moft forcible Affir?nation being often
exprcfs'd by way of Quejlion.
Can any Man forbid Water ^ That is, No Man can forbid it.
And for tlic fayingf Then Anfvered Peter. There is nothing
more familiar in the AVrv Tejlament, than that Expreflion when
. no Que f ion at all was asked. See Matt, xi. 2 5. xii. 3 8. xvii. 4 .
xxii. I. Markyl\.i^. xii. 5.5. xiv. 48. Ltikevii, 40. xiv. 3, 4, 5.
xxii, 5 1 . ^ohn V. 17,1 9.
6. Gnint-
[19]
6. Granting a Queilionwas ask'd^and that Cornelm^ as well as
the EthiopAn^ had defir'd Baptifm^ why muft this be conftru'd
of John's Baptifin ? Efpecially confidering, that Feter^ m that
fame Sermon which Converted Cornelms (Aft. x, 57.) told them
that the Gojpel which he Preached unto them, was that which
WdiS fublifhed^ after the Baptifm which John Preached, What
Argument was this for Comelim to return back again to John^s
Baptijm f Or, if he had defir'd it, why fhou'd we think that
Peter v/ou'd have Complfd with him ; and not rather have re-
proved him, and carry 'd him beyond it, to the Baptijm of ChriB :
as Paul did (^Jcis xix.) to thofe who had before receiv'd the
Baptijm of John ?
7. But as to the Complyance which the Quakers wou'd have to
John's Baptifrn ; and which they compare to PauPs Complyance
in Qircumcifwg Timothy : I will fhew the great Dilparity.
Firfi-, The Law was more univerfally receiv'd than John's
Baftijm : For many and the Chief of the Jews did not receive
Johnh Bapfifm, as above-obferv'd.
Secondly, The Law was of much longer ftanding : John*s
Bapttfm was like a Flafh of Lightning, like the Day-Star, which
ulher'd in the .S//;^ of RighteoufneJ^, and then difappear'd : But
the Law continued during the long Alight of Types and Shadows^
many hundreds of l^ears.
Thirdly, John did no Miracle fjohn^^.^i,') But the Lai9
was delivered, and propagated by many Jges o^ Miracles. 'Twas
cnjoyn'd under Penalty of Death y to them and their Pojlerities ;
whereas John''s Baptifm hiktd not onQ Age, was intended only
for the Men then prelent, to point out to them the MeJJiah^ then
already come,and ready to appear : And no outward Penalties
were annexed to John\ Law ; People were only Invited^ not
CompelPd to come unto his Baptifm : But to negleft: Qtrcum-
cifton^ was Death, Gen. xvii. 14. Exod. iv. 24.
The Preaching of John was only a Warning ; let thofe take
notice to it that wou'd:
Whereas the Law was pronounced by the Mouth of God
Himielf, in Thunder and Lightnings and out of the midft of th.e
Fire, upon Mount Sinai^ in the Audience of all the People :
And fo terrible was the Sight ^ that Mofes [aid, I exceedingly feai
D 2 ^^d
, [ ;-° ]
iifui quake, Heb.xii. 21^ For from, Gq^'' s Right Hand went a Fire
of Laiv for them, Deut. xxxiii. 2.
From all thefe Reafbns, we muH: fuppofe the Jews to be'
much more Tenacious of the £/?r^'. than Q'[John*sBaptifm; and
to be brought olFwith greater difficulty from their Ctrcumcifion^
which had defcended down to tliem all the way from Abraham^
4 jo Years before the Law^ ("Gal. iii. 1 7.) than from Johr/'s Ba-
^tifm,^ which v/as^butof Yefterday ; and never receiv'd by the
Chief of the Jews, And therefore there was much more reafbn
fqrPa^Ps Complying with the Jews in the Cafe of C^rcumcif&^^.
than in that o^ Jobnh Baptifm^ as the ^^^C'^r/ fiippofe.
V/henC/;m/ came to fulfil tlieL^)?^ he did it with all regard
to theL^jr, (Matth. v. 17^ 18,19.) ^^ deftrofd it not with Vio-
lejice^ all at once ; hut fulp IP d it le^furely and by degrees; Vt cum
homre Mat&rSynagogd fepeliretur, ^h.Q Synagogue was the il^i?--
ther of tlie Church ; and therefore it was fitting that flie fliou'd
h^.Bi^rfd with all Dtcency. and Honour,'
This was the Reafbn of all l\\o{h Comply a}%ces with the^^'^fl'^V
2ittht beginning, to wear them off, by- degrees.^ from their Su-
fer flit ion to the Lriw,~
Tho' in this fome might Comply too far : And there w^ant not
thofe who think that> BmP%- Circumcifuig of Timothy^ (XQis
xvi. 3.J \\^^%2i.% faulty a Comply ance, as that which he blamM in
Veter.. ,^Gal. ii.) For that of PauPs is not Commended, in the
Pjacc.whcre it is mentioned.
And now I appeal to the Reafbn of Man-kind, whether Ob-.
je.61ions thus piek'd up fj-onvfuch obfcure and ^^/^a-r/^/^ PalTages,
ought to overballance plain and fofitive Commands, which are
both back'd and explain'd by the Pr^t^//^ of the Jpofiles, and
the Vnizerfal Church after tliem ? All which I have before De-.
monftrated of Ba-ptifm,.. -
8 . But however, the QMakers may argue from PojiPs CompH-
ance with the Jewsy the Reader has reafbn to complain of my
Comply a-Me v\fith Them : For, after all that has been faid, there
is not one fingle Word in any Text of the A^. T. that does lb
ra cich as liint at any fuch thing, as that Peterh Baptizing of Cor-
neli^is^ or Fhilip\ Baptizing of the Eunuch-, was in any fort- of
Cornvlyance unto Johnh Baptifm, This is a perfc£l Figment, out
of tmQuAhis own Brain, without any Ground or Foundation
in
[ ^-I "J
in the World : And therefore there wasiiO mtd of Anfv/eriiig it
at all, othervvife than to bid the Quakers prove then- Jjfertion;
That thefe Bapt/fms were in Complyance with JoJm'^Sj which
they cou'd- never have done,..
Whereas it is plain from the Words of the Text, fJlhwi.-^,}
that PauPs Circumcifing Timothy ^w2iS in Complyance with tlie
"Jews : It is exprefly ib find, and the Reaion of it given, becauie,
rhoMiis M?/'/'f / -was a j^nvr/T, yet his Father WTis 2i<jreek ', and
therefore., becaiif'e of the ]q\vs tvhkh were m thofe Quarters f'fays
the Text j he Circumciled T/;;^o/^j, that thefe J^/rj might Hear
and Recewe hin>j which, otherwife, they wouM not have done.
Now let the Qmkers fliew the like Authority, that the Baptifms
of Qorndtm^ of the Eunuch ^ and of the Corinthians^ A6ls xviii.8.
(^For that too they acknowledge to have been JVater-Baptifm,as
I will fhew prefentlyj let the Quakers fhew the like Authority,
as I have given for the Circumcifion of T/^^c?/-^ being in Corfi^
flyame with the Jnr.-Iet them fliew the like,Iiay,thar the forelaid
Baptifms were in Complyance with Jafjn'^Sy and then they will
have Ibmething to fay. But till then, this Excufe^ or Put off o^
theirs, is nothing elfe but a hopelefs Shifto^ a dejperate Cauf'e, to
fuppofe, againft all (enfe, that thefe Gf«/^/7f J, f Romans ^ Ethio-
pians, and Corinthians) dcfiv^djohn^s Baptifm^. who Yc]eQ:Qd all
the Latvs and Cufioms of the Jews.
' S E C T, VII.
TBe Qxi^kevs. jMafier-Obje^ion fwm i .Cor. i. i^,-
I thank GOD that I Baptized none of you ^ but Cvi-
fpus and Gaius. And Ver . 17. For ChrlSi fentme
mt to BaptizCj but to Preach the GoJ^el
FROM this PafTage they argue. That Water-Baptifm was
not commanded byC^rz/i^jbecaufe here St. Paul fays,That
he wasrnot lent to Baptize \ and that he thanks God, that he
Baptiz*J ib few of them. * But,
In
[ " ]
In Anfu^r to this, Iwill firilofall premife, That a bare 0^-
jecflon^ without fbme ?;w/ on the other fide, does neither ju-
.ilifie their Caufe, nor overthrow ours ; For when a thing is Pro-
ved AffirmAtively^ it cannot be overthrown by Negative Diffi-
culties which may be ObjeOied.
You muft dilTolve the Proofs which are brought to fupport it ;
Nothing elfe will do.
For what Truth is there lb evident in the World, againfl
.which no Obje6lion can be rais'd ?
Even the Being of a God has been difputed againfl: by thefe
fort of Arguments ; that is, by r3.\CmgOhjeB-w??s, and ftarting
Difficulties^ which may not eafily be AnfwerM : But while tliofc
Demonftrative Arguments, which Prove a God, remain unfha-
ken, a thoufand Difficulties are no Dijproof,
And fb, Xvhile th&. Comma?id of Chrisl, and the Pra5iife of
his Jpofilesy and of all the Chriftixn World, in purfuance of that
Command, are clearly Provd, no Difficulty from an obfcure
Text, can fhake fuch a Foundation.
But I lay down this, only as a General Rule ; becaufe this
Method is fb much made ufe of by the Quakers fand others j who
never think of Anfwering plain Pr(?f?/} ; but byraifinga great
DuH 0^ Objections, wou'd bury and hide what diey cannot Dif-
prove. *
I fay^ that I only mind them at prefent, of this fallacious
Artifice ; for I have no ufe for it as to thefe Texts objeQed, to
which a very plain and eafie Anfwer can be given. And,
"Firft, I would obfervc, how tht ^Quakers can underftand the
Word Baptize to mean Water-Bapttjm, or no Water-Baptifm,
)\\ii as the Texts ieem to favour their caufe, or otherwife.
'i^jpof there is no mention of Water in either of the Texts ob je-
ded, only the fingle word Baptize. And wliy then mufl: they
.conftrue thefe two Texts only, of all the reft in the New Tefia-
ment, to mosLnWater-Baptifm <* Why? but only to flnain an
.Objedion out of them againfl: Water-Baptifm ?
But will they let the Word Bamize fignifie Water^Pajftifm, in
other places, as well as in thefe r ~ ^'*/ ''"•
They
r=^i ... ^
They cannot refufe it w^h any fnew or colour of Reafbn.
They muft not refufe it in J^s xviii.S', where the B^/'^/^/>^ of
Crijpii^' (mention'd in tlie firft of the Texts obje£led) is record-
ed. And therCj . it is not only faid of Cri(^us, that he was hA^ti-
z,edj but that many of the Corinthians hearings believed^ and were
baptized. By which, the Quakers cannot deny Watir-Baptifm
to be meant, fince they coniirue it {b^ i Cor. i. 14.
Secondly, We may further obferve,that in t\\€Ttyx,Acfs xviii.8,
Cri(pm is only faid tO have believed^ which was thouglit fiifrici-
ent to infer, that lie was ^^/'/•/^^^ ; which cou'd not be, unlels
all that believed^ were baptized : Which, no doubt, was the
Cafe, as it is written, Jch xiii. 48 . Js many as were ordained to
eternal Life ^ believed. And (Ch. ii. 41.) They that received
the Word J were baptized^ And (V. 47.) The Lord added to the
Church daily Juch as jljou*d be Javed,
So that this is the Climax or Scale of Religion. As many as
are ordained to eternal Life d© ^^//>^'e ; And they that believe^
^Yt baptized: And they that are baptized^ are added to the
Church.
And to fhew this received Notion, That whoever did believe
was baptized, when Paul m'et fbme Difciples who had not heard
oiih^Holy GhoH, Ac'ls xix. ^. he did not ask them whether they
had been baptized, .or not ? He took that for granted, fince
th.ey believed. But he asks, Vnto what were ye baptized ? Suppo--
flng that they haii been baptized.
Thirdly, Here then this Objection of the Quakers, has tunfd
into an invincible Argument againft them.
They have, by this, yielded the whole Caufe : For if the
Baptifm, i Cor. i. 14. be Water-Bapttfm.j then that Baptifm,
Ach xviii. 8. mufl be the fame : And confequently all the otner
Baptifms, mention'd in the Ac}Sy are, as thefe, Water-Bap-
tifms alfb.
But, befides the Quakers Confeflion (for they areunconflant,
and may change their Minds) the thing fliews it felf, that the
Baptifm mention'd, lOr.i. 14. was iVater-Baptifm ; becaufe
Paul there thanks God, that he baptized none of them but Crifpus
md Gaius. Wou'd the Apojlle thaiik God that he -had baptized
9:>
T H 1
To /fjv, ' with the Holj GhoB ? Or wou'd he repent of baptizing
"withtlit Holj Gholf? Therefore it\nufl be the JVater-Bapn/m
which was here fpoke of.
Fourthly, But now, whatis theReafbn, that he was glad he
had hptized So few with Water-Bapifm? And he gives the
Heafbn, in the very next words. (V. 15.) LeJi any Pjau^dfaj^
■that I had bapizedin mine cwn Name. What was the occafion
of this Fear P It is told from V, 10. 7'hat there were great Di-
I'ifions and Contentions among thefe Corinthiayis^ and tliac theie
were grounded upon the ^Emulation that arofe among them, \Yi
behah^oftlieirfeveral Teachers, One was for P^///, another for
AplloSy others for Cephas., and others for ChriH.
This wou'd feem, as if the Chriftian Rehgion had been con-
tradiQory to it felf ;
As if ChriB^ and Cephas, and Faul, and Jpo/Ios lud fet up
a^ainft one another ;
As if they had not all taught the fame Dodrine:
As if each had preach'^d uph/mj/f., and nctChrifl- :
And had baptized Difciples, each m his own Name., and not in
Chrifi''s ; and had begot Followers to himjelfj and not to
Phrift. ^ .
To remove this fb liorrible a. Scandal, St. Paul argues with
great zeal, (V. i^.) // Christ .divided? (fays he) H^as Paul
Crucified for you ? Or weru ye baptized tn the Name of Paul? /
thank Gody that I baptized none of you but Crifpus and Gaius ; left
any jhould fay^ That I had baptized in mine own Name.
There needs no Application of this, the Words of the Jpofile
are the mfelves fb plain.
He didnot thank God, that they had aothtm baptized ; but
that He had not done it.
And this, not for any flight to Water-Baptifm ; but to obviate
the Objection of his baptizing mhis own Name.
Fifthly, By the way, this is a ftrong Argument ^ovWater-
'Baptifm : Bccaufe the Inward Bapttfm of the Spirit^ ccmeth not
with O.bfervation d.nd.Shew.^ but is n'/V/;//^ us, £»/('. xvii. 20, 21^
,Nor is it done in any Body's Name, itis^Lntnward Operation up-
X>n the Heart,^
But
[-5]
But the outward Bap^ifm is always done in fbme NaNte
or other; in his JVame whok Difclple you are t, ber ei?y ms^dc
and Admitted.
Therefore it muft, of neceffity, be the ontward Baptifm, of
whicli St. Paul here fpeaks ; becaufe it was outwardly Admini-
ftred, m^iidi^in outward Na?ne. And he makes this an Argu-
ment that he had not made Difciples to himfelf^ but to Christ ;
becaufe he did not Baptize them in his own Name, but in
Chrtsfs.
Now this had been no Argument^ butpcrfeft Banter^ if there
had been no outward Baptifm^ that the People cou'd have both
feen and heard. How otherwife cou'd they tell in what A^ame^
or no Name they were baptized^ if all was Inward and Invi-
ftble ?
But I need not prove what the Quakers grant and contend for,
that all this was meant of iVater-Baptifm ; becaufe otherwijfe
their whole ObjeQion, from this place, does fall.
VI. But they wouM infer as if no great ftrefs were laid
upon it ; becauie that few were fb baptized.
I Anlwer; That there is nothing in tlie Text which does in-
fer, that few of thefe Corinthians were baptized.
St. P.1!/// only thanks God, that \\q himfelf \\?iA not done it,
except to a few, for the Reafons before givenw But Acls xviii. 8.
it is [aid. That befides Crifp:^Sj whom Paul himself, baptized,
Many of the Corinthians were baptized,
iS^ay, they wqvq all baptized, as many as believed^ as before
is prov'd. And, in this very place, St. Paul taking it for grant-
ed, that all who ^^//>^'^^, vvtvtbaptiz'd, which I have already
obiervMfromhisQaeilionto^^r/-^/;? D.fciples, A8:s xix, |. not
whether they were ^l«/>^/.2:f^; but unto what, i.e. In what Name,
•they had been baptized ? So here i Ccr. i. 13. He does not make
the Quedion, whether they had been ^^Iz/^f/ii^^ ? That he takes
for granted. But in what Name, nere ye baptized 'f Which fup-
pofes, not only that rfZ^Vv'"ere^^/?/-i5^^i, but likewife that all who
were baptized, were baptized in ibruQ outward Name ; and there-
fore that it was the Outward, i. e. tVater-Baptifm.
B ' VUj
[ ^6 ]
VII. But the (econd Text objeded, F. 17. is yet to be ac-
counted for ; where St. Pant fays, ChriB j'em me not to Bap-
tiz~c^ hut to Preach the Gojpel. Tliis he faid in juftification of
himfelf for having ^^/^/-/'^'^ ib few in that place; for which he
blellesGod, becaufe, as it happened, it prov'd a great juftifica-
tion of his not baptizing in his own Name.
But then, on the other hand, here wou'd ieem to be a Neg-
le£l in him of his Duty : For if it was his Duty to have bap-
tiz'd them aii^ and he baptiz'd but a few, here was a great
NegleQ:.
In Anfwer to this, we find, that there was no Ncgleffc
in not baptizing them, for that, not a few but many of the C(?-
rinthians were baptized^ Acfs xviii. 8. that is, as many as be-
lieved, as before is fhewn.
But then who was it that baptized thofe many ? For St. Pad
baptized but a few,
I Anfiver. The Jpojlle employ'd others, under him, to Bap-
tize.
And. he vindicates this, by faying. That he was not fent to
Baptize, i. e. principally and chiefly ; that was not the chief p^Lrt
sf hisCommiflion : But the greater ^nd more difficult p2ivt was
that of Preaching, to Dijpute with, Perfwade and Convert the
Heathen World. To this, great Parts, and Cottrage, and Mtra-
culotis Gifts v/ere necefTary : But to Adminifter the outward Form
ofBaptiJm to thofe who were Converted, had no Difficulty in it ;
requir''d no great Parts, or Endowments, only a lawful Commif-
fton to Execute it.
And it wou'd have taken up too much of the Apofihs time, it
was impofTible for them to have baptized, v/ith their own Hands,
thofe vafl: Multitudes whom they Converted. Chriftianity had
reach'd to all Quarters of the then known World, as far almoft,
as at this Day, before the ^/^ij.'^/fj left the World. And cou'd
Twelve Men Baptize the whole World? Their Progre^ was not
the leaft of their Miracles : The Bread of Life multipiy*d faff er,
in their Diflrihution of it, than the Loaves by our S a v i o u rV
Breaking ot them. St. Peter Converted ^hout three Thoirjand at
one Sermon, ABs ii. 41. And at another time about fve Thou-
fand, Ch. iv. 4. Multitudes both of Men and Women. Ch. v. 14.
Many more than the Apoftles couM have counted ; rpuch moie
tliaa.
[ ^7 ]
than they cou'd have baptized ; for which if they had ftay'd,
they had made flender Progrefs. No. The Afofiks were lent,
as loud Her aulds, to proclaim to all the Earth, to runiwiftly, and
gather nriuch People ; and not to ftay (they cou'd not flay) for
the baptizmg with their own Hands, all that they Converted :
They left that to others, whom they had ordain'd to Adminifter
it. Yet not fb, as to exclude themfelves ; but they themfelves
^A Baptize^ where they faw occafion, as St. Paul here did
Baptize Crijpm and Gaimj and the Houfe of Stephana^j fbme
of the Principal of the Corinthians. Not that he was oblig'd
to have done it himfelf, having others to whom he might have
Ml it : For he was aotfenf, that is, put under the Necejfity to
Baptize with his own Hands, but to Preachy to Convert others,
that was his principal Province, and which he was not to neg-
left, upon the account of baptizing^ which others could do as
well as he.
But if you will fb underfland the Words of his not hzmgfem,
i.e. that it was not within \\\sCommiJJion, that he was not Im-
porver'^d by Christy to Baptize^ then it wou'd have been a Siriy
and great Frefumption in him, to have baptized any body.
Nay more. This Text, thus underftood, is flatly contradi-
£loryto Matt, xxviii. 19. which fays, Goj Baptize : And this
fays, I am not [ent to Baptize,
Thefe are contradictory, if by, lam not [ent j be underftood^
I have not Bower or Comrniffion to Baptize.
But by, I am not [ent., 'no morels meant in this Text., than
that Baptizing is not the chief or principal part of my Commifft^
on. As if a General were accufed for Mufiering and Lifiing Men
in his own Name., and not in the/0;?^'s, and he fliou'd lay, m
Vindication of himfelf, that he had never lijled any, except fuch
and fuch Officers \ for that he was not jent to Mufler., or Drill
Men, or to Exercife Tr£?cj^j or Regiments., but to Command the
Army : WouM it follow from hence, that he had not Power to
Exercife a Troop or a Regiment., or that it was not within his
QommtjTion f Or if a Doctor of Phjfick fhould lay. That it was
not his Part to compound Medicines^ and make up Drugs (that
was the Apothecarfs Bufinefs) but to give Prefcriptions ; wou'd
any Man nifer from this, that he might not Compound his own
Medicines if he pleas'd ? v \
E 2 Or
[ ^s 1
Or if (to come nearer) ^Profeffor of Uivimty^ or a Bijhop'^
Ihou'd fay, lliat he was not fe?}i to Teach School', this wou'd
not imply that he might not Kjef School \ nay, he ought, if
there were no others to do it : So the Apoftle of the Gentiles was
notfenr to fpend his Time in B/tptizmg, Vifui^gthe Sick^ or
other Parts of his Duty, (which others might perform) fb
as to 'hinder his great Work in Converting of the Gentiles:
All of whom he couM not Baptize^ nor Fipt all their Sick :
Yet both thefe were within his Commifjion^ and he might
and oiioi Execute them where he faw occafion. As if al] the
Sick in London fhon'd expeQ: to be Vifited by the Bifhop of
London ; and all the Children (liou'd be brought to ht baptized
by him ; he might well fay, That he was not fent to Bapriz?^
or to Vifit their Sick^ but to look after his Epijcopal Function :
And fend them for thefe O^^r^j, to others, under him : And yet
this wou'd no ways imply, that thele Offices were not within
the Epifccpd CommifTion ; or that lie was not fent both to Bap^- .
tize^ and to Vifit the Sick : But only that he was not {hiitfrinci-
pally and chiefly to Baptize^ or to Vifit the Sick.
And as to that Phrafe of being y^;?/-; w^e find it us'd in this
fame fenfe, to mean only being chiefy and principally fent.
Thus/ Gen. 'xlv. 8. Jofeph laid to his Brethren, It was not you
that fent me hither^ but God^ It was certainly his Brethren who
fent liim, for they fo/d him into Egypt : But it was not They,
principally 2ind chiefly ^ but Gody who had other and extraordi-
nary Ends in it.
Add.mwas not deceived (fays the Apoftle, i Tim. ii. 14.) but
/helVoman being deceived, ivas in theTranfgreffton. jidam w^s
deceived, and/<r//as wellas the ff^^w4Az; but the meaning is, he
was not firfl, or principally deceived.
Again. As for you who ftick lb clofe to the Letter (when it
leemeth toferveyour turn) Go ye and learn what that meaneth^ I
WILL HAVE Mercy, and not Sacrifice, M/?/^/. ix. 15.
By which it cannot be underftood, that God did not require
Sacrifice ; for he commanded it upon Pain of Death. Yet he lays,
(Jer. vii. 22.) I flake not unto your Fathers , nor commanded them
— concerning Burnt-Offerings, or Sacrifices : But this thing Com-
■mamkd 1 them., f^J^^^j Obey my Voice^ Sec according as it is
written, ( i Sam xw, 22.) To Obey is better than Sacrifice.
[ ^9 1
By all v/hich cannot be m€ant,that God'uid not Command thei
Jews concerning BHrnt-Ojjerings diXX^ Sacrifices (for we know
how paiticiilarly they were commanded) but that tht out ward
Sacrifice was not the chief and frimipd pait of the Command ;
which reipedled chiefy tlie mvMrd Sacrifice. and Circumcifion of
tliQ Heart.
Which when they ne.gle8:ed, and leanM wholly to the Out-
rvardy then God detefts their {jhlations\ Ifa. i. 14. Tonr new
Moons y and your appointed Feafs mj Soul hateth, I am tveary to
bear them. And he fays, V. i 2. Who-haih required this at your
Hand ?
It was certainly GiJ^aJ who had required all thefe things at thein
hands; hutxht^Q outward P erf or-ti'iances^ (tho"* the Neglect Of A-
bufeo^ them,waspunifliedwith Death) yet they were- not the
chief and. principal part of the Command, being intended
chiefly for the fake of the Imvard sind Spiritual Part : From which
whc;n they were feparated, they were (like the Body, when tlia
Soul is gone) a dead and a loathfome. Carcass of Religion :
And which G<9^ is therefore faid, not to have commanded, be-
caufe he did not Command them without the other : As he made
not the Body without the Soul ', yet he made the Body as well as
thsSoul,
VIII. And as there is Soul and Body m Man, fo (while.
Man is in the BodfJ there muft be a Soul and Body of Religion ^
that is, an outward and an inward Worship, with our Bodies
as well as our Souls,
And as the Separation of SouL 2indi Body m Man^ is called
Death ; lo is tiie Separation of the outward and the inward Part
of Religion, the Death and Deflruliion of Religion ,
The outward is the Cofk, and the inward is the Wine, The
Coik is no Part of xh^Wine ; but if you break the Q^tsk, you
lofe the Wine, And as certainly, whoever deftroy the outward
Inflitutions o^- Religion, lole the inward Parts of it too.
As is fadly experienc'd in the Quakers, who, having thrown
off the outward Baptifm, and the other Sacrament of ChriFfs
Death, have, thereby, loft the inward thing fignify'd, which
is, the P E R s o N A L Chriff, as Exifling without all other Men y
and having fo 6'^^<?rV, Rofe^ Jfcended^ aiid now, and lor ever,
Smeth
[ 50 ]
Sttt.eth in Heaven^ in his true proper Human Nuture^ Without
all other Men, This the Quakers will not own, (except fbme of
the New Separation) and this they have loft, by their Negle6t
of thole outward Sacraments^ which Christ appointed for this
very End (among others) that is, as Remembrances of his
Death : For it had been morally impoffible for Men, who had
conftantly and with due Reverence^ attended thefe holy Sacraments
of Baptifm and the Lord'*s Supper, ever to have forgot his Death,
fb lively reprefented before their Eyes, and into which they
were baptized ; or to have turn'd all into a mcer Allegory, per-
form'd within every Man's BreaFi, as thefe Quakers have
done.
But the Enemy has perfwaded them to break the C^isk,2ind de-
ftroy the Body of Religion ; whereby the IVine is fpilt, and the
Soul of Religion is fled from them : And by neglecting the out-
ward Pxrt, they have Igft the whole inward, and Tr^th of Religi^
on ; which is a true Eaith in the Outward ChriH, and iw the
Satisfaction made for our Sins, by his Blood Outwardly ,
jhed ; and in his Interceffion, in our Nature, as our High-Priest,
at his Father'^s Right Hand, now, in Heaven ; into which Holy of
Holies, He has carry'd his own Blood of Expiation, once of^er'd
upon the Cro/T, d.nd prefents it, for e-ver, as t\\Q Atonement and
full f atii fact ion ^ox the Sins of the whole World; but apply 'd
only by true Eaith and Repentance, thereby, becomes fully Etfe-
£bual iox\\<t Salvation of every Faithful Penitent.
This is the only true Chriftian Faith : And from this the Qua-
^^rj have toidlly fallen; and that chiefly, by their M^^ throw-
ing off th^ Outward Guards, Prejervatives, Fences, Sacra-
ments, and Pledges of Religion. And thofe Outward Means
of Grace, which ChriH has commanded, and given us as the only
Outward Groun'ds for our Hope of Glory. For how can that
Man get to Heaven, 'v^ho Vvill not go the way that ChriH Jias
appointed ; ■ who came dow'i; from Haven, on purpofe to Jhew
and lead us the way thither : yet we will be wifer than he, And
fault with his Inftitutions, a^ being too much upon the Outward ;
and think rhat we can and may Spiritualize themjf^er,and make
the way porter than he has done
IX.
L 5M .
IX. But to return, if the Qnakers cou'd £in^ fuch l^extf
concerning B/iptiJ??/, as I have rbewn above concerning Sacriji'
cesy as if it were laid, 'I'hat God did ?wt command Baptifin ; that
he hated /V^and was weary to hear it^ that he would not have it^ ^c.
If fuch J'f ^/-j cou'd be found, How wouMthe Quakers triumph i
Whowou'dbe able to fl:and before them! And yet, if fuch
were found, they wou\l prove no more againft the outward
B A p T I s M, than they did againft the outward Sacrifices,
i, e. That if any regarded nothing elfe in Baptifm, than the
outward JVafiwg^ it wou'd be as hateful to God, as the Jewifi
Sacrifices, when they regarded nothing more in them but tlie
Outward.
And it may be truly (aid, That God did not Command either
fuch Sacrifices, or fuch a Baptifm ; becaufe he commanded not
the outward alone, but with refpeQ: unto, and chiejij for the fake
of the Inward,
And, therefore, as all thefe, and other the like Expreflions
in the Old Teftament did not at all tend to the Abolition^ only to
the Rectification of the Legal Sacrifices : So, much lefs, can that
fingle Exprellion, i Cor.i. 17. ofPauPs faying' (upon theocca-
fion,and in the fenfe above mcntion'd)that he was not fent to Bap-
tize, but to Preach , much lefs can this infer the Abolition oiBap-
tifm \ being as pofitively lommanded, as Sacrifices were under
the Law, and as certainly pra5l-is''d by the Apvftles, as the Sacri-
fices were by the Levittcal Priefis,
X. Now fuppofe that I Hiould deny, that Outward
Sacrifices were ever commanded ; or, that the Jewj did ever pra-
Bife them : And fhou'd Interpret all that is faid of Sacrifices,
only of the Inward, as the Quakers do of Baptifm ', and I fhou'd
produce the Texts above quoted to prove that God did not com-
mand Sacrifices, which are much more pofitive than that fingle
one which is ftrain'd againft Baptifm : I fay , fuppofe that I fhou'd
befb Extravagant as to fet up fuch a Notion, what Method (ex-
cept that of Bedlam, whicli, in that Cafe, wou'd be moft pro-
per) cou'd be taken to convince me ? And fuppofe I fhou'd gain
as many Profelytes as G. Fox has done : And we fhou'd boaft
our
[
r-]
oui' Numbers, ^r\di Light rvuhin, 8cc. wou'd not this following
Method be taken with us ?
1 11:. To fee how Sacrifices are actually iis'd now in tliofe Parts
of the World where they do Sacrifice, And being convinced that
thele do uie outrvard Sacrifices^ and underljand the firft Com-
mand to ^Vr/jff^, inthatlenfe, to inquire
2dly, Whether they did not receive this from their Fathers,
fo upward, to the firft Inftitution? And is not this the fiireft
Rule to find out the meaning of the frH Command ? viz,. How
it was u/^derfiood 3.nd praf^u''d by thoie to whom the Command
was/ri? given ; and from them, through all Ages fince. Upon
all which Topicks, the prefent IVater-Baptifm^ now usM, may
be as much demonftrated to be the fame which was pr^cJis'^d by
tliQjpoftles, and coniequently, which -wslS commanded by Chrifr,
as the outrvard Sacrifices can be fliewn to have been, at firft, com-
manded to ths. Jews ^ 2.nd pracfis'^d by them.
"XI. And as for that precarious Plea, before confuted,
of the Bapttfm which the Apoftles praclis'd, being only a Com-
plyance with the y^H^/ ; there is xrovq Pretence -to fay, that the
Jewiflj Sacrifices were in Comply ance with the H -at hen S aerify
ceSj which were long before the LeviticaiLaw.
. I fay, there is more Pretence for this, but not more Truth,
More pretence^ becaufe it has been advanced of lare, by
Men of greater Figure than Qjiakers^ That the Leviticd
Sacrifices were commanded by God, in Complyance with the
Gentile Sacrifices j w^hich were before ufed.
But this is a Subject by it felf. I now only fliew the Q^^^
kers^ t\\2it there is more ground to fpiritualiz,e awv^ySacri/jcBs
from the Letter ^ than Baptifm ; more pretence for it from Texts
of Scripture^ and from fbme odd Opinions of fbme Learned
Men.
And if the Denial of Outward Sacrifices wou'd be coun-
ted (as the like of Baptifm \v3.s^ whi^nfirH ftarted) to be 120-
thing fhort of MW;?^/r, the continuance of tlia.t Di/frachon for
46 Years together (jis in the Cd.ie of Bapti/mJ might make it
more familiar to us, but would abate nothing of the Vnreafon-
ableneji.
XIL
f 53 ] . .
XII. I believe the Reader, by this time, cannot but think
that I have taken too much neediefs Pains, in Anfwer to that
Objedion of St. PauPs faying that he was not fent to Baptizey
but to Preach : But I (peak to a fort of Men, who are us'd to
Repetitions^ and will not take a Hi^^t (unleis it be on their fide)
and therefore I enlarge more than I wou'd do, if I were writing
to any otjiers. But I think I have faid enough, even to them^
to fhew, that the Meaning of the Jpofile in this Text, was on-
ly to prefer the Office of Preaching, befoi;e that of Baptizing.
But I muil withal deftre them to take notice, that the Preacfj-
ingj that is, Puhlifiing of the Gojpel, at firfl: to Heathens^ was
a very diiTerent thing, and of much greater Neccjfity^ thanthcfe
let DifcourfeSy which we now call Preaching in Chrijtian Audi-
tories.
XIIT. Let me (to conclude) add one Argument more, from
tliis Text, I Cor. i. 1 7. why that Baptifm , mention'd Matt.
xxviii. 19. cannot be meant of the Baptifm with the Holy GhoH.
Becaufe if when ChriH fent his Jpoflles to Baptiz,e, the meaning
was (as the Quakers wou'd have it) to Baptize with the Holy
Ghosf; then the Apoftle Paul faid in this Text, i Cor. i. 17.
That he was not fent to Baptize with the Holy Ghost Whiclr
fenfe, fince the Quakers will not own, they cannot reconcile
thefe TextSy without confefling, that that Text, Matt, xxviii. 1 9.
was not meant of the Baptifm with the Holy GhoH^ and then it
muft be meant of the Water-Baptifm.
SECT. VIII.
Objeff ion from 1 Pet. iii. ai.
THE Words of the Text are thefe. The like Figure iphere-
unto (i, e. the Ark) even Baptifm^ doth alfo now fave ui^
(not the putting away of the Filth of the Pl^'fhf but tht Anfwer of a,
Good Confcience towards God) by the Refurre^ion of Jefus
Qhrin.
F From
[ 3+ ]
From whence the Quakers argue thus : That Baptifm doth
not confift in the outward Wafljing^ but the inrvard.
And fb far they argue right, That the inward is the chief and
frincifal part ; and therefore, that if any regard only the ouu
tvArd Wajhing of the Skin, in Baptifm, they are indeed fru-
llrated of the whole Benefit of it, which is altogether Sfi^
ritual.
And it has been obierv'd SeB. VII. latter part of N'umb. vii.
That if only the outward Part of the Sacrifices^ or Circuwcifion^
and other InfUtutions under the Law^ \\'ere regarded, they were^,,
hateful to God^ and he rejected them ; tho', at the fame time, he «| •
commanded the Performance of them, under the Penalty of "
Death.
Thus it is in the In/litutions of the GofpeL The Imvard and
Spiritual Part is the chief) and for the fake of w^hich only, the
Outward is commanded : But this makes the Outward neceilary,
infiead of throwing it off ; becaufe (as it was under the Law)
the Outward W2.S ordained as a Means whereby we are made Par-
takers of the Imvard : And therefore, if we negleO: and defpife
the Outward^ wiien we may have it, we have no Promife in the
Gofpel to Intitle us to the Imvard : As he that negle£ls the MeanSj
has no Reafbn to expeQ; the End. It is true, a Miracle may do
it ; but it is Prefumption, and Tempting of God^ to negleQ; the
Outward Means of God's AppointmiCnt, in expedation of his Mi-
raculom Interpofition, againft the Method which he has com-
manded. As if provoking of God^ did Intitle us the more to
his Protecfion ! Or^ as if we were M^ifer than He, to mend
^nd alter his -Inftitutions J and. ^//^e;?/^ with them, at our Plea-
fiire !
Here let it be minded, that the Jrk is put only as a Type of
Bapilfm • Therefore Baptifm is the more worthy, and more necef-
fary. And to neglecl-B^//-//'^, is to venture ya?/>»w/>^ in the£?^-
lus,e, without the ^r^.
if; F. r T
[ 35 ]
SECT. l±
The Quaker-Objedion Jro.^^ Eph. iv. 5.
L.'T^HE Words of the Text are thefe. 0,^e Lord, ose Faith,
j^ one Baptijm \ whence the Qmkers argue thus. Tha':
Water-Baptifm is one Baptijmy and the Bapufm with the H.ylj
Ghosl^ is another Bapiijm ', becaufe the one is the Oia-va^d, and
the other the Imvard Baptifin ; and ontivard and inward are trvo
Things : Therefore that thele mufl: be two Baptiims : which,
they fay, is contrary to this Text, that fays, the Chriftians have
but One Baptijm, as they have but One Lord, and One
Fait/j,
II. I Anf\ver. Outward and Inrvard are Trvo things ; but yet
they hinder not the X^;^/>j oi that which is compos'd of Both,
Thus Soul and Body are Two things, and of Natures the moil:
different of any Two things in the World ; yet they hinder
not the Unity of the Man, who is compos'd of Both, Nay,
it is the Cowpojition of thefe Two that makes up the One
Man; infbmuch, that when thefe Two are Divided, the Max
is no more ; for it is nothing elfe which we call Death, but
the Separation of Soul and Body,
And (as before fliewn, Se^i. VII. Num, VIII.j while there
is Soul and Body in Man, there muft be a Soul and Body of Re-
ligisn, that is,* an Outward and an Inward Part of Religion :
And if we deftroy the Outward, we fl:all lofe the inward ; be-
caufe the Outward was defign'd for the Safety and Prefervati-
on of the Inward,
It is true, that the Fnward is the Chief and Principal Part,
as of Man, fb of his Religion : But this does not infer, that
the Outward is not likewife neceiTary. We are commanded,
Rom. xii. i. to Prefent our Bodies a living Sacrifice, and this is
calPd our Reafonable Service, For, is it not Reafonable, that,
li nee our Bodies are Go^'s Creatures, as well, as om Souls, He
Ihould have the Adoration and Service of our BodieSy as well as
of mt. Souls f F 2 There
[36]
There is no Outward or Vublick Worship but by our Bo-
dies ; we cannot otherrvife exprefs the Inward Devotion and
Adoration of our Minds,
And this is fo Natural^ that whoever has a due Reverence
and Awe of the Divine Majejiy, cannot help to Exprefs it Out-
rvardly, by the Adoration of his Body^ in his Approaches to
God^ even tho' in Private. As our Blejfed Saviour^ in His
Agony, fell frofirate upon ///i- Kt^f to the Earth.
And whoever deny the Outward iVorfJjip to God^ or perform
it flovcnlj^ and care le fly ^ it is a full Demonliration that they
have no True and Real Devotion^ or Jufi Apprchcnjton of the
Therefore the Outward Part of Religion muft, by no means,
be let go, becaufe the Inward certainly dies, when the Out^
ward is gone.
But the Outward and the Inward WoRS h i p of God are
not Two Worfhips, but only Two Parts of the fame Wor-
fhip. As Soul and Body are not Two Men, butTwo Parts of the
fame Man ; fo the Adoration of this One Man, Outwardly in his
Sf^iy, and Inwardly in his *S^«/, is not Two IVorfiips, but
Two Parts of the Same Worjhip.
in. There is but £>;?f F^/>^, yet this F^/V^ confifts o^ feve-
rat Parts, There is a Faith in G^^, of which the Heathens do
partake : There is a Faith in Chrifi^ which denominates Men
Chrifiians : Yet thefe are not Two Faiths in a Chriftian, but
T w o P^r/^j- of the Same f '^/>/>. There is hkewife a f4/>^
m the Promijes of the Gd?^^/ ; and that what is therein Com-
mandedy is fromG^?^; And there are Degrees of this Faith ^ of
which one Chriftian does partake more than another. And
yet to Qhrifiians there is but One Faith,
The Belief of a God^ and of Chrifi, are Two Faiths or
Hehefsy becaufe' many do Believe a GW, whado not Believe in
ilhnfl : Yet, • in a Chrifiian they are not T w o Fatths , but
One Faith \ becaufe the one^ that is, the Faith in Chrifi, does
fuppofe the other, that is, the Belief of a Gt?^ ; it only Mdds to
it, and J5«//ij upon it. And this makes them no more Two
• Faiths^ thaa building an Houfe a Story liigher makes it 1 w o
97^ "f" ■ ' ' lY.Therc,
[ 37 ]
IV. There is but Om Lord, that Is Chriji ; yet He confifts
of an Outward and an Imvard Part, of Body and Sou/. Nay
more, of both the Divine and Human Natures. I might urge
the different Perfons in the One Divine Nature ; but this will be
no Argument to the Quakers, wiioDeny it. But they Denv not
(feemingly at leaf!:) the Divinity of Chrift ; and therefore, as
this Lord is but One, tho' confifting of ieveral Natures', and
His Faith and H^orfljip but One, tho' confifting of ieveral Parts j
why may not His Baptifm be hkewile One, tho' confining of
an Outward and an Inward Part ?
V. There was an Outward and an Inward Circumcision,
as well as an Outward and Inward Baptism; yet no Man will
fay, that there were Two Circumcifions under the Law. As
little Reafbn is there to fay, That there are Two Baptifms
under the GoJpeL See what is before faid, Sect. VII. Num. X,
& XI, of the itronger Preflimptions to deny the Outward Sacri-
fices under the Law, than ihQ Outward Baptism under the
GoJfeL
VJ. Let me add, that Circumcijion was difcontinu'd 40 Years
in the Wildernefs ("Jofh, v. 5. j yet this was made no Argument
againft the Reviving and Continuance of it afterwards. „
But Bapijhi has not been difcontinu'd one Tear, nor at all ia
th^Chrifiian Church, fince its firftlnflitution by ChriH.
If the Quakers cou'd find fiich a Difcontinuance of Baptifm^
as there was of Circumcijion, they wou'd make great Advantage
of it ; tho' it cou'd be no more an Argument in the one cafe, than
in the other.
But fince they have not even this fmall Pretence againft it, the
Con ft ant and Uninterrupted Practice of Baptifm, in all Chrift tan-
Churches, ihiOU^ all Ages, is an In efragable Argument againfl
them ; and fhews them to be Diffontint from the whole Church
ofCHRIST,
S EC T.
E 38 ]
S E C T. X.
An ObjeBion fiom Heb. vi. i.
.,,^. ^ CouM not have imagiiiM that this fliouM have been made
J^ an Obje^Hon^ if I had not feen it urg'd as fuch, in a Book
printed this Year, 1696. Intituled, John Baft ijlh Decreafw.g^ 8c c*
By John Gratton, Where he urges mightily this Text, as a
:..: plain Prohibition to the further Connmame of Bafiifm, He lays
great ftrefs upon the Word Leaving, Therefore Leaving the
Principles of the Do^rine of ChriH^ let m go en unto Fer feci ion,
^ -Leaving (faith he, P. 45.) Mark^'L'EA.Ni'i^G the Principles^d^c,
And Baftifm being nam'd in the fecond Verfe, he infei's, That
the Apoftle here Commands to leave off the Praftice of Baptifm,
which, he fays, had been Indulg'd to the firfl: Converts to Chri-
flianityy with other Jervifh Ceremonies. As to the fuppofed In-
dulging ofBaptifm^ on account of its being a Jewijh Ceremony^ it
is anfwer'd before, SeQ:. VI. Pag. 19, 20, 21. But now
as to this Inference from Heb, vi. i. John Gratton fays, P, 47.
f ^^hat this word Leaving feems to entail the foregoing words in
''■.the Chapter before, where he (the Apoftle) had been telling thern
'of their Childijhnejs (he mentions the Doclrine of Baptifm^ which
cannot prove the Impojing of W^tQV-BsL^tiim, any more than all
the rest) and was now for bringing them on to a further St ate ^ where
they might know Perfection And it feems clear to me, that
there was fome need for thoje things^ theyhadfo long lain like Chil-
dren weak, and Babes in^ to be left. Therefore leaving thefe, let
us goontoPerfeftion ; and fatth further \ This will we do, if
God permit : But if they had been commanded by Christ ^ to have
been ufedto the World's End^ then why Jbou'd Paul have been Jo ear-
nest At that Day^ which wa^ foon after ChriJPs Afcenfon, to have
had them then to leave them ? Thefe are his words, and a great
-deal more to the fame purpofe. And 'm the fame Page, he
ranks Baptifm with CircamctJIon, Pajfover, and other Jewijb
Pxites.
II. But
[ i9 ]
II. But it is very wonderful, how any Man cou'd flint his.
Eyes fo hard, as to overlee not only the whole Scope^ but the
very HV^ of this Text, Can fiich a Bhndnefs be other than
wihul ? The Jpojlie was reproving fbme of tlie Hebrem for their
(lender Proficiency in the.Knowiedge of the Goffel. And that
he cou'd not lead them to the Higher Myjlerks, they hardly yet
being well fixed in tlie very Rudimems and Fundamentals of
Chrifiimity: As if one fliouM (ay/ That he would make an ill
Doifor of Divinity, who had not yet learned his Catechifm,
For the Jpofrle in the former Chapter having treated of the
M}'fl:erious Parallel 'twixt Chrifi and Mekhifedec, he flops fliort,
Ver. II, upon the account of their Incapacity, ofwh&m (that
is, of Chrifi^ and Melchifedec) ive have many things to fay y and hard
t^'^^ uttered, Jeeing ye are dull of hearing : For when for the time
ye ought to he Teacher s^ ye have need that one teach you again, which
be the firfl Principles of the Oracles of God. Then he goes on to
provoke them to a fuxihevProfciemy in the words of theText we
are now confidering. Therefore (fays he) leaving the Principles
of the Doclrin of Chrifi j let u-s go on unto Perfection, not laying
again the Foundation of Repentance from dead Works, and of Faith
towards God^ofihe Doclrin of B apt ifms, and of laying on of Hands c^,
and of the P^ejurreclion of the Dead,' and of Eternal ^udgfnfnt.
And this will we do, if God permit.
Here is the Doftrine of Baptifm placed in the very Heart
of the Fundamentals of Chriftianity ; yet the Quakers would
filch it out from amongft all the reft, and refer it alone to
the Ceremonials of the Lav/ fpoken of in the former Chapter^
This was drop'd at a venture ; for the former Chapter treats on-
ly of the Melchifedecal Priefthood, which was no Part of the
Law ; and there are none of the Lfgal Types _ or Ceremonies ih
much as mentioned in it. Yet Baptifm in the next Chapter muE
refer to them !
There cannot be a greater Confeffion to Baptifm than this Ob-
jeBion of the Quakers ; nor a ftrpnger Proof for the Necefjity
of it, than to fee it rankM with thefe moff-acknowjcdg'd
Foundations of Chriftian Religion, and call'd one of the FirB
Principles of the Oracles of God,
III. And
[40 ]
III. And as to the word Le^ving^ upon which this Author
lays fb great a ftrefs , in this Text^ as if it meant Forfaking
2ii\& Abandoni'/jgy it is ftrange that he iliould bring inthtApo-
file Exhorting to Leave ojf^ and Forfike the Principles of the
DoBrine oi Chrift ! But Leaving there is very plainly meant
of leaving or intermitting (as the Vulgar renders it) to treat
further at that time of theie Principles^ which the Jpoftle is
fo far from forjaking, that lie fixes them as tb.e Foundation ;
which he fays he will not lay again, jls fuppofing it laid alrea-
dy ; but build further upon it, improve and carry up the <SV
perflruBure, So that this Leaving, is only leaving or ceafmg to
Difcottrfe further upon thefe Principles, Intermittentes Sennonem,
intermitting or breaking ojfthQ Debate. Which is literally,accord-
ing to the Greek dfevlss Koyovy leaving that Word or Subjeci--^ of
which he then jfpoke, he went on to difcourfe of other
things.
The Reader could not forgive this Trifling in me, to prove
things which are felf-evident, if he did not fee that I am forc'd
to it.
However, this Advantage is gain'd by it, to fee the very
flender Foundations upon which the Quakers build tlicir Objc-
ftions againft Baptifm ; which they mufl either grant to be one
of the Principles of Chrijlianity, or that Faith and Repentance
are not.
IV. But indeed ( it is frightful to fay it, I pray God they
may ferioufly confider of it) they have, together with Baptifm,
thrown off all the other Principles of the Docfrin of Chrijl,
which are mention'd in this Text, i. Repen-
■ "^u! ?Hf "^'^4 ^4«<^^- , Againft this they have fet up a Sinlef
Fern ot PrefJe Perfe6}ion,which. iiced^th no Repentance, They
p. 3 1'3, 314. 2^ never beg Pardon for Sin, fiippofing they have
Fart, p.^o, 41, j^one ; and mock at us for faying, Lord have
61,62. Mercy upon m.) and upbraid our Liturgy for ha-
ving a Confefflon of Sin in it. Edward Burrough, p. 3 2. of his
Works, printed 1672, fays, That God doth not accept of any,
where there is any failing, or who doth not fulfill the Law, and doth
not Aftfwer every Diwand of Jujlice, • 2. Faith towards God,
This
[41 ]
This is the C^r//?/^^ Faith ; or Faith in God through Chrifi,
"BwtthQ Quakers fay, That theycan come to God
Immediaely^ without the Mediation of Chrifi, and ,^'J/"^^^°'
therefore they do not Pray to Chrift, whom they
utterlji deny to be that Perfbn who fuffer'd for them upon the
Ciofs; as Mr. Penn'm his Serio^is Jpology^ p. 146.
They make ChriH to be nothing elle than what they call
The Light w/>/?/>; which, they fay, is fufficient of itfelf, with-
out any thing elle, to bring us to God ; and that whoever fol-
lows it, needs naother Help.
NowtheyfayjThatall the HfW^f;^, every Man that is born
into the World, has this Light within, that is, QhriH ; and, that
this Light within is fuilicient for his Salvation^ without any
thing elfe : Whereby they takeaway any Neceffity of an Out-
ward Christ to dye for our Sins^ and make the Heathen Faith as
good as the Klhrifiian : And therefore they have taken away that
Chrijiian Faith towards God, which is the Second of the Princi'
pies mention'd in thisText. The Third is Baptifmy-which they
openly difclaim. The Fourth is, the lajiftg erf of Hands^ that
is, the Ordination, Confirmation, and Jbfolution of the Church,
w^iich are all perform'd by laying on of Hands. And how
much foever the Quakers and others do defpife them, yet the
Jfoftle here reckons them among the Vundament&ls : For the
Government and Difcipline of the Church are EJfential to it, as it
is a Society, it could not otherwife be a Society. The Sin of
Kj)rah was nothing but conctrnrngChurch-Government, .
And Aaronh Rod that Budded, in confirmation of his ^!'':I!''^l^'
Priefihood, was ordained to be kept for ever in the '^^^
Jrk, for a Token againfl: the Rebels; fo are they calPd , who
RehePd againfl: that Priejlhood which God had then appointed
by Mofes \ and the Sin cannot be lefs to Rebel againfl: that
Priejlhood which Chrijl himfelf appointed. Which is fhewn
more at large in the D/fcourfe mention'd in the Advert ifemcnt.
Now if Jaron^s Rod, that is, Church-Government, was one of
the Three facred Depof turns which were ordain'd to be kept in
the Jrk, why fhould we wonder to fee it here placed among
the: Fundamentals of Chriflianity ?
The Pot of Manna, Aaron's Rod, and the Tables of Heb.ix, 4.
the Covenant, were allthat was kept in the'^r^.
G Wlil.-k
VJhichniQWsChunh'Governms/^t to be Necejftry next to our-
Ma^ma, the very Support of our Life ; and the beft Guard to
preferve the Desalogue, i, e. our Duty to God and Maft.
V. And tho' the Quakers cry down Chunh- Authority in others,,,
ytt they magnifie it as much in themfelves as any Church what-
Ibever.
The Ingenious W, P. in his ^ud^s 'and the Jews ^ writing
againfl fbme Diffe^ters^mongik the Quakers, a^vts ths Jut ha*
rity of the C/;?^f^ very high, 2Lndthe Porter of the Elders in the
Churchy p. 13. and prefles that Text, Matth. xviii. 17. Te/i it
unto the Churchy to extend to Matters of Faith and Worjhipy.
as well as to Private Injuries or Offences amongfi Chrifii—
ans. That Chrifi (fays he) a^s well gaz/e His Church Power to Re-
jecl as to Try Sprits, ts not hard to f rove. .That notable Pajfage,
Go, tell the Church, does it to our hand : For if in cafe of pri^
vate Offence betwixt Brethren, the Church is made Abfolute Judge ^
from whom there is no Appeal in this World y how much more in any
the leaJi cafe that concerns the Nature^ Being, Faith, and
Worship of the Church her f elf ?
But the Cafe was quite alter'd when he came to Anfwer that
iame Text, as urged againft the Quaker shy the Church ', which
he does in his Addrefto Proteftants, p. 1 52, i $ 3, 8ci 54. of the
Second Edition in 0(^/2i/<?, printed 169.2. And then that Text
does not relate at all to Faith or WorflHp, but only to private
Injuries. For having deny'd the Authority of the Church in
Matters of Faith, he puts the Obje£lion thus againft himfelf:
But what then can he the meaning of ChrisPs Words y Go, tell the
Gliurch ? Very welL I Anfwer (fays he,/'. 153.) 'T^ not about
Faith, but Injury,. that Chr ill Jpeaks ', and the place explains itfelf,
which is this', Moreover, if thy Brother fhall Trespass againft
Thee, go and tell him his fault, between thee and him alone.
Here is Wrong, not Religion ; Injuftice, not Faith or Confcience
toncern^d ; as fome would have it, to maintain their Church-Poweri
•^ The words T'KESVASs and Fault prove abundantly, that He
only meant Private and Perfonal Injuries ; and that not only fom
the common and uyMeniabie ftgnif cation and ufe of the words
Trespass and Fault, but from the way ChriJi direch and com-
Viands for Accommodation^ ^^iz. That the Perfon wronged. Jpeak
to
J ^5 3
to him that commits the Injury ^done ; // that mE not do, that ^
take one or two rvith him : But no man cm think ^ that if. it re*
Uted to Faith or Worship, I ought to Receive the 'Judgfnent of
one, or two^ or three ^ for a fufficient Rule, Therefore it can-
not relate to Matters of Faith, ar^d Scruples of Conscience
hut Personal ^^^^Private Injuries. /
Thus he. But the' the Judgment of one, tm^ or three^ is not
of itfelf 2ifufi€ient Rule, {^none ever faid it was) yet may not
one, two, or three Admonish one another, even in Matters of
Faith and Worjinp, as well as of Private Injuries, and, in cafe
of Refra6torinep and Obfiinacy, bring the Caufe before the
Church ? Thou /halt in any wife Rebuke thy Neigh-
bour, and not fuffer Sin upon him. Yet was not the ' ^'^^
Judgment of every Man difufficient Rule to his Neigh- "^^*
^bour. And our Saviour^ commanding to bring the Cattfe fi-
nally before the Church, fhews plainly, that the Judgment of
the one, two, or three, was not meant for a fufflcient Rule, that
is, the tdtimate Deciiion.
But in Anfwer to Mr. Renn's Argument, That this Text,
Tell it unto the Church, was meant only of Private Injuries, I fhall
repeat but his own words before quoted, and grant, that as it
was meant of Private Injuries, fb, as Mr. Penn very well in-
fers, How much more in any the leafi Cafe that concerns the Na-
ture, Being, Faith, and Worihip of the Churchherfelf?
VI. But, to return. The ffth Article in that Enumeration
'^^Fundamentals, Heb. vi. i,8c2. is, The RefurreBion of the
Dead ; which the Quakers do likewife deny ; as it is fully
:prov'd in The Snake m the Graf, Par. 2. SetSt. i^.
The laft is that of Eternal Judgment, which depends upon
the former, and may be made one with it; and is likewife
deny'd by the Quakers, that is, turn'd into Hymemm and Phi-
let us* s Senfe, of an Inward only and Spiritual ReJurre5lion, or
Judgment perfbrm'd within us. I have frequently heard Qua-
kers fay, that they expeded no other Refurreclion or future
Judgment, than what they had attainM already, that is, the
Rejurreolion of Chrift, or the Light ; and the Judgment or
Condemnation of Sin, in their Hearts.
Ci 2 George
[4+]
George Whit eh e Ad, in his Book calPd The Nature of Chrijtia^
mty.^Q. printed 1 67 1, p. 29, thus ridicules it : DoH thou ({kYs
he to his Opponent) look for ChriH, oi the Son of Mary, to Ap-
pear outwardly, in a Bodily Exiftence^ to fave thee ? If thou doff,
thou may ft look until thy Eyes drop out^ before thou wilt fee fuch
Afi Appearance of him^
And now what Wonder is it, that thefe lliouJd throw off
Baptifm, who have hkewife thrown off all the other Fundx-
mentals J which are reckoned with it in this Text ?
VII. But let us hence obferve, and beware of yVf^/^c?/>^ or
Dejpifing the Outward Infbitutions of God \ becaufe thefe de-
pending upon the Authority of God^ no lefs than the Inward
and Spiritual, rejeQ:ing of the one overthrows the Obligation
and Sancfion of the whole, and is a rejeQing of God the
Insiitut&r) who, in His juft Judgitient, fuffers thofe to loft
the one, that think themlelvestoo good for the other.
jMen were made Partakers of Chrift to come, by the Sa-
crifices which were appointed, as Ty^es of Him, under the
Law : So now are we Partakers of Him, who is come, by the
Sacraments, which He has appointed in Remembrance of Him,
under the Gofpel.
And as thofe who neglecled or de^ is'' d the Sacrifices, when
they might be had, from the Legal Priesls, according to God''s
Inif itution, were made liable to Death, and did forfeit their Ti-
tle to the Participation ofChriH the Archi-Type : So thofe who
mglecf or dejpije the ^^c/^;^/^;?/-^. which He. has commanded as
the Means ot Grace, and of our Inward Participation of Him,
under the Gojpel, do thereby juftly forfeit their Title to fuch
Participation.
ViOv, if we will not take God's Way, we have no Promife
nor Reafen to ieeure us in tlie foHgwing of our &wn. Inven-
tions.
SECT
[45 ]
SECT. XL
The Q\xd.ker-Objedion^ That there are no Signs m^
der the Gofpel.
I. ^ I ^HE Quakers throw off all Outward Inftitutions, as7iot
J^ only Vfelej^, but Hurtful to the ChrifiUn Religion ;
which, they pretend, corttifis not only f/'/>/?K (which is granted
to them) but/^/f/y in the Inward and S-^iritual Part. Tliev
fay, That all Figures and Sig?7s are Shadows ; and that when
ChriH^ who is the Subfiance^ is come, the others ceafe of courfe.
That they have attain'd to ChriH tlie Subftame \ and therefore
thefe Shadows are of no ufe to them. That Baptifm and the
Lor d^s Supper are fbmeofthefe^SW^jj?/; and thefe were Indul-
ged to the Early and iVeak Chriftians,.but that the Quakers, who
have ftronger Participations of the 6/>/>/>, are. got beyond thefe
Beggarly Elements, 8cc,
II, This is lettPd as a Foundation^PrincipIe, a Kty^&c. by
That ;?o Figures, or Signs, are perpetual ; or of W. P. I'unted,
Inftitution, under the Gofpel- Adminifiratio'/t,whe'a '*^p4- C. lo- of
ChriH. who is the Sub (lance. U come ; though their on.f'"!\l c^^^'"^ ''
„ r ■ 1 1 I Till ^ "^'^^ tne buppei\
VJe might have been Indulge a to young. Converts F. 24.
in Primitive Times,
Anf. I. To fay they were not Pf"?-/?/^//.^/, is one thing ; but to
fay, That they were not fb much as of Inflitution under the Go-
fpel, feems aftrange AiTertion, when ChriU gave the Inftitution
outof hisownMouth, M/?^/.xxviii. 19. Go Baptize. And of
\i\s Supper, ^d\A, This do, Luk. xxii. 19.
2.. The Reafbn why this fhouM not be Perpetual, is very Pre-
carious, to fijppofe that the Holinefoi any Perfbn fhou'd exempt •
him from oblerving the Infiitutions of God ; whereas Chrifi >
himfelf fubmitted tothem, and faid. That it became
h im to fulfil all Righteoufnef^, i.e. all the Righteous ^at.m.\%.:
Infiitutions o^God, This is the Reafon which Chrifi
gave.
[46]
gave for his B/r/^fz/w ; yet the Quakers think that their Holinef
will excufe them from Baftifm, ChriH fubmitted to John's
Baptifm^ ^yif^g? That we ought to fulfil all God's Inftitutions :
Yet the Quakers will not fubmit to Chrih''s Baptifm^fayingy That
^they are got beyond it. All were required to fubmit to John's
Baptifin, during his Minifiry^ becaufe he was fent from God to
Baptize; therefore Chrisi alio flibmitted unto it ; and did re-
ceive his own Commiflion to Baptize^ by the vifible Defcent of
the Holy GhoH^ upon his receiving the Baptifm of John, All
are yet more exprefly commanded to receive the
Mat.KXYulig. Baptifm of Christ Goy Baptize All Nations.
Mar.iLw\A%. Go ye into Ali. THE World, and Preach the Go-
Jpel to Every Creature : He that Believeth, and is
Baptized, ^hall be faved. But the Quakers and Muggletonians
isxcufe themfelvcs, as being too Good for it , They truly feding in
■themfelv£S (as it isexpreffed in the Kjy before quoted, />. 26.)
the njery Things which outward Water ^ Bread and Wine dofignijie^
they leave them off. But were they as Holy as they pretend, yet
wouM not this excufe them from obferving the Infiitittwns of
Chrifi ; nay, the greateft Sign of Holinefi) and true Humility,
is, not to think our felves above his Infiitutions^ but obediently
■to obferve them, after the BlefFed Example of CAm/ our £or^.
-And it is the greateft In fiance of Spiritual Pride, and the moft
Fatal Deception in the World, thus to over-value our felves ; it
betrays the groffefi: Ignorance of Spiritual tilings : For the mor-c
a Man knows of /'/^/^//^, and of Go^, the more he difcov^rs of
his own M^eakne^ 2ind 'Vnworthinef^; he appears /^^ in his own
fight, and frames himfelf the more Ohfequioufly^ with the mofi:
profound Humility and Refignation, Dutifully and Z^doufly to ob-
ierve every the leaB Command of God, They are Novices in
the Knowledge of Gi?^, who are lifted up with Pride ; and thefe
fall into the Condemnation of the Devil^ i Tim. iii. 6,
And what can be greater Pride^ than to think our felves in
an higher Condition of P^r/ei^/^/?, than the Holy Jpoflles, cuid
all thofe Glorious Saints and Martyrs, who were the FirH-fruits
of the Gojpely called(in the ^,7 above quoted) by the LeJJening
•Stile of I'oung Converts, in Primitive Times ?
St. Paul, though Immediately Converted, arid Yjilightned
Miraculously from Heaven, Vv^as commanded to .go to Ana-
nias
[ 47 ]. - ^ ...
nias to be Baptized, But our j^ke/s> pais hirfi' of ss a TSunvr^^
Convert, they have got beyond htm, and think themfelves' more
Highly £/2//^toe^ than he was :. And, for that Reafon only,
not to need that Baptifm, which was thought necelTary for
him;
And all the other C hri films y from ChriH to George Fox, were
Toung Converts ! Then it was that a greater L/g^/?/ was given
than ever was known in the CWf^ ot C^r//jf before, to ma»ke
the Outward Baptifm ceale^ as of no longer ufe to thofe who
had attain'd the Suhftancel Or otherwife none of the Primitive
Chrifiians knew their own Holinefs ; or were fb Humble as not
to own it, to that Degree as to place themfelves above all£?»r-
ward Ordinances !
Thefe are the Grounds and Reafbns of the Quakers^ wfiy-
Baptifm, and the Lord^s Supper were not Perpetual !
Which, in the mildefl: word that I couM h'ame, I have calPd
Precariom'. And they mufl: appear to be fuch, till thQ Quakers
can give fbme other Proof befides their own faying fo, either'
that the Holinefs of any Perfbn can excufe him from the Obfer-
vanceof ChrifFs Infiitution : Or, that they have a greater De^
gree of Holinefs than all others fince Chrisl, v/ho have been^^
Baptized.
^. But the Perpetuity of Baptifm, and the Lord'* s Supper y are
fully exprelTed in the Words of the Scripture. When Chrilt-
gave Commiflion to his Difciples to Baptize, he promifed to be
with them, in the Execution of that Commiflion, even unto the
End of the World, Matt, xxviii. 20. which fbews, that the Com«
miffion was to defcend after the Death of the Apofiles to whom
it was given. And it tells how long ; Alrvay, even unto the End
(f the II or Id, The like Perpetuity is annexed to the Infiitution
of the hordes Supper , i Cor. xi. 26. Till ChriH come again. It
was Inff ituted in Remembrance of him ; and therefore to becon-
tinuM till his Coming again.
ni. I know the Quakers do Interpret this, not of ChrifPs
Outward and Perfonal coming at the Refurreclion, which (after
Hymeneus and Philetm, 2 Tim.ii. 18.) they fay \spaH already,
that is, Inwardly perform'* d, by the Spiritual Refurreftion of'
ChriUy or the Light -m their Hearts. And they fay, Ihat the
Inftitutiofl -
[ 48 ]
Jnftitution of the Lor^s Supper was only to continue till that /;;-
ward Coming, or forming of ChriH'in our Hearts ; which they
having obtain'd, (as they prefume) therefore they throat off the
Outward Supper,
But was not C)5'Wi"/ formed in tlie Hearts of the Apofiles^ to
whom ChriH gave his Holy Supper, as much as in the Hearts of
tho, Quaker snow ? Was he not Come Spiritually to Paul^ af-
ter his Gonverfion ? And before his Command,above quoted, of
continuing the PraQice of the Lord's Supper ^ till his Coming ?
If they fay, That this was only to have it continu'd to thofe
weaker Cliriftians, who had not Chrift thoroughly formed in their
Hearts.
Firft, Who can fay, That Chrifl: is thoroughly formed in his
H«art ? May there not be greater and greater Degrees of the In-
fpiration of Chrift in oar Hearts ? And can we ever come to the
End of it, fb as to need no further Infpiratioin, or Coming of
Chrift: within m^ Therefore Chrift's Inward Coming is always
to be expelled. His further and further Coming and Injpi^
ration.
But if \h2itComing^ which the Qjukers wou'd make to be the
Determination of the Outward Infiitution of the Lord'^s Supper,
be the Leasf Degree of his Coming, then every C-hriJlian, nay, ac-
cording to the Quakers, every Man in the World, not only is,
but always was exempted from the Obfervation of that Infiitw
tion ; becaufe the Quakers do own, That every Man in the
World has, and ever had the Light within, which they make to
be ChrlH, at lea ft, an Influence and h7jpiration from ChriH ; and
fb to be a Coming, or Prejence of his in the Heart : And there-
fore, by tliis Rule, Chrift is Come to every Man, in fbme Degree
or other : And, if there be not ibme Jlinting, or afcertaining of
this Degree, then Christ was always fo Come to ^//,as to make the
Infiitution of the Lord^s Supper ufelefs, at all Times, to All. Nay,
it was ended, before it began. For, if his Imvard Coming does
■fpjd it, it couM never begin, becaufe he was always ib Inwardly
Come.
But if there are fbme Degrees of his Comipg fb weak as to need
the Help of the Outward Inftitution, to which God has annexed
the Promife of his Grace, when duly Adminiftred, and Received,
tjienth.ele De^^rces nm^h^ known, clfe thoie may bedepriv'd
of
[ 49 ]
of the Benefit of k, who have moil need of it r And thofe are
they who think that they need it lea 11.
Secondly, The Quakers do not always pretend, all of them,
to the fame Degrees ot Perfection (if there be Degrees in Perfe£ii-
on) they muft be fenfible fometimes (at ieaft others are) of
the many WeaknefTes of fome of their Number : Why then do
they not allow the luord's Supper to thofe Weaker ones ? Elfe they
muft fay, That it was not intended for the Weak more than for
the Strong. And fb, that the Inftitution and Pramfe of it, by
Christ and his Jpofi/es, was wholly ufekjf, and to no purpofe.
And that all thofe high Things faid of it, That it is the Commu-
nion of the Body and Blood oiChriH^ i Cor. x. i6. And Chrifi\
own Words, This is my Body : And therefore, that the receiv-
ing it unworthily, is being Guilty of the Body and Blood of the
Lord : That therefore we fhou'd approach to it, with the ^iQ2ii-
t^ Reverence and Preparation, to Examine our felves ferioufly and
diligently, that we may receive it with pure Hearts and Minds :
And the Dreadful Judgments which do attend the Negleci, or
JUfe of it, not only fundryDifeafes, and divers kinds of De^/^j-,
but Damnation, i Cor.xi. from Ver. 27. I fay all thele were
Words thrown into the Air, of no Meaning, nor Import at all,
if the Quaker Interpretation be true, which makes nothing at
all of the Lord's Supper, but renders it wholly Precarious and In-
ftgnifcant, even. at the time of its Infiitution ; and now to be
hurtful ^nd per niciom, as drawing Men from the Subfiance, to'
meer Shadows j for they make of it no more !
^ IV. But I wou'd befeech them to confider how much more
highly God does value it; and how Material a part of his Re-
ligion he does make it : For when St. Pad was taught the Faith
immediately from Heaven, and not from thofe who were Jpo"
//f J betore him (ashetelJsus, G4/. i. 16, 17.) C/;r/7/ took care
to inllrud him as to this of the Lord's Supper particularly. And
he prelles it upon the Corinthians, as having received it from
God. For I have received of the Lord (fays he, i Cor. xi, 2 ^.)
that which aifo I delivered unto you, th.it the Lord Jefm, the fame
Night in which he wa^ Betrayed, took Bread, kc. and fo goes en
to relate the whole Injluutton of tliQ Lord's Supper,2inc\ the migh-
ty Confequences, the Benefits and Advantages of it ; the Exa-
H minaticn
. [-50 ]
mirintion preparatory to it ; and the Vengeance both Temporal and
Eternal^ wliicli was clue to the Contempt of it.
This Hiews, tliat ChriU did not Inftitute this Holy Sacrament
by Chance. It was the laft Aft of his Life ; and his Upng Be-
f^nesl to his Church ; fill'd with all his Blefftngs, and carrying with
It, to the Worthy Receivers^ the w hole Merits^ and Purchafe of
his Death and PaJJion^ the Remijjion of our Sins^ and full Title
... to Heaven I Brethren^IJ^eak after the Manner of Men ;
^ ' tho^ it he but a Mali's 'Tejiament^ yet, if it be confirmed^
no Man difannklleth, or addeth thereto. How much lefe then
can any Man take upon him to difannul this la / Will and Te [la-
ment of ChriH\ which he has left to Iiis Church ; and Bequeath-
ed It to her with His Dying Breath ! -
This was the Reafbn tliat it was not only fb particularly Re-
corded by the feverai Evangelifts in the Gojpels ; but when
St. Paul was taught Immediately from Heaven^this moll: Mate-
rial Jnfritution was not forgot^but Christ Himfelf inftru£l:ed him
in it; to fhew tlie great Str^fsand Value which He laid upon it.
Am let thisfuffice, to have (aid in this place, concerning this
other Sacrament o^the Lord^s Supper, Its Inflitution is as Plain
and Exprefsas that oiBaptifm. And the Pra^ife of it, in the
Days of the ^^^//^-.f, .and all Ages fince has been as Vniverfal.
And what has been laid o^Baptfm, is of Equal Force as to this ;
And the Quaker Arguments againft this, are upon the fame
Foundation as thofeagainil Baptifm ; only they have not fb ma-
ny Objeftions again ft this : Therefore I have made Baptifm the
chief Subjeft of this Difcourie ; yet fb, as hkewife to Include
the Sacrament of the Lord^s Supper, Theretbre we will go on to
eonfider what remains of the prefent Objeftion (which Mili-
tates equally againfl both) that there are no Signs under the
GofpeL
V. And here let me obferve,
Firsl^ Thatthefe Signs 2inA Figures v:\\k\\ the Quakers m.ake
Incompatible to the Gojpel State, ought only to be underflrood of
tjxe Signs and Figures in the Laiv^ M^hich were ordain'd as Types
of Chrtst. And of thefeit is truly argu'd. That when Chri'si^
who is the Suhfance^ is come, they muff ceafe of courfe ; which
Argument the Quakers bring againfl: die Signs and Figures
[ 51 ]
which ««/; did Inftitute under the CoJ}cl. But how foreian
^ this ,s from their purpoft,, let any one judge. For thofe 6W.
and f/^*m which were appointed by OmB, cou'd not be Type,
ofChnsi ; becaufe a Type is vvliat goes kfore a Thing,and fteWs
It to come. And therefore, when that which it fonj77em is come
nf^'^t- ^V^' a^^ t'fre vvere Tj^.. under the L.t to /.«&l'
Chnft s coming in the Fejh, and his Sacrifice upon the Cr./T
which therefore are ceafed ; fo ChnB has appointed other tJ^
tofoK&twbis feco^d coming to Judge the Worid ; and which
therefore muftlaft till he fhallfo come, as the Types of hkfiri
coming did laft, till he did fo come. The Sacrffices under the
La«, did prjg«re the Death of ChnH ■ but th^ Sacraments un-
dertheGo^c>/, M'erelnftitutedin Rf«^i?iK^„„„of it ; as -well as
for Types of our future Vmon w ith him in Heaven. Therefore
the fame Reafon which makes the Legal Types to ceafe, does in-
fl II u i /]■» t,^'^»Jf/z^^/T>/pw muft »o? ceafe, till they likewife
ffiallbeM^; which will not be till we arrive zt Heaven
Thus, as they are Ty/w. ^nd then,
Secondly, As they are Remenihrances of what is paft, thev are
to laftas ongas the Remembrance of that which th^iy Reprerent
ought to M with us. Chrnt did not Inftitute his Lper, that
we fliou'd thereby Remember his I>f../., a D.j, or a rir, but till
his Cc»«»^ ^««. His Death took his P.r>«^/ Prefence from
us; and therefore till that Return, we muft continue thei^,-.
«..;«^««.f thatis of his Jbfence, till the Glorious Retui'n of
hisFMle Body which was feparated from us b v his Death.
Thus no advantage can be brought to the (^^u^ker Pretences
againft the Chrtftun Sacraments, from tht Sacrifices and other
Signs or Figures under the Law.
VI. We come now to Examine, what they fet up againft a-
ny Signs or Figures under the Gopi, from another Topick:
and that IS That the G«//-f/ is all 6V^>«,f, and therefore that
there muft be no Sign or Figxre at all in it.
Jnfw By Subfance here they mean that which is /»,wi, or
ipiritual, that every thing in the Gofpel is Spiritual.
But this will overthrow all outward, or Bodily Woriiiip For
that IS diftmguilhed from Spiritual, or Inward Worfliip
H
A„ J
And, in one lenfe, all Bodily Worfhip is a Sigft or Figure of
the bnv.vdj or Spiritual ; which is the Pri/icipal^nd Subfiantial
Worlliip. Thus Bowing the Kj^ee^ or Vncovering the Head at
Frayery are Signs or f/^//rf/ of the birvard Reverence and Devoti-
on of the Heart,
And this the jQ^.i(Tr/ pradife ; therefore, by their own /Ar-
gument, they have Signs and Figures as well as others ; only
they throw off thole of ChrisPs Inftitution, and make new ones
of their own.
It is impofTible to be without Signs and Figures, For this
whole World is a Figure of that which is to come. We our
lelves are Figures of God, being Images of him : And what is an
Image but th&Figure or Sign of a Thing ? Chrifi is d.Figure ofGody
being the Exprep Image of his Pfry6>;?,Heb.i.^. And we now have
the Knowledge of God in the Face ofjefm ChriH. God is a Light
Jnaccefiible to^';?^^/^,as well as unto M;?,without fbme Medium:
His EJfence cannot be feen or known Immediately, by any but
Him/elf. AW Creatures partake of him in Signs andF/^^re-jof him ;
each in their feveral Degrees ; there are Higher and more Nol/le
Figures ; but all are Figures. And God has, in all Ages, through
the World, Difpenfed himfelf to Mankind in Signs and Figures ;
we cou'd not otherwife apprehend Him. ChriU is the moft A^o-
ble and Lively Figure of God : Therefore his Difpenfation is far
beyond all others that went before him. Yet even now, VVe
fee through a Glafdarkijy i Cor. xiii. 12. or, in a Riddle ; as our
Margent reads it, h di-AyuArh in a Figure,
What is the Bible that we read, what are Words but the Sig-
natures^ the Signs or Figures of Things ? We can fee the Effencs
of no one thing in the World, more than of God. And what
are all thofe Accidents of Colour ^ Quantity and Quality ^ by which
we diftinguifh Things, but ^o many Figures, or Signs of
them?
So very wild is that Notion, that there mufl: be no Signs or
Figures under the Gofpel I
It would be much Truer, if they had faid, That there are no-
thing elfe but Signs and Figures : There is nothing elfe without
a Figure but God I For ajl Creatures are Figures of Him, ChriH^
the Hi^heH.
But
[531.
But have the Quakers no Figures ? G. Fox in his SauPs Er-
rmd^ p. 1 4. fays, That Chriffs rlejh is a Figure, They call the
Body of Chrisi generally, a Figure^ a FaH^ a Garment, Then
either they have none of it, or they have Figures,
Richard Huhherthorn wrote, That Chrtfi'*s com- Snake in the
ing in the Fleflj was but a Figure : He meant of ^''^'^'ifjg^^^^^^'
the Inward coming o^Chriff, or the Light in the '
Heart, which they call the Subfiance and the My fiery ; of which
Chriffs Outward corning in the Fle^^ they fay, was but a Shadow^
or the Hifiory (to ufe their own words.) G. Fc>jc made a great-
My fiery, or Figure of his Marriage, which, he faid,
H'^^ above the State of the fr t Adam, in his In- 2d Part, p. 43.
nocemy ; in the State of the fecond Adam that ne-
ver fell. He wrote, in one of his General Epifiles to the Churches,
(which were read, and valu'd by the Quakers, more than
St. PauPs,) That his Marriage was a Figure of the Church com-
ing out of the WiUernefi. This, if 4eny'd, I can Vouch unde-
niably, but it will not be deny'd, tho^ it be not Printed with the
reft of hisEpiftles, but I have it frorn fbme that read it often.
But why was it not Printed? That was a fad Story. But take
it thus. He Marry'd one il^^ir^^r^/- Fell, a Widdow, of about
Threefcore Years of Age ; and this Figure of the Church mud
notbeB4rr^«; therefore, tho' fhe was paft Child-bearing, n
was expected, that, as Sarah, ilie fhou'd miraculoufly Conceive,
and bring forth an IJaac ; which G. Fox promisM and boafted
of, and ibmethati know have heard him do it, more than
once. Shewascali'd, The Lamb'' s Wife. Audit was faid a-
monf^flrthe^^^^r/, That the Lamb had nov/ taken his Wife,
and i'he wou'd bring forth an Holy Seed. And Big fhe grew,
and all things were provided for the Lying in; and, he,
being perfwaded of it, gave notice to the Churches, as above
obierv'd. But, after long waitiiig;, alLprov'd Jbortive, SLud
the Figure wa-s IpoiiVi, And novv^ you may guefs the Reafbn,
why that Epifile which mentionM tliis Figure,wd'» not Printed.
I ivouM have brouglit nothing into this Difcoarle that looks
hke a JeFl- ; but they have compeHed me. An I ;t may be of
uietothem, tofhewthem, that while they Jirow ofY the Sa-
craments of Christ^ Inftitutioi), upon the Pretence that there
mufl be no Signs or Figurss under. the Gofpel^ they, at the ianie
time
time, make Pvidiculous Signs and Figures of G. Fox^ and his
Fantafticalii/^rr/^^f ; and of ieveral otlier things ; every thing
a hnofi: among them, is a 6V>;2 or Figure of fbmething to come
upon the World. How many of tlieir Lying Prophets have
cail'd tlicmieh^es Si^.js to the Men of their Generation, as the
Holy Prophets WQi'Q in thieirDay ?
VII. There have been Outrvard Signs , in all the Tnftitutions
of ReHgion, fince the beginning of tlie World ; as well before,
^s under the Lan\ and now under the GofpeL Only they have
teen ij^rfd^ or Ended according to what they prshgur'd. Thus
tliofe Signs which had no further Tendency, than to point out
what Christ did orfuffer'd upon Earthy are fulfill'' d and there-
fore Ended.
But tiiere were fome Signs, v/hich, though they pointed to
ChriH upon Earth, had yet a further Tendency : For Signs may
t)e appointed to more Ends than one. Thus the Infiritution of
the Sabbath was appointed for the Commemoration of God's
^eH from the Works of the Creation^ GenAi.^, and Ejc^^.xx.i i.
and likewife the reft of the Children of Ifrael (who were the
'Type of the Church J from their Captivity and Slavery in Egypt,
Deut, v. 1 5. (which expreiles the Servitude of Sin and Hell J and
their final Refl in Canaan (the Type of Heaven) after their for-
ty Years wandering in the Wildernef^, (which reprefent the La-
bours of this Life.) But this was not the Ultimate ReH, or Sab-
hath, Heb. iv. 18. Fi^r // Jofhua had given them Refi, then
wou'd he not aftervoard have fpoken of another Day ; there remain-
eth therefore m^Ucf^TsofMi, the keeping of a Sabbath (which fignifies
^ellj to the People of God, For he that is entred into his Refi, he
alfo hath ceafedfrom his own Works, as God dJd from his. Thus
ChriH, 2iS he fiiffered the 6th Day of the Week,the fame Day that
Man was created, and fell ; fb, On the lame Day on which God
Refted from his Work 0^ Creation, viz. the 7th Day, did ChriH
'Keft in his Grave,from his Work 0^ Redemption, And there is yet
a farther Rejl or Sabbath beyond this ; and that is, the Eternal
Refi in Heaven, Heb. iv. 11. Let m labcur therefore to enter into
thAt Reft,
N,pw, though ieveral Significations of the Sabbath 2irQ sdresL-
dy paft, as the Deliverance out of Egypt ; the Entrance into
, , Canaan ;
[55].
Canaan ; and the Refi of Chrifi, in his Grave ; Yet there being
one behind, that is the Sabbath of Heave/Zy therefore do we flill
keep the Sabbath as a Type of it.
But there is another Reaibn for the Continuance of the Sab-
hath ; and that is, That it was not only ordained as a Type of
Things to come ; but as a Commemoration of what was paf^,
viz.. Of God's Reft from his Works of Creatiofi. And, by the
Alteration of the Day of the Sabbath^ it ferves likewife to us
Chriflians , as a Commemoration of the KefurrecHon of Chrifl^
and his Conqueft over the Powers of Death and HelL It was
the frft Day in which Light was created ; and Chrift (who is
OMxTrue Light y of which the Vifible Light is but a ShadoiVy and
was ordain'd as a Type) Arofe from the Dead^ the fame Day ;
and gave Light to thofe who fat in Darknef, and th^Shadoiv of
Death y by the Joyful Tidings of our Redemptio'a fvomHeli, and
Eternal Bl/ fin Heaven I
Now fb long as the Works of our Creation and Redemption
are to be kept in Memory, ^o long is the Sabbath to continue, as
a Comm.emoration of thefe Inelrimable Benefits.
And, by the fame Reaibn, fo long as we ought to comme-
morate the Death and R cfjion of our Lord; fo long ought the
iS^cr^/^^f;?^ of it to continue ; which he Inftituted in Remem-
brance of it ; and commanded it to be continu'd till liis Coming'
again.
Thus you fee that there are Signs under the Gojpel ; nor only
thetv/o Sacra^nents of the Chnrch (which flowed difrindlly out
of C/r/y/'s Side, after his Death, upon the CV^^/Tj but that the
Gcjpel does (liW vtta'm the Signs of Commemoration^ which have
defcended down to us all the way from tiie Creat-ion : And likQ-
wife ftich .Sig/;/ or 7 j/'c'i- as have yet a Profpecl forward, and
are not wholly fulfiir''d.
And '^diy. The Signs of Pre ft ?7t Signifcation, as tliQ oiitiraid
Acts of IVorjhip : To which we are as "much, nay more lfri6t-
ly obliged under the Goft?el, than they were under the Law. As
Sr. Jren.t!-^-6 argues, (advert. H^ref. 1. 4. c. ^4.) That the iTian-
nev of Worfbipj as of Sacrifices^ is changed ; -hm not the iVor-
/hip abolifhed. Nun Genm ablatio j-^ts Keprohatam eH^ohiationes
cmm & illiCy oblationes autem & hie : Sacrijiaa in Populoy Sa-
cripcia & in Ecdefta ; fed Spec its Immutata eU tan turn. i.e. I'he
l\hd
1 56 ]
I^lnd or Nature of the Offering is not Aholijhed ; for there were
Offerings under the Law^ and there are Offerings alfo under the
Grffel : there were Sacrifices among the People of the Jems.
7'here are Sacrifices Ukewiie in the Church : but the Species or
Manner of them only is changed, viz,. That fbme Sacrifices
under the Lam were Bloody^ as Praefiguring the Death oJiChriB :
and therefore that Sort or Manner of Sacrificing is c?4/ei, becaufe
FulfilPd in the Dc^^/' of C^r/f/ : But their Vn-Uoddy Sacrifices^
and Oblations^ as of Tythes^ and other Offerings Remain ftill a-
mong Chrifiians : and are cS'/g/s^j-, as much as they were under
the Law, The outward JVorfbip of God muft be by Actions pro-
. , per and fignificant. Nihil enim Otiofum^ nee fine Signo^
nee fine Argument 0 apud turn. i.e. For there is nothing
Empty y nor without a Sign, nor without Signification in the Wor-
fijip of God. And, in the very next words, he applies this to
Tythes, Et propter hoc illi quidem Decimas — And for this
reafon the Jews paid Tythes, viz. as a Sign of their Dependence
upon God, and having Received All from Him : And in Hopes
of their Receiving More from Him. Sed nos omnia But
the Chrijlians, inftead of a Tenth Part, which the Jews gave,
Give All that they have, becaufe (fays he) they have a Better
Hope. And, ch. 27. fhewing how Christ did Heighten the Law,
as, inftead of Adultery, to forbid LuH ; inftead of Murder, to
forbid Anger; and, inftead of giving the Tythe, commanding
to fell AU : And this, fays he, is not a Dijfohtng of the Law,
Martii V 8 ^^^ Enlarging it. So that no Part of the Law is
i-v.i7,i • jy^pQJi^ . and All is not FulfilPd \ and fince AH
mu^h^ FulfilPd, it follows, that what is not yet F////f//V, muft
yet Remain : And Many of the Signs in the Law not being
FulfilPd in ChrifPs Death, nor ever to be FulfilPd while we Live
upon this Earth, confequently do Remain, and muft {b Remain
to the End of the World. So that the Gojpel has Signs as well
as the Law ; and, in Great Part, the fame Signs ; with other
Sacramental Signs added by Christ, which are thofe of which
we now Treat, Baptifm, and The Supper of The Lord,
VIII. And let us Refie£l:, that ever fince God made outward
Things, and gave us thisB*^, as the Soul qo^^s ad by the Me-
diation of the Body j fb has God ordain'd, that his Gifts and
Graces
£57]
'traces Jhall be conveyM to us by Outward Signs and Means,
Chrifi us'd outtvard Signs and Means for his MiracuLotu Cures ;
to Ihew, that tho' the Fenue did not come from the Means, yet
that they were of Ufe, and notto be Defpifed.
But why do we lay, that the Ferttie does not come from the
Means? We fay fb, when we cannot tell the Reafon and Man-
ner how the Means work their Effefi^^ and can we tell it, in thofe
whicli we call Natural Mq^hs? No furely, we know only by
Obfervation, and Experience; and what often comes to pafs,we
call it Natural, as being the common Courfe of Things ; not
that we know the Reafon of it, more than of thofe Occurrences
whicli we call M/V^(:«/(?/^ and Extraordinary.
Man doth not live by Bread alone^ but by every Word that tro*
ceedeth out of the Mouth of God.
^Bread has no Vertue or its own to nourifi ; but only what it
receives from God : And if he give his Fertue (for it is His only)
to a Stone ; or any thing elfe, it will nouriflj : And Bread will,,
and does ceafe to nourifh, when he withdraws his Bleffing from
it.
Therefore the Spittle of Chrijl and the Clay, the Waters of
Siloam and Bethejda, and the Brazen-Servent had as great Ver-
tue to Cure, when they were Appointed ty God, as Bread has to
jiourifjj ; and the Vertue came as much from Them, as it does
from the Bread, in our Daily Food.
Now, if the Brazen-Serpent, which was but a Type of Chrisi,
had Vertue to Cure the Body; fliall we deny that the Bread,
which ChriH blelled, for the Remiffion of Sin, has Vertue to
work that Effed ?
He whole finglc Eiat made the Worlds, and whole Influence
gives Power to all Things, and makes them what they are ; he
faid of that Bleffed Bread, This is my Body. And his ^loly
Apoflle faid of it, The Bread which rve break, is it not the Commu-
nion of the Body of Chrift f And do we doubt, how it works
this Hff-eQ ? Dare we Rejeft it, becaufe it feems ftrange to us,
how it fiiou'd work this EffeQ:, who know as little how our
Daily Bread does nourilli our Bodies ? Do we objedl our Igno-
rance how a Man can be Born of Water and the Spirit, who can
give as fliort an Account how we are formed, of a drop of Wa^
ur, in the Womb ; and by what Ligaments fuch different Na-
I tures
[ 58 ]
tures as Soul and Body^ are compaflecl and linked- togetlier ? How
can we pretend to have Faith in Chrift^ and yet not believe his
Words y becaufe of the feeming difficulty to our Underftandings
(who know nothing) oithQ Method 2inA Manner y how He can
bring them to pals?
According to our Faith it will be unto us^ Therefore let us
Humble our Souls greatly, and imitate the Holy Angels (far
more Enlightnedth.2Ln we are) "who vail their Faces before God ;
and prcfume not to difpute his Commands ; or pretend to un-
derftand all the Methods of his Power and Wrfdom unlearchable I
but defire to look into thofe Things ^ i Pet. i. 12. thole Glorious
Myfteries of the Gojfel^ which the Quakers defpife, as below the
Meafure to which they have attain'd ! And the Principalities and
Powers in Heavenly place s^ do fiibmit to learn the Manifold Wif^
dom of God, Ephef. iii. i o. from that Churchy which the Quakers
do vilijie and trample under their feet ; as thinldng it uncapable
to teach them any thing, or to adminiller to them the Sacra^
ments which Chrifi has commanded.
But becaufe the Difpute will arife which that Church is, in the
miierable Divifions of Chrifiendom, and amongft the various
Ibrts of the Pretenders to it, I have in the Difcourfe mentioned
in the Jdvertifement, I hope, given a plain and fure Rule to
guide all Honefi and Difmterefied Enquirers, in that moft necef-^
Tary2ind fundamental Toinu
The
C S9 ]
The Conclulion.
Shemng the Neceffity of Water-Baptiim,
'^¥ "^ H E Sum of what has been ^id, concludes in the great
A Neceffity there is of Water-BaPtifm,
** But before I fay more of it, I will obviate an Objedioo,
which may arife from the word Neeeffsry,
If it be Abfolutelf^ NecefTary, then none can be faved without
it : Which Ibrt of Neceffity I do not plead for. This is plainly
diftinguifhed in the Catechifni of our Church, where thi4^ and
the other Sacrament (of the Lord's Supper J arc laid to be Ge/te-
rally neceflary to Salvation. Generally, that is, in the General
and Common Methods which are prefcribed in the GojpeL For
no Body will pretend to Limit God ; as if He cou'd notfave by
what Means and Methods He pleafes. But we are ty'd up to
thofe Rules which He has Prefcribed to Vs : Yet H^e mufl not
Tie Him up to thofe Rules, to which He has Ty^dVs.
But who are they who have Reafbn to expeft God's Extraor-
dinary Mercies, out of the Common Methods of Salvation ; and
to be made Partakers of the Inward, without the Outward Bap-
tifm?
I. Thofe who being confcientioufly concern'd for the Out-
ward, yet cannot obtain it, through the Want of a Minifier of
Chrlfl, Lawfully Ordaiti'd to Adniinifler it ; as in Turkey,
Africa^ &■€.
'Th^^Q 2i\'Q un^QV 2in Invincible Neceffity : And their EarneH
Defires (I doubt not) will be accepted by God ; and the Spiri-
tual Baptiiin be confer'd upon them, without the Outward.
II. Thofe who have been B/j/>^/yf<a( by Perfons, not lawfully
Ordain^., and confequently they have receiv'd no Baptijm, ha-
ving receiv'd it from thofe who had no Commiffion to Admim-
I 2 fler
[ 6o ]:
J^erlt; but who were Guilty of the HigheftS^mV^^?, inUfurp-
ing fuch a Sacred CoramifTion,. not Lawfully Deriv'd to thein
by a Succefflve Ordination from the Jpoftles : But yet, through a
General Corruption of the Times^ mch BapTifms2iYc fufferM to
pafs, whereby the Perfbns fb Baptized^ Iwiming down the
Stream, do thinktheir Baptifm to be valid, and therefore feek.
not for a Re-BaptizM ion fvomtho^Q -who 2iVQ truly Empowred to
Adminifter it. I fay, Where no fuch Re-BajJtization is taught,
and thereby the People know nothing of it ; in fuch Cafe, their
JgnQrancehy ill a Manner, Invincible 'y. 2^116. th^i^Sincerity and
Devotion in Receiving No Sacraments, yet thinking them True
Sacr&menPSy mz-yhQ Accepted by God, and the Inward Grace
confer'd, and the D^/g^i in tlie Q/^/n' W and Fiftble Signs m^y
h^Pardon^d:,.-':-'^ *\' rx-'^
But neither'of thefe Cafes does reach thofe, w.honegle0 the
Outward Means, upon Pretence of Inward Perfection without
them. ThcfQ De^ife tliQ Ordinance o£ Chriff, and make. them-
ielves JVifer than He ; as if He had appointed A/f^/zj either Vn*
necelfarj, or Ineffectual to tliQ Ends for which- they were in-*
tended !
And I deiire thefe to confider the Great NeceJ/rt^'Xher^ is for
Water-Baptifm, -as before Explained .
J. Becaufe it is ordain'd as the A/e^;?/ whereby the Inward
Baptifm oi t\\t Holy-GboH IS givtn , as I before quoted , Acts
ii.38. BeBAPTIZ^ED^afidye fhall Recei^>e the Gift of the HOLT
GHOST, By This Baptifm, cou'd not be meant .the Baptifm
with the Holy'GhoH, becaufe This Baptifm is Here propofed as
the Means whereby to Receive the Inward Baptifm of the Holy
Ghost.
Again, Ephef v. 26; That He (Chvi{i) might Sanclife and
Clean fe it (the Church) with the Wafhing of Water, by the Word^
Here the Wajhing o^ Water is the Means, tho' the Operation and
Vertueis^vomthQWord: And therefore the Outward Wajbin(^
or Baptizing (which means the lame, as before toldy Sed. j.)
cannot be the fame, with the J^'^ord. in this Text.
2. ChriH having appointed this as the Means, you fee what
Strefs He lays upon it, and how Neceffary He makes it.
fohn iii. 5. Except a Man be Born of Water and the Spirit, Ire
cmnot. Enter intathe Kjngdom of God. Here the Water and
the
tfie Spirit are plainly Diftinguifhed , and Both made Necejfary
to Salvation , the Outward as W€ll as the Inward : As it is writ-*
ten , Rom, x. lo. For with the Heart Man Belkveth , unto Righ^
teoufnefs ;. Jnd with the Mouth Con feffion is made unto Salvation,
The Behef of the Heart is Necejfary unto Righteoufnefs^ i. e. to
make Us Righteous before G^^; But the Outward Confefficn of
the Mouth is likewife as Necejfary to our Salvation. As C/^r/7/ faid ^
(Matt.x,'^2,) Whofoever jhall Confefs me before Men^hc We muft
Outwardly^ and ^^/or^ Men, Gonfefs to Chrift, by the Due
Performance of His Outward Ordinances ; without which our
Inward Belief m Him wil] not be fufficient to our S/j/'z/^^/^;;.-
Baptifm is an Outward Badge of Chrijliamty, by being the Out'
ward Formy appointed to admit Men as Members of the Church
o^ChriH ; and whereby they own them felves to be fuch, before
Men : But thole who will not wear this BJDGE, as a Con-
feffion to Chrijl^ before Men ', Chrifi w\Vi viOt Confefs them, be-
fore His Father J in Heaven,
Mark xvi. it5. He that Believeth and is Baptized^ jhaU befaved:
Here both the Outward and the Inward are join'd together, and
both made Necejfary ; For, by Baptifm, Here, cannot be meant
the Inward Belief, that wouM make a Tautology of the Text^
and mean thus, He that Believeth and Believeth Thus it
muft be, if by Baptifm, in this Text, the Inward Baptrfm, or
Belief of the Heart be meant. But this being plainly meant of
th&.Outward Baptifm , the Conlequeuce from this Text is plain-
ly this,. That he who doth not Believe, and is not Baptized, fha!4
not be Saved... Of which I adjure the Quakers to Confider mofl:
lerioufly : For tho'' they had the Inward Baptifm ^s much as they
Pretend to it, yet were the 0//rn/-«r^ necefTary. Pe^^r thought
Wat£r neceflary to give Outward Baptifm to thofe who had al-
ready-Received the Inward Baptifm^ of the Holy GhoFl, A£ts
X. 47.
And the Dooirine of Baptijm is reckoned among the Princi-
p/fi'.and Foundations of Chrtjlianity, togetlier with Vaith and
Repentance, SiC. Heb.y I, 1,2.
But the Quakers J like Naaman, flout at the Means, as tod
eafie to be ejfeBual', and call Baptifm , in contempt , Water-
Sprinkling, And I will anfwer them with NaamarPs Servants,
(2 KJngs V. 1 3.) If Chrtft had^bid thee do fome great thing,
wouldfi
[ 6i ]
muldjl- thou not hive done it ? How much rather then when He
faith to thee^ IVaJb and be Clean ? And as mceffary as the Wa"
urs of Jordan were to the Cleanftng of Naaman, fo neceffary are
the Waters of Baptifm to the Clea^fing of our Souls, None dare
lay, that GOD cou'd not have Cleanfed iV/«4«?/«/^ other wife :
But G O D having, by his Prophet^ appointed th&t Means, if
Naaman had negleded it , he had not otherwife been Cured.
How much more , when GOD has appointed the Means
of Baptifm , by his Son , if we A^eglet'f it , fhall we be
S/Jx/'^ without it ? He that DeJ}is''d Moles^i Latv, dj^ without
Mercy : Of how much forer Punifhment , fuppofe ye , fhall he be
thought worthy^ who hath trodden under foot the Inftitution of
the Son of GO Dy and counted it an unholy things doing De-
Jpight to ity Inventing Contemptible Names for it, and Ridicu^
ling the Adminiftration of it ? But as the Spirit of God movedySit
firft^ upon the Face of the Waters (Gen. i. 2.) to Impregnate
them, and make them ¥ru5tifte \ and gave a Miraculous Vertue
to the Waters o^ Jordanj of Siloam, and Bethefda^ for HeaUng
of the Fkjh ; Why fhou'd we Doubt that the fame Spirit can
and will Sanflife the Waters of Baptifm to die Myftical Wajhing
-arvay of Sin , having the Pofitive Inflitution and Promije of
Chrifi for it ? A^s IL ^8. Repent and be Baptized^ every one
ef you , in the Name of '^efm Chrifi ^ for the Remiffton of Sinsy
And ye /hall Receive the Gift ef the Holy Ghofi,
This was not tlie Extraordinary Gift of MiratleSy which is
!ierePromifed,(and which all BaptizedYtv^ons ^id. not Receive
or Expe0) hut the Remiffion of Sins. And let me add, That
the Ordinary Saving Graces of the Spirit, wkich work filentfyy
without Oifervatwn or ShoWy are much Preferable, and more
Defirable, than the Extraordinary Gift of Mtraclesy which, for
a time, Mxre Neceffary, at the firfi: Propagation of the Gofpel ;
and held Men's Eyes in Great Admiration : But were of Dan-
gerous Conlequence to the PoiTeiTors, and a Temptation often to
Vanity ; which had almoll over-fet the Great Apoflky 2 Cor.
xii. 7, 8, 9. and threw others into the Pit of Deitrudion, Matth,
vii. 22, 2:j. I Cor^ xiii. 2. and therefore Vv^ere not to be Prayed
for, or Defir^d : We muft be totally Pafflve in this Cafe ; and
when fent, being for the Convidion of others, to Receive fuch
an Extraordinary Gift^ with Fear and Tremblingy left it Hurt
our
[^3 ]
our weak Mwds, not capable, but by ^s Extraordinary an Affi-
ftance of Divine Grace, to Bear fiich mighty RevelationSy and
not to let in with it a fecret Pride in our lelves ; which fpreads
our Sails fo wide, that without a Proportionable BaUafi of deep
Humility^ we fhall be driven from our Compa/. The Enemy
throws in this ftrong Tempfation, with thofe Miraculous Gifts ;
which vain Men do Ignorantly Covet , and fbme falfly Pretend
to, to their own De/lrucfion, But much more Valuable are
thole Saving Graces, which we are commanded Daily to Pray
for, and Daily to Endeavour : Much more Available to us, and
Precious in tne fight of God, than all Miraculous Gifts, is that
Gift of The Holy Ghost, the RemiJJion of Sins, which is Pro-
mis'd to the Due Reception of Baptijm, and enrolls our Names
in Heaven. Behold (faid ChriH to his Difciples,
who Boajled, th^t even the Devils were fubjecl to Luk.x. 17, i8,
them, through His Name) I give unto you Power
to tread on Serpents and Scorpions, and over aH the Power of the
Enemy ; and nothing ^3 all, by any means, hurt you ; notwithfiand-
ing in this Rejoice not, that the Spirits are fubje^t unto you ; But
rather Rejoice, becaufeyour Names are written in Heaven.
To be added to the End ofSeB, VIII. p. J4.
But R. Barclay argues in his Apology, That the Baptifm, of
which the Ark was a Type, cou'd not be the Outward, or Water-
Baptifm, becaufe that it felf is a Type, viz. Of the Inward or
Spiritual Baptilin. And he fupports this Notion by a Qriticifrn
upon the Word 'AvUrvrnv in this Text, which he fays is not
rightly Tranflated in our Englifi by The like Figure, Becaule,
he fays, the Word 'M'T^tv^©- fignifies the thing Typiffd, and
not the Type.
But, by his leave, it fignifies the quite contrary. Heb.ix, 24.
not the thing Typiffd, but only the Type : For there the Holy
Places made with Hands are call'd the "Arrirvrm, the Figures or
Types of the True, And that Word is not to be found, except
in thef e two Texts, in the whole New Teftament. And there-
fore
[64]
fore if one of thele Texts muft explain the otiier, the Word
Mir7<7V'B-©-, or Anti'Tyfe, i P^f. iii. 21. muft be taken in the
-'fameSenfe, in which it is uled, Heh.h, 24, becaufe there it
cannot pofTibly be taken to mean the thing Typiffd, or the
jtrchi'Type ; therefore neither ought it to be fb ftrain'd, as Bar-
cUy does, to mean the quite contrary, in the preient Text.
And our Tranflation is Juflify'd, which renders ' ^vynvu^ the
like Figure ^ as does the VulgAr^^imilU form^. For both the Wa-
ters of the Ark^ and of BAptifm^ are the outward and vifible
^ignsy but not the thing jtgnify^d, which is the Salvation of the
Souly by the Re-generation and Wafhing of the Spirit, And
they are like Figures, both fignifying the fame thing, in a man-
.,ner very like to one another. That as Noah, &:c. were favM in
the Jrk by M^ater from Corporal Death, fb are the True Be-
lievers fav'd by the H^^^^r of Baptifi?^f from the Death of Sin
and Hell, In which Senfe the Jrk was a Type of the outward or
Water-Baptifm, tho' both were Type^, but one nearer than the
other. And becaufe the Baptifm mentioned in this Text, i Pet,
iii. 21. is an *Ai'?<7y7r©-, a Type or Figure ; therefore it muft be
tht Outward 2ind Water^Baptifm^ which is here meant. For the
Inward and Spiritual Baptifm is not the Type or Figure, but the
t\\mgftgnify'^d. And thus R<?^. B4r^%^s Argument and Criti-
-dfm has turn'd into a full Demonftration of the direft contrary
of that for which he brought it: And has thoroughly Efta-
blifLed th& Divine Infiitut ion of the Outward ox JVater-Baptifm,
July 17.
1696.
FINIS
DISCOU
SHEWING,
Who they are that are now Qjialify'd to
AdminiAer "Baptifm and the Lord's^Supper.
Wherein the Caufe of
EPISCOPACY
Is briefly Treated.
By the Author ^
O F
A D I S G O U R S E
Proving the Divine Inflltution of Water-Baptifm,
N9 'Man taketh this Honour unto himfelfy hut he that is called of
God^ AS W4S Aaron f Heb. 5.4.
LONDON^
Printed for C. Brome at the Gun^ at Weft-end of St. Pauls j W. Kdle-
Tphite at the Swan m Si, Paul's Church-Yard $ and H.mn^marfto at
theGoWf»-iS^//over-againft the Royal Exchange, C<?r«^»//, 1698,
THE
F AC
THIS Difcourfe was Promised in that
which I formerly Publifh'd, proviug
the T^hine Inflitut'tQn of ff^ater-^^aptijm ; And
was intended to have been Annex'd to
that, but fome Delays prevented ic.
I can give no good Reafon why it
has ftay'd thus long, having made but
little Addition to what was then
^one: But other things Interven'd, and,
as it is ulual in Delays, the firft in De*
fign proves the lail in Fadt.
The Subjed ot this has led me dired^^
ly upon th6 larger Theme of £pifcopacj^,
which having been fo Elaboratly and fo
Often treated of, I intend not in this to
Branch out into fo wide a Fields but in
a short compendious Method^ to lay be-
fore the Quakers^ and others of our Dijjm*
ters^
The Treface.
^mfrom Epifcopacy, thcHeart of theCaufe,'
fo far particularly as it concerns our pre-
fenc Subjed, the ^^hi oi<tAdmimijlmg the
Sacraments o^C^rijl.
And to avoid the length of Quotations,
when brought into the Difcourfe, and Di-
lated upon, I have, at the end, Annex'd:
a fmall Index of Quotations out of the Pri-
mitive Fathers ^nd C^mcils of the firft 450
Years after Chrifi,to which the Reader may
Recur, as ther is occafion. And having
themall inone view, may confider them
more Intirely, and Remember them the
better.
I have Tranflated them for the fake of
the Englijh Reader, but have put the Orf-
ginalf m another Column^ to juftifie the Tran-
ilation > and for their fakes who may not
have the Books at hand .
The
The CONTENTS.
c Tj {^ T T
The NecefRtf 4 <«» 0"^^^^"^ \'T^'''' '" '''' ^'''"'^'''
V of the Gofpel. , r r '
7'/,;C./« Smed, as tothofe Quakers, /- r^h^j^P-
mfaOion tins ts Intended. A^^-,m<>ra-
i: o/perfonal S^ualtficattons requtfue tn the Admmiltra^
tors of the Sacraments. .^ r ^
II Of the Sacerdocal %./#.«»» »/ "« Outward C«-
* »«//i"o«, af.was gn>en to Chrift ^jf God.
III. By Ghrift «« the Apoftles, &c.
TV Bv the Apoftles to others. r .t ^,
V ' Thole others Impawerd to ^Ve tt to others after them.
the Deduaion of this Gommffion ^> ««n«« ^ in the |
Suceefwn of Biihops, and not of Presbyters.
I. Either, way it operates agatnfl the Quakers. 3
ri The ContiuJeof every Society is Deduc d in he Suc^
ceffion of the cW Governours of the Society, not oj^
HI ''fhiftZ^tSter of Fob, as to the Churd. ..
D<«M ; particularly here «« England- -(,-n,„^;ck.
IV. the 'Presbyterian P/.^ c^^^rV tW B ftoP^k
were hut (mle Parifties ; and , confe^Henly, that ever
. Sbyter^-.:.Blfhop; ^nd ./.«...« Logo-mach
. „«,« tibe words •E^;--®^.«i "r:-.^7'^- , .
>V.i«^/«»« «^ Type i the Levitical Pn#W, .'^^
^' jfcL/fe tfe Nkthod of Chrift, tfc^ Apoftles, and Vx
mitive Fathers. . y^When
The Contents.
V^I. whence the Cafe of Korah and the Vrtshyterims Jheivn
to he the fame. And the Epifcopar Supremacy as
Plainly and Fully Eflahlijhed^ as was that of Aaron
and his Succeflbrs. 8
V^II. No Succeffion ^f Presbyters can he jhewn from the
Apoftles. 9
VIIL The Pretence of Extraordinary Gifts, no Ground or
Excufe for making of a Schifin. 1 1
S EC T. III.
Ohjefiionfrom the Times <?/ Popery in this Kingdom i as if
that did Un-church, and xonfecjuently breaks the Suc-
ceflioii of our Bifhops.
1 1. This jhewn to he a Popijfh Argument. 17
i 11. That Idolatry does not Un-chureh. Proved
1. Becaufe a Chriftian may he an Idolater. 1%
2. From the Type of the Chuvch under the LaW« 19
^11. E'pKcopzcy the moji oppojtte to Voptry. ibid.
iV^ Male- Adminiftration iflex Forfeit, hut ^^t Vacate .a
\ Comrni:ffiony till it he Rie^cdlld, 21
'j V". Defers in SuccelTion, vo Bar to the Poffeffors, where
' ther ^r^ ??i?«^ W;^ Claim. ^ Better Right. 2^
■.,$!£/C.T. IV.
77j^ Affurance and Confent in the EpLfcopal Commu-
nion^ heyond that of any other,
I. The Epifcopal Communion of much greater Extent^ and
more Univerfal than all thofe who opfofe it, ,^ 24
II. And than r/-?e Church &f Rome, if join d with them. ib.
III. The Diffenters from Epifcopacy, do.a// Peny the Or-
dination or Cd}} of each other. 25
The (Contents.
IF. If the Quakers receiDe Baptifm from any ofthefe DijP.
fenters, they have no Reafon to exfeB the fame Allowan^
ces as May he given to thofe of their own Communions.
y. The Ef if CO]/ al Ordinations^ and confequently tBeir Right to
Baptize, is owridhy both Papifts <!r«^ Prerb/cerians.
S E C T. V.
Tide Perfonal Sanftky (?f r^^ Adminiftrator of the Sacra-
ments, tho high/y Requtfit on his Party yet not ^Ne*
ceflit/, as to the Receivers, to conlpey to them the Be-,
nefitsofthe Szcnments: Becaufe
11 The Vertue comes not from the Minifter, hut from God
alone, 26
II. For this Caufe (among others) Chrift chofe Judas to he an
Apoflle. 27
III. God'x Power is Magnify d in the Meanefs of Bis Inftru-
ments. .
IV. St.V2i\ARejoyedattheVxtzdjk\gofE's'AMen- 28
V> This confirm' d hy dayly Experience,
VI. The Jrgument flronger as to & Sacraments. 29
jVlI. The Fatal Confequences of making the Perlonal Holinels
(f the Adrainiftrator Necejfary towards the Efficacy of
the Sacraments.
I.- It tak^s away all AHavmct in our Receiving of the Sa«
craments.
z. It renders the Commands ofChviOc^ of none EffeB* 30
I* It is contrary to the tenure of God'x former Infiitutions^
and futs us in a more uncertain Condition than they
were under the Law.
'4.; It was the Ancient Error of the Donatifls ; and Borders
ufon Popery. ^
VIIL^^
•^f>
The CohtcWt^.
VIII. Js great Sanftity to he found in the Clergy of th
Church V/Eqglandj asamonganyofourjyiiknttxi. 32
l^^Ther isy at leafl^ a Doubt, in Recehing Bgiptrfmfrom
my of our Diffenters. Whkh^ in this cafe^is a Sin ; There-
fore jfecurity is only to he had in the Epifcopal Communion.
X. The JdDantage of the Church of England, hy Her being
the Eftabliihed CovSMitution^ever fincethe Reformation.
XL That therefore nothing i: an excufe Schlftn from Her ^ hut
Her Enjoyning fomethingj as a Condition of Commu-
nion, that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures; which can--
riot he jhewn, -.3 j.
XII. Therefore to Receive Baptlfrh from the Church of Eng-
land, IS the greateft kcuvlty which the Quakers c^wj?^!?^
of Receiving it from Proper Hands.
XIII. ^« Anfwer to f/;e Objeftion, That Baptllm to not
fuch Vifible E£Fed;s amongjl usj as the Quakers wou*d
defire. . ^^
The Supplement.
L Some, Authorities for Epifcopacy, as Diftinft from^
and Superior to Presbytery , tak^n out af the Fathers
and Councils /?2 the frf 450 Tears ^^^rChrift. 55
11. That the whole Reformation ^ ^t^k Calvin, Beza, and
thofe of i/w Communion, were z^ealms Aflerters of
Epifcopacy. ^.58
A
( «J
A
DISCOURSE
Shewing;^ who they are that are now qualijyd to Jdminifier
BAPTISM, and the LORD'S SUPPER.
SECT. i.
The NeceJJity of an Outward Commijfon to the Minifters
of the Gofpel.
SOmc Qttikers having p^rus'd my Difiourfe of Bapfifm^ think
the QttAker Arguments againft it fufficiently Anfwered:
And they have but one Difficulty remaining, that is, who they
are (among the various Pretenders) that are duly Qualify 'd to M'
mimfierit. • ' • ^
And if fatisfadion can be given to them herein, they promife a
perfed Compliance to that Holy infiitution.
The Chief thing they leem to ftand upon is tlie Perfonal Holynefs
of the AdmimfrrAtor '^ thinking that the jjp/r//^/?/ ESaStsot Bapfifm
cannot be convey'd by the means of an UnUHiiify^J, l»{irt*-
went.
But yet they Confefs, that there is fomething elfe NetefTary,
befides the Perfonal HoUnefs of the Admiui/irator : Othervvife, they
W^nM think them 'Vlves asmuch i^4//y5''<^ to Adminjfter it as any
others 5 becaule, I, pre fume, they fuppofe themfelves to have as
^reat a Meat lire of the Sffirit as other Men.
This ^f^////iV which they want, is that of Lawful Ordin^ition,
But the Pre<hyterians^ Indc^ende-nts^ and Baptijis do pretend to
this. Therefore their Tttlc to it is to be Examined.
B And,
And, that .we may proceed the more clearly in this Matter,
Vv'kh Refpef^ ftill to thsit Difficulty upon which the Onders lay the
ftrcfs', we will Inquire concerning tho(e Oiialificatio?7s which are
Kequifit in any Perlon that fhall take upon him to Adminijler the
SucYAments of ChrtsPs Inllitution. And,
Thefe Qualifications are of two Ibrts, Per[o?7al or Sicerd.ot.il.
I. per(oriaL The Holi/iefs of the Jdminijlrator, And ,
though this is a great Qaalification to Fit and Prepare a Man
for fuch an Holy Adminiflration, yet this Ah^e does^ not fuffi-
ciently Qaalifie any Man th take upon- him- fuch ari^Admini-
ftration.
II. But there is moreover r^uiryi*; aly, h' Sacerdotd Qiii-
lincation, that is, an Outward Comfnijfton^ to Authorize a Mail
to execute any Sner dotal or Minijierial kdi of Religion. For,
ThU Honour no Man taketh unto himself ^ hut he that U cal-
led of God, as n>M Aaron*, fo alfo chri/l glorify d
' ^* ■^*.:- <**^''^* hm\elf to, be made an High-Priefl ^ But he that faid
tmro' ^fm, thm art my ^^»— -^ — -ThiU •■ayI a Priefi^ ,8cC<,^., , ■; -^^jj ^•
Accordingly we find that Chriji did not take upon Him the
Office of a Preacher, till after that O^itivard CommllJion given to
Him by a Voice from Heaven^ at His Baptifmi, for it is written,
Alatth, iv. 17. From that time Jt(us hegan to Preach: Then He.
Began ; znd He was th^n about Thirt)> Tears of Age, LukG in, 23,
Now rl6 Man tan doubt of C^r/i?'s QiaalifiCationSj before /^^^
ti/ne^ as to Holinefs^ Sufficiency^ and all Pergonal Endowments.
And if all thefe were not fufficient to chriH Himfelf, without
an outward Commif/im, what other Man can pretend to it upon
the Account of any Perfonal Excellencies in Himfelf, without
an cuiitrard Commi^on ^V ^'^'' ' ~ i...
III. And as chri/} was^butwardly CommiflTionated by H«
Father, fo did not He leave it to His Difciples, every t)aes
Opinion of his own fufficiency, to thrufl: himfelf into- the ^/;/^-
yardy but Chofe, Tw^elve Jpojiles by Name 5 and after theoH
Seventy others of an Inferior Oi*der, whom He fent toPreack^
IV. And as' ChriH gave outivard Comrnrfflons., •'while He; \^fts
.!. upon the Earth, fa we find that His ^;<7y?/r/did Pro-
i.^'^v.z3. ^^^j .^ ^1^^ ^^^^ Method, after His Afcenlion. They
:. crdal^ed them Eiders in every Church,
V. Bur had they, who were thus Ordained by th^^,^^//^>,
Power
PoWiCr to Ordain • others fY€5, For this eiujeieft /^ ^
theejn Cj^^te, tlut tbm jbotildefi -— . OrdAtu Eldiirs /> ''^^l;.'*'- ^
^kY^^X CV/^ X^/ hr^ds^fi^ddenlyonpo Murty 8cc. St.C/<-, '.Ij/**^'^
^pQigerping-, ,thj^ .Jfj^i//>^ which Kct) of "'A^rofoAoif ^Jz-x^y l^y'ce:^ '^fl
was".-:th.^n ■ rifen up .amorig(l S-Kv^.h %TH/)i^g-^^\Jjfi^jO-f
diem, lays,Parag;44. Thaifh 'if>u oRr) 5" ovJ/,taT©o r^^ 'E'3Tt(r;t(^-
Apojtles fore'knowing there v^oitd Tn^q, ^ix itwThjj kv rJto cJti^J' 'zso-
1)6 .(Jontefis c<>ncermng th^ yvi^tnv eiX/i^oT?^ t^X&Uc, kol-A^^^
£pi(ci)f^l NAme {or: office) did. t^V "^TpHfiiA^^y'iiC, -^ A^'2^|^\ *'^-
themjekes af point, the Perfons.:. rya^hjo ^iS^cii^cKnVy oTf^; iaiv yj>fj.<x.-
And not only lb, leil that might ^:im ^ '^<it^i^&;j/^ " ev^/JoV ^f^o^-
be faid to be of force, only /A,ct(rji/^Qi a^'d:^^ ^. tl/ju h9i,r$p;fict}f
during their time. But that «Jtcw>', -^ fl< • g^ x^fdS -ot^J^^-
ihey afterwards efhl'lifhed an ts^ 'z^^ Qsa ^^w rojaro, -hol-A-
Order how y when thofe whom, pj^ r'2-g ■ '^!rt^Qd^/]iU>iy'd^»
■f hey had OrdzinH jhou d>Die '^ others^ jit and approved Men'^ fbotid
jmce^d them in their , Mini^ry-. V^u^^j, that they .who were in-
trnfied with this mrk, j^y Cod^ i» chrtjl^ did Con[Uttite thefe Offi-
ceysy
But this Matter depends not upon the Teftimony of him, or
many mgrp that might be produced. ;|( is fuch a Publick Mat-
ter/of FaiS, That I might as well go about to quoite. particular
Authors, to prove that there were Emperors in Rome^ as that
the Minivers of the church oi chrili vJttQ Ordained to fucceed
one another, and that they did fo fucceed.
S E C T. IL
^ *.di .cijniio'i'O
ThtT>eduBion of this Gommiflion is contimd in the SuC"
ceffton of Blihops and nop of Presbyters.
BUT here is a Difput.ej whether this Siuceffion W2is pre-
fer v'd in the Orderj of ;Bi^(>ps or Preibyters j^ or whether
both are not the fame; ^ :,
I. Anfiv» I. This is the Conteft betwixt the Presbyterians and
us; But either way it operates againft the jj^^/vr/, who allow
of no Succeffion -deriv'd by outward Ordination,
s : B 2 I. ^^>.
(4)
U, A/ffir,7. But becaufe the Ds(ign of this Difcfiurfe is ta
ftiew the Succeffion from the ApofiUs^^ I anfwer that this Succef"
[ion is piefcrv^d and deriv'd only in the Bijhopi : As the conti-
nuance of any S^ciety^ is deduc'd in the Succejfim of the Chief
Ccvermrs of the Society^ not of the inferior Officers, Thus ifl
Kingdoms, we reckon by the sttcceffion of the Kings^ not of
Sherifs or ConJlabUs h and in Corporathns by the SucceJJkn of the
Mayors or other C^/Vf Officers'^ not of the Inferiour BMffs or
Serjeants : So the Suue'Jion of the Churches is Computed in the
SuccejJiQn of the Bifhops^ Vjho^rQ the chief Governours of the chur-
ches-, and not of Presbyters, who arc but Infer if>ur Officers under
the Bifbops,
III. And;, in this, the Matter of Fa^fl is as Clear and Evident
as the SuccefTion of any X/»^i or Corporatkns in the World.
To begin with the Apoftks^ we find not only that they Confti*. -
rated Timothy ^i(hop of Ephefm, and Titus of Crete^ asintheSub-
fcriptibns of St. VauPs Epiftles to them-: But, in £^/^^/«^ and other
Zcclefix/lical B^prians^ you. have the BifhopsHzm'd who were-Con-
ftiruted by the Apoftles them lei ves,over the then famous Churches
o{ Jerufalem^Antioch^Rowe^ and Atexandri/i^ and many other Chur*.
ches ; and the succeffkn of them down all along,
Sr. Polycarp, Brfliop of Smyrna^ was Di(ciple to St, John the
jipofiie 5 and St. Jren^-t^, who was Difciple to St; Polycarp, was
Qon^xtxit^d Bifhp of LytitJs in Frame,-
r mention this, becaufe it is fo near us •, for^, in all other
Churches^ throughout the whole- World-, whei-e-ever Chriftianity
v,^'as- Planted, Epifcapacy was every where Eflablifh'd, without
one Exception, as is Evident from all their Pvccordj. .
And fo it was with^us in England)^ whither it is generally
mppos'd, and with very good Grounds, that Sr. PaulRtft brought
the Chriftian Faith. Clemens Kdmxnus^ in his F/r/? £/>//?; to the
CorirahiAnSs Puragr. 5; Says, that Sr. PauL went Preaching the
Gofpel to the fartheft bounds of the weji 5 cl^ -n -r^pua. t^ Avi^scog^
by. which Term ^r/V/?i;/ was then Underftood. And Theodortt
exprefly Nimes the Brit ains among the Nations Converted by
xhQ Apo^i/es, CTo. 4. ferm.9. p. 5io.) And Eftfebius in his Evap^.
Judical Demofijiritiiin, ('. :^.c, 7. p, 1 13.) Names -likewife. the Bri-^
ui»s^ as then Coaver ted.
( 5 T
Eut whether St. paul^jyc^ as fome Coi:i]QSiViXC^Jo[dt>h of Ari^
mathea^ or any oihtr Jpoflolical Perfon was the firft who Preach-
ed Chrift in En^and^ it matters not, as to our Prefcnt Piir-
pofej who Enquire only concerning Epifcoiacy -^ And it is Cer-
tain by all our Hiftories, that as far up as they give us any
Account of chriJiUmty in this Jflxnd^ they tell us like wife of
JBifh&ps 5 and the SiKceffion of this church of EnglAnd has been
Deduc'd in the Succeflion of Bifljr-ps^ and not o\ Presl?yter^,
And particularly in- the D/^f^/f of t<j^<^'^;?^ which was the fir(t
^rchi-Epifcdpal See^ before Jugnftm^ the. Mo^k cams hither^ af»-
ter \^'hich it was Eftafcliih'd in Cdnttjb^ry, : And -the Saxo)*
Writers have Tranfmitred the Succeilion of their ^//^v/^xiac^^fi.
Urhury^Ro&he^llcr^ Lo:$don^ &c. I "; f)
And in Countries fo Remote and Barbarous ^s Jflmd it feif
we find the fame care taken 5 Ara. or Ara4^ an iflindifb W\^^
Sornam*d Hi^afro de^iht Le-Ariied^ who Hourifli'd in tlie Eleventh
Century^ and was 25 Years Old when Glnijthnity was broJgiit
thither,- in his Book of that Country written in iflxndr^ has
Tranfmiited to Poflerity, nor only the Succcfjhn b.t the Ge;ie^^
Logics of the Bifiyofs oi skdholt and HoIa (tire two Epifcopal Sees
of Jfland) as they Succeeded one another in his Time, . I
mention this of Jflandy to iliew that Epi'^coracy has Extended it
felf Equally with chrijiiAnityy which was carry'd by ir, im^
the Remoteft Corners of the Earth 5 upon which account the
Bishops oi skalholt and /f<?/^, and. their Smaf^nyZi^Si.'^ Heoiariv-
able Proofs of Epifs^paeyj tho' not fo. Famous -as 4he Bifi^ops of
Cdfgterbury ^nd Londo/J. ;
IV. If the Presb,yteria?7 T wiWi^y (becaufe tliey have nothing
left to lay) that 9,11 Lc?7d(m (for Example) was but one Pdrilh-^mi.
that the Preshytvr of every othQt P. tuf/jss/ as as much a B/fhjp ^
the Bifhop oi London ; becaufb the words 'ETn^ncair^ and ^'-piyiou rr,n^,..
Bifljcp and Preshyter are- fometimes us'd in the- lame lejiie ;
Theyi may as well prove t\\2XJ2hr'tih was hx^^'xDea-cov^ .beoaufe
He is fo caiPd, Rom» xv. 8. A^:6;co^#»> which Ave rightly "J rai>j/c;t<3
2l Mtmjieri And Bi^Jcr^ fjgniiiet. an O'^erfefr^^nd P/esryrerati
Amient Jlian., ox Elder /S/^^z/rj, whence- our Term of A^ derm n,
Andv this is as good a Fourtdation to Prove that the ^^9^// <?/
were Aldermen^ in the City acceptation of the Word 3 or tha^
oi-ir Aldermen zxz.^W B/Jbofs and ApojfleSi as to Prove that />^'^ /-
i^iterf nnd ^Ifjops ate all one, tVoni the Cbildifli Cti^gfe ofnhe
Words. •
It wou'd be the fame thing, if ore rtiou'd .undertake- to Con-
front all Antiquity, and Prove agati^ft all the flirtorie&, :tl]ac,rl$c
' Emperors of Rome were no more th^n Ge/ferals oi 4rmks) :^n<\
that every Roman General was Emperor of Rcme--, jbecau^^t H^
cou'd find the word Jmperator fometimes apply'd to the Generni
of an Army,
Or as if a Commott-rvealth-mnn fhou'd get up, and fay, that
our former Kings were no more than our Dakes are now , be-
eaufe the Stile of Grace, which is nowgi^^en to iJ^/v/^^w^as then
given to Kings» "^ : lanVl av^d £-tr> • \ /
And fuppofe that any one were put under the Tennance of
Anfwering to fuch Ridiculous Arguments 5 what Method wou'd
he take, but to fhew that the Emperors of Rome^ and former
Khgs of England^ had Genera/s of Armies ^ndD/tkes uadQt tb^rn,
and Exercis'd Authority over them ?
Therefore when we find it given in Charge to Tmothy^ the
firft Bijh^p of £//^f///^, how he was to Proceed againft his.Pr^j-
hyters^ when they -TranfgrelTed 5 to Sic in. Judgment upon them,
ExdiminQ fvitneffes againfl them^ and pafs Cenptres upon them,
it is a moft Impertinent Logomichy to argue from the Etymology
of the Words, that notwithftanding of all this, a Bijhop and a
Preshyter are the fame thing. Therefore that one Text, i Tim.
V. 19, is fuSBcient to filence this Pitiful Clamour of the Presby-
terians ; our Englifh reads it , again ft an Elder , which is
the /./V^r^/ Tranflation of the word PKcsbyter, ^tala, Tr^ia-J^vii^Hy
Again ft a Presbyter receive not an Accufationiy but before two or
three fyitnejjes. and, them that (in Rebuke btfore ally that others
alfo may fear. Now, ^^DOl\l\\Q Presbyterian Hypothcfis, wemuft
fay that Ttmothy\i2idL no Authority or Jurifdiffion over that Pres-
byter^ againfl: whom he had Power to Receive Accufations^^ Exa-
mine ivitneffesy and pals Cenfures upon him : And that fuch a
^-Presbyterh^d the fitnQ Authority over Timothy — which is fa Ex-
travagant and againfl Common Senfe, that I will not flay lon-
ger to Confute it , and think this enough to have fM con-
cerning the Presbyterian Argument from the Etymology of the
.words Bishop dtnd Presbyter. ■ -
And
(1)
And this liltewire Confutes thei* other ^rff<*f^ which I have
irention'd that the Ancient Bt^frtcks were only swoU and
iMve takea up but "of late (being lieattn from ^-'l^'h^'' °
Holds) and Launched by Mr. D:^v,i cUrk\m, m a Book vvhidi
ht Emitules fnmimc lfi[ccp.cr, ^'h.ch has B';.^" °="-" .^
an Excellent Anfwer, by Ur. Uer,. "^^""^^'n 1 hif endef
nhctUn EfifcoPuy, Printed 163I. which, I fuppole, his ended
fhat Controvert and hindred the World from be.ng more
UoubM upon tha; Head. And their other ''ttle S^^.ft, and as
Groundlefs, that the Primitive Bihfs were no o htr than their
SmS ^'dvanced more ktely b/ C>11>. «»/. late Mder.tor
with great Clearnefs of M"«> Confined by the W o.thy ,. 5.
in V^Princ'fies of the Cypriwick Age, Printed ifipj.^
Btit^as I laid, that Text, 1 Tim. v. 19. has made all thele ?'r^..
/m*wh()By-ue1efsto the mshmhns: For foppofing their
Tft Notorious falfe fuppofition, as if the .,?W. o J.rg-
lent Rome. Alcxa>,dn<t, ox London, confiiled but ot one ingle.
Cona ga ion. and that fuch BHhfs had ^oPreslpers under them,
but fha? all presbyters were Equally B.ibops , I fay , ftwoij'g
this, then it muft follow from what we Re3d of rtmothy, ^V.i
t^tSU or Preshter hid J.rilMo over other i(#.;^orPm-;
W. which will Deftroy the P...<i;«W-.« Claim of P.r/^, ?s,
SaT their Confeffion to the Truth, ^r^Av^^^nJU'tcr c F.a
TTb%cps had Vresbpers under their J.rtmio,,; and that
J y wS I^ftina oris : Notwi.hft.nding that a Bf^^rn^y
bcUuAd-^v^ a D..««, or Mi.,pr o Chr. a ^na hkewre
nt,^.e@^, an £W«- or G..-. Man, which « ^ T"''^ , n^^v
W/^wr a.^C««'(r, and notty'd to J-^. AnJ a \^-eshterm^
iSS a found Se„(e,be cill'd a.^#.^. that '^^"f^-('-;;
S,&,?;^^fi, which he truly is over his Particular Flo.k . wuu^uc
denying at atl his Dependance upon his '^'ff''?^^^ Over ft'-,
V. As under the Term oiPrie/l, the //.^&-Pr/./ was Incmced
Without Deftroyinghis supremacy, °-/V''^° ,"' vX't>e 'a"!
Which J^.r.^ and his P...i^^..^, or Infer.oUr Vu^U aro.e. And
if ihe PreshterUm will take his word, whom, ot -a. 1. 1.
FatheL they moft Admire, and Quote often on ihj
fide, Aat is,'^ St. Jero., he will tell them, m that xe,y^|.
( » )
piffle (td Evagr,) whicli they Boaft favours them To muth, That
whjt Mro;?,d.nd his So/fs^ and the Levites were in the Temple, that
fame are Bi/bop-) Vt'eshyUr^ and Deacon in the church.
And long before hin>, Clemem Romanus in his i £/>//?. lo the
Corinthtuns, n^.akes fiequent Allufion to iht Epifcopacy of the £^-
vitical Vrieprod, and argues from thence to that oiihQChrifija»
Church. Thus Paragraph 40, TSo ^ *A()^i^Sii^icti ?[.GiIsp}^QLi ^i-
Toths High-Vrieft {{ixysXit) were ^o/ucivcqci^' ^tp'^? 'U^iSjiv iS'i(^ 6
allotted hfs proper offices'-) to the rQ7r(^ 'c^Hteoc'^)^ >^ AdC/To/^ Td'/ot/
Pr/f /?j", //;£'^r proper place wot af- oixasyiut S^k^v'^' /\.(3^7(3c, avQ^7n<;
Jfg/ied^ 4 W fo the Levitei their Xs^c, \cLf>isj<; 'zs^^y(jLaL<nv li^i^J '
ierVfces were appoint-ed'^ &nd the Lay-men rvere Refiraind ^within the
p*-ecepts to Lay-men. And Paragraph j^2, he applies that Scripture,
A'^. LX, 17. to tlie Oificersof the C/^r/y//^iw Church, and renders -it
ihus ^ / 31'/// Co?iftitute their Bifliops in Right ecu fr/ejs^ and their Dea-
' cons tm Faith. The Grr^^' Translation of thcLxx^s it thus. /
will or^e thee Rulers (or i^r incest ^ot'ozt) r«<; ccp^v'S-g ca dp ei^twyj^ ^
m Veacc •, and thy Bifhops //; Righ' tbV *E'm'ntC'^<i^ an dv ^tx.cifo<jiujy!*
itecujnels.
It was the frequent Method of fhefe Primitive Fathers toRea-
fon thus from the Parallel *twixt the L41V and the Gofpe/^ the one
being an Exi3:TYpeoi' the other, and therefore being fulfilfd in
the other. And in this they followed the Example of chriH^ and
t4ie Apoftles^ who argu'd in the fame manner, as you may fee,
Aiatih. V. I Cor. x. the whole Epipe to the Hebrews, and many
Gtlier Places of the New TejUment.
VI. Now the P/'^jf^)'mv.f»/ are defir d toHiewany one Difpari-
ty betwixt their Cafe and that of Korah ; who was a Pr/>//ofthb
[ecoijd 0\-dQ)\ that is, ^9reshyter ^^ and withdrew his Obedience
from tlie Ht^h-VneH with other Mutinous Leittes i For, iher
was no matter of i:»^c7r//^^ or ATf^-r/Z'^/' betwixf liiem and ^^nw- nor
any other Difpute but that of Church-Government. , And, by the
Parallel betwixt the Old Teflame»t and the New,^ -Korak was i
" VreshyteriayJr who Rofcup aj^aiuft \.\\q, Epifcop^y Qi.^aro,/;, ^But
this Cale is brought yet nearer home 5 for^ w^ are told ;j«% xi.)
of thofe under the Gojpe/^rvho pe? ij7j in the gain^ faying of- Kor-^h : And
in the Fprjl- of Cle/-f.'. Rom. to the.Ctfr//;/,''/'.j»i, btfure:fQuoted,
Par^tgtaph 43. He pldiuiy applys this Ci^(e oiK<!rahj:pq the ft^te of
tjie chr/JI/an chm-ch; ilficwmg at large, ,,|;h^t qs Mpfe^,:hy x\]g
"' '^' Conv
(9)
Command of God, Determin'd the Pretenfions of the Twelve
Tribes to the cloryoi the Priefthood^ by the Miraculous Budding
of Aaronh Rod, which was after the Schi[m and Vumfhment of
Korah and his Company. So hkewife^ he fays, the Apojlles fore-
knowing, by Christy that Diflentions wouM arife uHb in the
Chrtji tan churchy by various Pretenders to the Evangelical Vriesi-
hood-, did Settle and Eilablifh, not only the Perfons themfehxs;
But gave Rides and Orders for continuing the Smcejjlon afrer their
Deaths, as I have before Quoted his Words. So that it is plain
from hence. That the Evangelicd Priefihood^ is zsPofitively^ and
Certainly EftabliOi'd, and Determin'd, in the Succeffion of Ecclefi-
afiical Ordination^ as the Levitical was, in the Smcejjion of Aarqn,
And confequently, that the Rebellion of Presbyters from under
the Government of their Bifljops, is the fame Cafe as the RebeHion
(for fo it is calPd, Nf^mb, xwu. lo.) of Kor^ih znd his Levites^ a-
gainft Aaron 3 who had as good a Pretence againft him from the
word Lev it e^ which was Common to the w'hole Tribe ; as the
Presbyterians have againft BijhofSy from the Name Bijhdp and
Presbyter^ being us'd fometimes promifcuoufly, and apply 'd to
the clergy in General 5 which is a Term that Includes all the Or-
ders of the Churchy as Levite did among the Jews,
Vlf. But, to leave the fruitlefs Conteft about ivord>s^ let this
Matter be Determin'd, as other Matters of p-i6i are.
If I pretend to fucceed any Man in an Honour ox Ejlate^ I muH:
name him who had fuch an Eftate or Honour before me ; and the
Man who had it before him 5 and who had it before him ; and
fo up all the way to him who firfl; had it ; and from whom all
the reft do derive •, and how ic was lawfully deduc'd from one to
another.
This the Bijh^ps have done, as I have (hewn • and can name all
the way backward, as far as Hiftory goes, from the Prefent Bifjop of
London^ (for example) to the iiril Plantation of Chrt[fi7nitj in this
Kingdom; So, from the prefent Bijhopof Lyons up to Iren^tis ih.Q
DifcipleofSt.Pc/)'C4/'/', as before is told. The Records are yet more
certain in the Great Btfljcpricks of Ro?ne, A:itiocb, Alexandria^ and
others,while they lafted iu the World. And tho' the Records may
not be Extant of every fmall Bijhoprick^ which was kfs taken notice
of; as the Names of mjny Kings are lofl*, in obfcure Nations,
of many Mayors or sheriffs^ wlio, notwithftanding have as cer-
C tainly
( 10 )
tainly Succeeded one another, as where the Records are prcferv'd.
I fay, tho' every Biibop in the World cannot tell the Names of
all his Predecejjors up to the ApoJlUs^ yet their succejjion is cer-
tain ; And in moft Cl\riftian Nations there are Btlho-j^s who can
do it 5 which is a fufficient Proof for the reft , all ftanding
upon the fame Bottom, and being Deriv'd in the fame Man-
ner. ^ ^ ^ -
Now, to Ballance this, it is Defir'd, that the ^reshyter'tAns wou'd
/bsw the Succeffion of any one Presbyter in the World, who was
not likewife a Bijhopy in our acceptation of ^^the Word,. in the
like manner, from the Afo files.
Till when, their fmall Criticisms upon the Etymology of the
Words, nifhof or Vreshjter^ is as poor a Plea, as if I fiiou d pre-
tend to be Heir to an Eft ate, from the likenefs of my Name to
fomebody who once had it.
And here I cannot choofe but apply the Complaint of our .S4-
"viom^ Johnv,^^. If any come, in the Name of C/^r//?, that is,
byaCommiflion from Him, deriv'd down all the way, by Re-
gular Ordiffatio^^ him ye will not Receive ; Nay, tho' he be o-
therwife a Man without Exception, either as to his Life and Co^-^
verfatioH^ or as to his Gifts and Sufficiency for the Miniflry '^ you
make this his Commifflon^n Ohje^ion againft him: For that Rea-
[on aloney you will not accept him. But, if another come in his
mvn Name^ that is, with no Commijfion, but what he has from
himfelf^ his own Opinion of his orvn fVorthinefs ^ g^'^^^g ^^^ thu
bimfelf is fome GrcAt One^ (Ad. viii. p.) him ye will Receive, and
Follow and Admire him 5 Heaping to your [elves Teachers^ having
Itching Earsj as it was Prophefy'd of thefe moft degenerate Times,
1 Tim AW 3.
But as to thofe well-difposM Quakers ^ for whofe Information
Chiefly I have wrote this Difcomfe^ I muft fuppofe that their
Inquiry is wholly concerning the feveral Titles of Bijhovs^ Vres^
LyterianSy Independents^ &c. to the true Succefficn from the Ap^-
files'. That it may thereby h^ known-, to which of all thefe they
ought to go for Bapti[m,
This 1 have Hiewn, in behalf of Epifcopacy . and put the Presby-
terians to prove their Succeffion^ in the Form oXVresbytery^ which
they can never do : Becaufe, as I have faid before, the chrono-
looy of the chhxch does not Compute from the smceffion of the
FresbyterSy
( " )
VreshyterSy but only of the BijhopSy as being the Chief G&vernon
of the Church, And therefore, tho' in many BrfJjobncks^ the Roll
of their Bijhofs is preferv'd from the Afojiles to this Day • yet
there is not one bare Vresbytey^ that is, the Minifler of a IParifh^
and no more, no not in all the World, who can g\v^ z R»ll oihu
Vredeceffors^ in that Parijby halt way to the ApofHes^ or near it :
For, from the firft Plantation of ChriflUnity^ the church was Di-
vided into Bijhofricks 5 this was necedary for the Government of
thQ church: But it was not fo early Sub-divided into Varifbes.
The Vresbytersy at firft, attending upon thQ Bijhop, were fent out
by him, to CuchVlaces^ andforiuch T/>»^ as he thought fit ; and
Returning, gave Account of their stewardjhips^ox were ri/itek.and
chmgedhy him, ashefawCaufe: And therefore, tho' one might
come after another, in the Place where he had Minijlred before;
yet they cou'd not Properly be faid to succeed one another ; as (to
fpeak Intelligibly to the Qunkers) many of them do Preach after
C, Fox^ yet none of them are faid to Succeed him.
1 have been thus long upon the Vreshyterians^ becaufe they on-
ly, of all our Dil[entersy have any "Pretence to SucceJJIon, And
what I have faid, as to them, muft Operate more ftrongly againft
the later independent, Baptifi, ^c. who have not the Face to Pre-
tend to Sucee(Jion^ but fet up merely upon their own pretended
Gifts,
VIII. But what are thefe Gifts^ which they fo Highly Boaji f
1. An Inward^ and more than Or^w^r; Participation of the c?r4-'
ces oftheHolyS/>/V//.
2. A Fluency and Vorverfulnefs in breaching and Praying*
I know of no other Gffts that any of our Diffenters -pretend to^:
unlefs they will fet up for Miracles, as G, Fox^ &c. And othet
Viffenters did likewife pretend to the fame, at their firft fetting out,'
to amufe the People ; but (as the Quakers) have let it drop after-
wards, to ftop any further Examination of it j having already
ferv'd their Turn by it.
But, as to thefe pretended Gifts^ if we may truft to our savi*
cuis Rule, of knowing the Tree by its Fruits^ we cannot think it
the mly Spirit of which thefe Men did partake, who fiU'd thefe
three Nations with Blood and slaughter 5 and whofe Religion was
never |otherwifie Introduced, than by Rebellion, in any Country
whither-foever it has yet come.
,C 2 Ani
f 12 )
And as to that Voy'iliiy oi Tongue^ which they Boafty as the
raain ?r(;o/ of their Miffin-t we have found it by Experience, that
a little Confidence and Cujlom) will 1 mprove very flender Judg-
ments^ to great Readme fs m that tort of Talent,
And the Powerfubejs which is found in it by fome, who are-
affeded with a Difmal Tone^ Wt^y Faces^ and Antick Gefiures^ is-
not more but iefs, if there be either Method or Senfe in the Dff
courfe : Which fhews their Paffio/i to proceed not from Reafiff^ but
Jmxginntion,.
The Scots Presbyterian-Eloquence affords us Mo nflro us Proofs of
this 5 but not Co many, as you may have from Eye and Ear-wit-
neffes.
Such Courfe ^ Rude, and Mt/?; Treatment of c?^(j/, as they call D^-
VQtion ; as in it felf, it is the higheft affront to The Divine Ma-
jefty . fo has it Contributed, in a very great Meafure, to that wild
At he if m J which has always attended thefe fort of Infpirations : It
feeming to many, more Reafonable to WorQiip no Godd.x, all, than
to fct up one, on purpofeto Ridicule Him.
But this fort of Enthufiafm prefumes upon a Familiarity with^
G^d^ which breeds Contempt ^ and Defpifes the^o^r/V/^of iii^//g/(?;/,
as a low Difpenfarion. I Recommend to the Reader that Excel-
lent Sermon^ upon this Subje(5i, of Dr. ///V^j, calPd The spirit of
Enthu/i-ifm Exorcised. And I deflre thofe to confider, who are.
moft taken with thefe Teeming Extraordinary Gifts of p'oluhility
and Nimblenep in Prayer^ that the mod wicked Mtn are capable
of this Perfedion ^ none more than Oliver Cromwell^ efpecially
when he was about fome Nefarious wickednefs : He continu'd moft
Fluently in th\s E^ercife, all the time that his Cut-throats were
Murthering of his Royal Mafler. And his Gift of Prayer was great-
ly Admir'd. Major weir oC Edinborough) was another great Inftance,
who was ftrangely Ador'd for his Gifts^ efpecially of Prayer y by
the Presbyterians in Scotland >, while, at the fame time, he was
wallowing in the moft Unnatural and Monflrom Sins.. See his
Stupendous Story mRavillac Redivivfi^s,
There are many Examples of this Nature, which fliew that this
Gift is attainable by Art. Vr.wilkins (the Father of the Z/im/^*
dinarians) has given us the Receipt^ in his Gift of Prayer.
Yet none of the Performances of thefe Gtfted-men are any ways.
Comparable (as to the wonderful Keadinefs'm which they Boaft)
to
( '5 )
to the Extempore Ferfes of wefiminfler School^ which Jfrac Fofftm
eou'dnot believe to bQ Extempore^ rill he give ihQ Boys a Theme,
which was fencs hJs 9ueri^ and he had no iooner fpoke the Words,
but he was immediately Pelted with Ingenious Epigrams from four
or five Boys.
So that this Solubility in Vrayer^ which is the Gift out Diffen^
ters do moft Glory in 5 may be deduced from an Origind far ihorc
di Divine Inf^irat ion.
But fuppoie that they had really thofe wonderful Gifts which
they pretend to, yet were this no ground at all to Countenanc©
cr Warrant their makeing a Schijm^ upon that Account.
This Cafe has been KuFd in a Famous and mod Remarkable In-
fiance of it, whichGod was pleas'd to permit, (for the future In-
ftrudion of His Church) at the firft fetiing out of the Gv/^el, in
the very Days of the y^/'^//^/.
Then it Vv'as that chriji, having Afcendedup on High^ gave many
and mtYAculom Gifts unto Men 5 which was necelTary towards the
firft Propagation of His Go[pel^ in Oppofition to all the Edablifh-
ed Religions 2ind Governments then in the World, and under their
Verfecution, ^'
But thefe Gifts o^ Miracles did not always fecure the Poffeffors
from Fanity, and an high Opinion of themfelves, to the difparage-
ment of others • and even to break the Order and Peace of the
churchy by advancing themfelves above their Suferiors • or thinli^
ing none Suj)erior to themfelves.
The CrtdXA^oftle of the Gentiles was not free'd from the Ten^
tation o{ this i^ whom the Meffenger of Satan rvas lent to bt^ffet^ leafl
he (hoti'd he Exalted above meafure^ thro'' the Abundance of the ReveLz^
tions which )vere given to himy 3 Cor. xii. 7. Way more, our Bleiled
Saviour tells of thofe who had miraciilom G'fts beftow'd upon them>
and yet fhou*d be finally ^^yVc7^^, Matih. vii, 22;, 23. Therefore He
Inftruds His Difciples not to Rejoyce in thofe Miraculous Gifts
which he beftow'd upon them, but rather that their Names were
written in Heaven^ Luke x. 20, which fuppoies, that they might
have fuch Gifts, and yet their Names not be written in Heaven.
And when He taught them how to Pray^ Headded no Petition
for fuch Gifts^ but only for tlie Remiiiion of their S//^/, and the '
San^ifying Graces of the Holy Spirit ^ which are, as moH Pro fita*
hie to Us^ fo moll Preciom in the fight o^God,
Ngv7
( 14 )
Now^ fome who had thefe Miraculous Gifts made ill ufe of them,
and occafion d a great Schi[m (the firll in the chnftian Church; at
Corinth, They were EsAlted above Meafnre^ in their own Gifts 5
and therefore Refus'd to fubmit thcmfelves to thofe who were
their Superiors in the ch/^rch (who, perhaps, had not fuch Gifts 2iS
they had) but (qz up for themfelves, and drew Parties after them,
who were CharmM with thck Extraordi/iary Gifts'^ thinking that
the Participation of the fivip^g Graces of the Holy Spirit muft there
Chiefly be Communicated, where God had beftow'd fuch ipon-
derful Gifts. And they laid more ftrels upon the Perfcnal Qua/ifi-.
cations ohh^^Q MimfiersoiGodj than upon the obfervance of that
Order and Conflit/iti'n which He had Commanded, which
was, in Effed, preferring Men to God, and trufting to the inftru-
ments rather than to the Author of their Religion • as if thro* the
Vower and HoUnefs of the Adminiflrators of God's Injiitutions^ and
not from Him alone, the Graces which were PromisM to the due
Obfervance of them, were convey'd. AH. iii. 12.
And this, as it turn'd Men from God^ to Truft in Man^ fo, as a
neceflaryConfequence of it, it begot great Emulatims zmong the
People for one Teacher againft another, even (Ibmetimes) when it
was not the Fault of the teachers. For People being once kt loofe
from Government and Order-ito follow the Imaginations of their own
JSrain^ will run farther than their firft Seducers did Intend 5 and
will Carve for themfelves.
Thus, in the Schtfm of the Church at Ccrinth^ one was for Paul,
another hr Apollos, another for Cephas^ 8cc. much againft the
Minds of thefe good /^/'^///^i- 5 but having been once unfettl'd by
the Pride and Ambition o{ Seducers, they Heaped to themfelves Teach-
ers., having itching Ears ; and mdidc Divijions among themfelves.
Pretendingly in behalf of c^r/>? and His Apoflles^ but in Effed,
tending to Divide chri(l and His Apoflles^ as all Schifms do.
Againft thefe Sr. Paul Difputes with wonderful force of Reafon
and Eloquence 5 particularly in the xii chap, of his firft Epiflle to thefe
fame Corinthians 5 wherein, from the Parallel of the Unity oi Mem-
bers in the fame Body^ he admirably, Illuftrates, That the many
Different and Miraculom Gifts which were then Difpenfed all from
the fame spirit, cou'd be no more an Argument for any to Advance
himfelf beyond his own Station in the Churchy than for one Mem-
ker of the Body^ tho' an Eye or a Handy the mofl: Ufe/ul or Beautifuly
to
( 15 )
to Glory it felf againftthe inferior Memhers ("who are alJ A<f^uated
by the lame ^oul) or not to be Content with its Office and StAtion in
the 5<?^5and due Sul>ordmatio» to the Head, Thence the j4poflle goes
on, and makes the Application in the xiiir^. C/^i/?. That the moft
Exalted Spiritual or even MirAculota Gifts cou'd not only not Ex-
cufe any ^chi\m to be made in the Body^ that is, the church 5 But
that if any who had luch Gifts ^ did not employ them for the Pre-
fer vation of the ^w/7 of the C^z/r^^jwhich is very properly Ex-
prefsMby charity^ i.e. Loieiot the whole Body^ fuch 6"//^^ wovfd
Vrop him l^othingy loofe all their Fertue and Efficacy , as to the
"PoJleffor, and be rather an Aggravation againft him, than any Ex-
cu[€ for him, to withdraw his Obedience irom his lawful Superiors^
and Ufurp the Office of the Head; and fo m^kQ^Schifm in the Body^
upon the account of his Gifts'^ which tho' they were as great as
to fpeak with the Tongues of Aden and Angels ; to underftand all '
Myfieries, ^nd zW KnoSled^e ':, to have a\\ Faith, even to Remove
Mountains ^ and fuch a Zeal as to give all his Goods to the Poor^ and -
his very Body to be Burned^ yet, if it be done in Schifm, out of that
Love and charity which is due to the Body, and to its Untty^ all is ^
Nothingy will profit him nothing at all.
And no wonder, when all that Heavenly Glory in which Lucifer
was Created, cou'd avail him nothing, when he kept
not his firfi Vrincifality^ but AfpirM Higher, and made J^ ^ ^'
zSchi[m in the Hierarchy of Heaven,
How then ihall they who have (as St. Jude exprefles it) left their
own Habit at ion y or Station in the Church , and advanc'd themfelve*;
above their Bi/hops^ their lawful Superiors^ the Heads and Princi-
ples of Unity^ next and immediately under chrijl^ in their Refpe-"
dive churches^ upon pretenceof tli^ir own Peribnal Gifts and Qua^
lifcations^ and thereby make a Schifm in the Terreftrial Hierarchy *
of the cWf^^'^which is the Body ofchri[l,\ht Fidncfs of him
who Filleth all in all : How fhall they be Excus'd for ^^ ' ^" ^^'
this, whofe pretended Gifts are in nothing Extraordinary, except
in a FuricHs Zeal without Knorvledge^ and a t^olnbility of Tongue.^
which proceeds from a Habit of speaking without Thinking •, and-
an Affurance that is never out of Countenance for Ten Thou fan d
Blunders^ which wou'd Da(h and ConfourM any Man ofsenfe or AIo-
defly^ or that confider'd the V re fence ol God^ in which he fpoke 1
If
( 15 )
Ihho^Q tt Illy Mir dciiloiii Gifts ^ which were made a Pretence for
xh.^ Schtjm 2t Cor/nrh, were not fuificient to juili^Q that Schifm :
How Ridicuiof^s and mutli more mckedisth(i Pretence q^ out Mo-
dern Gifted'?mn^ who have pleaded their Delicate Gifts as a Tuffi-
cient Ground for all that ^chifm and KeheUton which they have
Rais'd up amongft us c
If the real Gilts and InlprAtions of the Holy S/zV/V 'Axre Stinted
and Limited by the Governors oi the churchy to avaid Schifm and
Confufon'm the church: If the Prophets wtxQ Conjin'd as to their
I Cor. xiv. isi umber ^ to Tji*^, or at the mod Three at a time 5 fome
fromv.xe. Q^^Q^Q^ tobJd their Peace^ to give place to others , o-
thers to kee^ filence for want of an Interpreter 5 and the women (tho'
Gifted QX Ini'piid as many then were) totally Client* d'\n
the churchy or Pubiick Afjemblies : What S/'/n^ has
Poflefs'd our Alojer^/ Pretenders to C7//>j^ that will not be fubjed:
to the Vrofhets^ nor to ihechurchj nor to any Inflitutions whether
Divine ur Humane ! But if their Superiors pretend to Direct them
in anything, they cry out, what ! will you /?//?? the S/'/>/> I And
think this a faiRcient Caufe to break quite loofe from their Author i^
ty, and fet up an open Schifm againft them, upon Pretence of their
wonderful Gifts forfcoth !
• That firii Schifn in the church of thefe Corinthians was vigoroufly
Oj pos'd by the Jpoflles and B //hops of the churchy at that time.
7 hey, like good iPatch-men, wou'd not give way to it, knowing
the fatal Confequencts of it.
This produced 7 w^ £/>///£■/ from StiP^^/ to the Corinthians^ and
Trvo to them from St. clerytent^ then Bifljopoi Kome^ which arepre-
fcrv'd, and handed down to us. It was this fame occafion of
Schifm^ which fo early began to Corrupt the Church, that led the
Holy ignattM (who flourilh'd in that fame Age- to prefs fo Earneftly
in all his E^iflles to the feveral churches to whom he wrote, the In-
difpenlable obligation of a ftrid obedience xo their Refpe(5tive Bi-
fhops. That the Laity ilieu'd fubmit theuifeives to the Presbyters
and Deacons^ as to the Apoffolical College under chrijl'-y and that
x\\^Vres^^yters and Deacons^ as well as the L^/Vy, iliou'd O^^jy their
Bilbop^ as chrifl Himfclf; whofe Pcrfon he did Reprefent: That
therefore whoever kept not Outward Communion with his i?//^(?^,
did forfeit his Inward Communion wirh Ch/ijl ; - That noSa(;ra-
merits were Valtd^ or Acceptable to God^ which were not cele-
brated
( ^7 )
brated in Communion with the Bijho^. That nothing in the church
fliou'd be done, nor any M.irrUge Contracled without the Bt[fjof'^
Confent, &c. As you will fee hereafter.
Thefe clear Teftimonies forc'd theP/^j^y/m/t^jChecaufe they were
not in a Temper to be Convinc*d jto deny thefe Efiftks oiSzJgnatitu
to be Genuine. But they have been fo fully Vindicated, particu-
larly by the mofl Learned Bifliop oichejfer^ Dr. Pearp^^zs to filence
that Cavil, and leave no Pretence remaining againft £/>i/c^/>^fy ia
ihat {Primitive and ApQJlolical Age.
SECT. II L
OhjeBion from the Times of Popery in this Kingdom ; as if
that did Un-Church, and confequently break, the SuCcef^
fion of our Bifhops.
I mud now Account for an Obje(flion, which with fome, feems
a mighty one, even enough to overthrow all that I have faid
concerning the Sttcceffion of out Bijbcps: And that is, the long
Mld-mgh of Popery^ which has, in old Time, Darken'd thefe
Nations.
Well. The SucceJ/im, of which I have been fpeaking-, was no
Part of that Darknefs •, and we have^by God's Blefiing,recover'd our
felves, in a great Meafure, from that Darknefs. Bu f that Dark-
nefs v/as fuch, as, with fome, to Deflroy thQEpifiopalSucceJ^mi
becaufe, as they fay, {uoh great Errors^ efpecially that of idolatry y
^ot^c^mt^iin'church a People 5 and confequently muft break their
Succejfton.
I. This, bytheway> is siVopifh Argument, tho' they that now
make it, are not aware of it. For the Church of Rome argues
thus, That idohtry does Un^church; and therefore, if Hie was ido'
htroH6._ lor ^ long a time as we charge upon her, it will follow
that, for fo many Ages, there was no ri[ihle churchy atleaft, in
thefe ^^yr^-r-?? Parts of the Wcrld. And ArUmjm (which is idola-
try) having broke in feveral times upon the church --^ i^ idolatry
4id qumll/f-church^ and Break i)\Q Succefjion, ther wou'd not be
a chrifiian Church hardly left in the World. The Confequenoe
D of
r 18 J
of which Avou'd be as fatal to the Church oi Rome ^&s to us: There-
iore let her look to that Pofition, which ihe has advanced againll
iiSj iXutldoLitrydotsUn-church,
I!. But that it does not Un-church^ I have this to offer againft
iliofe Vdpijisy OjukerSy and Others who make the Objedion.
I. If it does quite UK-church, then cou'd no chrijiian be an idola-
ter 5 becaufe, by that, he wou*d, iplo fa[io^ cea(e to be a Mem-
ber of the chrijiian Church : But the Scripture does fuppofe that a
chrijiian may be an idolater: Therefore idolatry does not Un-chtirch,
The Minor is prov'd, XCor. v. 1 1. if any Man that is called a Bro-
ther (that is^ a chrijiian) he a fornicator y or Covetou4. or an idola-
ter -Nay, £/?A. V. 5. a covet om man is calPd an /^o^/^r • and
0/,.iii, 5, covetoufnefs IS idolatry. So that, by this Argument, Cc)-,
'vetoffjnefs does Un-chmch, If it be faid, that Covetoujnefs is call'd
Idolatry y only by AUufion, but that it is not F^^r/iw^/ Idolatry ; I
know no Ground for that Diftindion. The Scripture calls it idola-
Sryj and makes no Diftinflion. But,
'idlyy In the firft Text quoted, i Cor. v. it, both Covetoufnefs
and idolatry are Nam'd 5 fo that, you have both Material and For-
mal^ or what other fort of idolatry you pleafe to fanfie.
I grant, that, in one fenfe, idolatry does ttn-church'-i that is,whi[e
we continue in it, it renders us Obnoxious to the wrath oi God;
and forfeits our Title to the Promifes which are made to the church
in the Gofpeli But, fo does Fornication^ Covetoufnefs^ and every
other si»i^.t\\\ wq Repent, and Return ^tom it. But noneofthefe
Sins dofottn'church us, as to Exclude our Returning to the Fold,
by fincere Repentance ; or to need a fecond Baptifwy or Admifflon
into the C^//r^^; Neither does idolatry. Do I then put idolatry
upon the level with other common Sins^ No, far from it.
Every Scab is not a Leprofk • yet a Leper is a Man^ and may Re-
cover his Health, idolatry is a fearful Leprofte •-, but it does not
therefore quite Un-church^ nor throw us out of the Covenant, For,
if it did, then wou'd not /?^/><f;?/^;>?ff heal it 5 h^czu^^Q Repentance h
a great Part of 1 he Covenant, And therefore, fince none deay Re-
pentance to an Idolater ^ it follows that he is not yet quite out of
the Covenant. Some of the Ancients have deny'd Repentance to
Jpofldcy, yet granted it to Idolatry 5 which fhews that they did not
look upon Idolatry to be an abfolute Apojlacy • for every Sin is an
^/'<?7?;359<, in a Limited fenfe.
2.. Let
( «p )
2. Let US, in this Difquiiition, follow the Example before mea-
tlon'd, oi tha ApoJiksQind mo liVrimitive Fathers^ to meafure the
Xlhripxn Church with its exad Tyfey the Church under the Z-^ii' ^
which are not Trvo churches^hut Two States of the (^mQ Church ^(or
it is the fame chriflian Church, from the firft Promife of chri(t^
Gen,\\\. 15. to the End of the World. And therefore it is faid,
Heb,\v,2, That the Cofpelw^s Preached unto Them^ as well as
unto Us. And thefe two States of the Church, before and .tfter
Chrift, do Anfwcr, like a pair of /W^;5?r«r^j- to one another; the
one being, to an Iota fulfilled in the other. Manb.v, is.
Now we find frequent Lapfes to idolatry in the church
of the Jews : Yet did not iXmUn-church them 5 no, nor deprive them
of a competent meafure of God's Holy Spirit 5 as it is written, Nek '
ix. 18, 20. Tea^ whin they had made them a inoiten calf And faiJ^ thk
is thy God' yet thoUy in thy manifold Mercies ^ forfookeji them not
Thou gavejl thy good fpirit to injlrucithem^ &c.
And let it be here obferv'd, That t ho' God fent xx\2.nYVrophets
to Reprove the great mckednefs and idolatry -i as well of their Priefts
as Veople'-y yet none of thefe //^/y Prophets did feparate Communi-
on from the mcked Priefts : They wou'd not joyn in their idoUtrotis
Worfhip 5 but in all other Parts, they joyn'd with them ; and
fet up no oppofit Priefthood to them. So little did the Prophets think
that their idolatry had either Un-church'd them, or broke the Sus-
cejjlon of their Priefts 5 or that it was Lawful for any, how Holy
foever, to ufurp upon their Priefthood, and fupply the Deficiencies
of it to the People. And apply to this, what I have before (liewn,
in the words of St. clement ^ tvhofe Name is written in the Book of
Life, Thuthc Evangelical Priefthoodj isasfurely fixed, in the 5/-
fljops of the church , and its Succejfion continued in thofe Ordain d
by them, as the Levitical Priefthood was confirmed by the Budding
oi Aaron'' s Rod^ and to be continu'd in that Trihe,
IlL And here let our Korahites^ of feveral fizes, take a view of
the Heinoufnefs of their Schifm-y and let them not think their
Crime to be nothing, beeaufe they have been taught, with their
Nurfes Milk, to have the utmoft abhorrence to the very Name
of a B/Jhop'y tho'they cou*d not tell why. Let them rather con-
fider ferioufly the misfortune of their Education, which fliou'd
make them Strangers, to all the reft of the Chriftian World but
D 2 them-
( 20 ; ■
thcmfelves in a Corner ; and to ail the former Ages of chnp-
xn'tty.
They have been told that Eft[copacy is Voperyy becaufe the P/t^.
* ' So have they Vreshyters too, that is ^ Par i/b Vrie/Is : They have
ihe CreedllkQWiiey and the Holy Scxipturejj and all thele mud
be Pop/jh:) it this be a good ^rguM/ent,
But J, are they willing to be undeceived f Then they mufr know
that Epiicopaoj has none io great an Enemy as the Papacy ; v\ hicli
v.'ou'd Engrol's the whole Epifcofa/ Power, into the fingle S^^ of
Home •, by making-all other B((hops abfolutly dependent .upon that,
\vhich only they call tht ApojloUcul Chair. And no longer iincc
than the CoimciC of Trent^ the Pope endeavor'd, . with all his In?
tereftj to have Epifcopacyj x^^cpt only that of the Rijbopo^ Rome,
to be declar'd not to be Jnre Di'uho, By which non other Bir
jbops cou*d claim any other Power, but what they had from
Him. But that Conmll was not fo quite Degenerated astofuifer
this to pafs.
And the Jepiin^ and Others, whoDifputed there onthep^^^^A
parr, us'd thofe fame Arguments againft the Divif2e Right of
Epifcopuy^ 'wliich. from them, and the Popifh Canomjh 2.nd School^
'men have been lick'd up by the Presbyterians and others of our
Viffenters, They are the fame Arguments which are us!d by Pope
^ndPreshyUr ^Lgiir&Epifcofacy,
When the P<?/>^coudnot carry his Caufe againft Epifcopacy in
the Council of Trenty he took another Method, and that v^^as, to
fet up a vaii Number of Vreshyterictn Priefls, that is, the Regu-
Urs^ v/hom he Exempted from the JurifdiB.ion of their refpedive
BifhopSy and fram'd them into 2l Method and Difiipline of their
own, accountable only to Superiors of his_, and their own contri-
ving '-x which is exactly the Presbyterian Model.
^\^{Q.UyirPAtions upon xh^ Eptfcopd Authority, made the Fa-
nious Archbiiliop of ^paUtOy quit his great Preferments in the
Cimroh ot Rorney 2indTt3.>j€i imo E'^gUnd^ in the Reign of King
'jnmes \. to Teek for a more Primitive and Independent Episcopacy,
Himfelf, in his Con fdi'/^m Prof ecitonis^ gives thefe fame Reafons for
it: And that this fliameful Depref/Ion SLndProftitt^iono^Ep/fcopacy^
in the church, of Rcme^ was the caufe of his leaving her.
He
( 2i )
Heobfetv'd truly, that the iiirther we fearch upward in v^,^-//-
^mry^ there is ft ill more to be found of the Epijcopa/^ andiels of
th-QFapdl Eminency.
Sr. .(e^'^^^'^ Js full, in every lineahnoflj of the highAiithonry
of the i>fj«4'?^ next and immeciiately under Chr/Jl ^ as all the other
VV:ricerS:ih:t^hu'e Prhnitive Times : But there is a profound iilence
in them aJi of that S¥pref^fiicyin the Bipjop oi Rome^ which is
ncny clairn a over .all the other Bishops of the CutlnUck Church \
Which coil d not be, if it had been then known in the World.
This had beenailiort and effi.'duai Method, whereby Su P.^/^/, or
%l. clement mi^x. have quieted the great ^chtfmoi the Corinthi-
ans ^ agaioii which tfiey both wrote, in their £>-^/f/(?i tothem^ to
bid them refer their DiiTerences to the Infallible Judge of Control
"verfy^ the Supreme Pafior at Rome. But not a word hke this. Efpe-
cially confidering that St. P^^fr was one, for whom fonic of thele
Corwihia-fis ftrove (i Cor. i. 12.) againll thole who preferred others
before Him.
The UJurp''dSrfrfmacyQ{thQht^r BijJjops of Rcme ovQt thtit Fe^-
hm-Bijhops, has been as Fatal to-Epifcopacy^ as the Rebellion of our
yet later PredjUrs againfl their RefpeCiive B/Jhjps. .
, * And indeed, W'hoeverwou'd write the true Hiftory of Pr^i^/^r-
rtAnijm-^ muffc begin at Rorne^ and not at Genev/i.
SoyayGroundlefsy as w^ell as M^%liavu^\^ is that popular Cla-
mour of EPijcopacf having a 177 Relation to Popery, They are fo
utterly Irreconcilable, that it is impoliible they can ftand toge-
ther: For that moment that, Epifc&puy ssfzr.^ Reftor'd to its PiV
mitive Independency^ -the P^/>4(;j, that is, i\).dX%ti>bremAcy^ which
does now diifinguifJi ir, .muO: ipfofach ceale. But enough of this,
for I muft noE digreTs into various Subjeifrs.,
- Lhave fliewn, in Anrwerto the Ubjeftipnpf the Ages of Pope-
ry in this Kingdom, that- all thofe Errors-^ qvqw JihUtry it [c\\\
does not U^-chwch^ wjt break ^iiccej]ion. And zdly^ I have E\em^
plifi'd this from the Parallel of the 'jewiflj Chwchy under tlie /,i?j]/.
Th^n applying of this to our Cafe, 1 have vindicated Efljcopcicy
from thelmputatian of Pc/'^r/. I vyillnowgo:on to further /^^.z-
fo^s^ -w^hy th^Sncceffio/^ of our prefent i^/y^rj^jis nothiirt by th-ag
Dduge of P^'/'ifr/, which once cover'd the face of this Land.
IV. The end of 2\\ Government^ as well in the Church 2^^ '^tite^
is to preferve Pi'-^fcV, Unity j and Order '-^ and this cannot be do le^
( 12 )
\^ the MMe-Ad/f^iniJlrdiion oi ih& Officer s in the Government, did
f'acate their Comm'Hion^ without its being Re-call'd by thole who
gave fuch Comm'.jjhn to them. For then, i//. Every Manmuft
be Judge, when ibch ^Cvmm'tjpion\% VuAted^ and then no Man is
bound to obey longer than he pleales. ' iMjy One may fay it is
r^catcd, another not ; whence perpetual Contention mufk arife.
A Man may Forfeit his Commiflion, that is, do thole things,
which give juil Caufe to his superiors to take it from him : But
it is not ^Ci\:i2.[\yyncat£d^ till it beadually ^^r/i//'<^ by thofe who
br.ve lawful Power to take it from him : Otherwile their cou'd be
no Pe/tce nor Cert ai fit j in the World, either in Tuhlick or in Private
afFiirs. No Family cou'd fubfift . No Man enjoy an Eftate. No
Society whatever cou'd keep together: And the church being
^ an Outward Society fas fliewn in the Difcourfe of fVater
5.?/'.^//52^) muft confequently fubdft by thofe Laws which
itre indifpenlible to QVQxy Society, And tho' idolatry does juftly
"orfeit the CGT^miJJion of any churchy in this fenfe, that God's
Promifes to Her being Conditiond^ He may juftly take her Com'
mijjbn from her, and Remoie her Candle flick : Now tho* her Com-
mifjion be thus Forfcitahle^ yet it ftill Continues^ and is not aftually
Facatedj till'God fliall pleafe/?if?/5^4//^ to Recall it^ or lake it away :
For no CommilJton is Void^ till it be fo VecUrd, Thus, tho' the
Jews did often fall into idolatry^ yet (as before has been faid) God
did bear long with them ; and did not Un-church them, tho' they
had jurtly Forfeited, Andthefe wicked Husbandmen^ who flew
thofe whom the Lord knt for the Fruits of His nneyard^ yet con-
rinu'd ft ill to be the Husband-men of the Vineyard^ till their Li'r^
did Difpoilefs them, and gave their Vineyard unto others.
And natural Reafon does enforce this: If a Steward 2hu[t his
Truft, and oppreOes the Tenants^ yet are they ftill oblig'dtopay
iheir Rent to him, and his Difcharges are fufficient to them againft
their Landlord, nil he fhali Supercede iUch a Steward,
If a Captaifs wrong and cheat his Soldiers^ yet are they oblig'd
to remain under his Command, till the King, who gave him
his Qommifpny cr thofe to whom he has Committed fuch an Au-
Ithority, ihiil Cafhier him.
And thus it is in the Sacerdotal Commijjtony Abufes in it, do not
toko, it away, till God, cr thofe to whom He has Committed fuch
an
( 23 )
an Authority, fliall Su[^en(i^ Deprive ^ ox Degrade' {^s tli^Fa^ Re-
quires) fuch a Bifhop or a Priefi, ■
Arid there is this higher Confideration in the Sacerdotal Com-
million, than in thole ol-" Civil Societies; That it being immedi-
ately from God^ as none (thereforej an take this Homur to him[elf^
but he that is called of God^ as was Aaron 5 fo can none take it . -
way, but he that is 2iS Exprefl/ and O/z^n'^r^/ycalledthereun to, as
Mron was to be a Priefl, For this wou'd be to Ufrfrp upon 6V/s
immediate Prerogative^ which is to Conditute -His own Pr/ejis,
.Upon this Foundation I argue.
V. As the neceffityoi Government ^ and the general Commands
in Scripture^ o{ Obedience to Government do require our Submidioa
to the Government in being, where there is no Compention con-
cerning the titles^ or any that Claims a l^etter Right than the Pof-
feffor : So where a Churchy once Eftablifh'd by God^ tho' (uifering
many Interruptions, does continue, Her Governors ought to be ac-
knowledge, where ther isno /^^^^<'/'C/^/>// fet up againftthem.
This was the Reafon why our Saviour and His ApoJHes did, with-
out fcruple, acknowledge the- High-Priejl and Sanhedrin of the
Jews in their time 5 tho' from the days of the Maccahees^ ther had
been great irruptions^ arid Breaches in the due Succeffton of their
Priefis: and before C^?//? came, and all His time, i\\QRomanSy as
Conquerors^ difposM of the Priejlhood as they pleas'd •, and made it
Annual and Arbitrary^ which God had appointed Hereditary and
Wnmovable.
But ther was then no Competition: The J^iP/did fubmitto it,
becaufe they were under the fubjet^ion of the Romans^ andcou'd-
have no other. No H/^A-/'r/>i"/ claimed againft him in Poileilion,
but all fubmitted to him.
And our ^^T/iiJz^r did confirm His Authority, and of the 5"^^i'^-
drin^ or Inferior Vriefis with him, (Afatth. xxiii- 2.) faying, th^ '
Scribes and Pharifees Jit in Mofes'^s feat. All therefore, what fo ever '
they bid you obferve, thatobferve and do. And St, Paul ownM the
Authority of the F/g^-Pr/V/?, .4r7.xxiii. 5.
Many Objedions might have been rais'd againft the DediiiHiIon '
of their Succeff/on from Mofes : But ther being none who claim'J
any better Right than they had 5 therefore tliQiY Right was U;?-
controverted ; aad by our Saviours Authority wasConfirm'd.
Now^^
( 24 )
Now fuppofe ^QTist Intgrrtiptions had been in the Succefflon, (^x
■Corruptions in the Do^rine and mrjhip of our E^giijh Bijhops^ in
former Ages, yet (as in the Cafe of xht Scribes and Pharijees) that
cou'd have no Effec> to Invalidate their Comm'ffion and Authority
At the prefenr.
SEC T. IV.
7 he Affurance ani Coiifent in r/;^ Epifcopal Communion^
heyonil that of any other »
I. ni^HE whole ChrijlUn World, as it always has been, foat
jL this Prefent, it is E^tfcopal, except a few Biffenters^ who,
in lets than Two Hundred years laft paft, havearilen, WkQ ^wart
upon the Face of the wefiern Church. For Uttle more Propor-
tion do our Vi\f enters \\^tz^ xSxtHugomts VixTrAnce^ the Vresbyte-
runs in HolUvd^ Geneva^ and thereabouts, bear to the whole Bo-
dy of the LAt'tn Ghurch, which is all Ep [copal. But;, if you com-
pare theiTi with the C4?W/r^ Church all over the World, which
is all Epifcopal^ they will not appear fo big as a >/<?/f .
II. If our t> /([enters think it much, that the Church of Rome
Hiou d be reckoned in the Lift againft them 5 we will be content to
leive them out: Nay more, if we fliou'd give them all thofe
Ch/ircheSj which own the supremacy of Rome to be j. ynM with
them (as Uiey are the neareft: to them) it will be fofar from caft-
ing the fiallance on their Cide, that the oxh^x Epifco^pd Cb' rches
will, by far, out-number them both.
Let us then, to thefe hi[[enters againft Epffi^vacy^ ar'd the chur-
ches of Jtalyy and Spai/f entire, with the PopffJj Part of Gerrd^ny^
Ermice^ VoUnAd^wd. HiwgAry (I think they have nom re- to reckon
upon,) againft thtfe we produce the vaft Empire of XnfftA (which
IS greater in Extent than all thefe '^opt[h Countries btfore-n Xm'd)
England,^ ScotU?jd^ Denmark^ Sr^eden^ and all (he o«/'^fr^« Chur-
ch.es in Germany^ which will out-number bo-h >be Pap/;ls and
Presbyterians before-mention'd. And this -cc'mpariron is only
made as to the Latia Church. But then, we ha c all ihe reft of the
c.hril}i,in World,whoIiy on the Bjfifio^al [ide^ agiiaft both the Sffpre-
macy
( 25 ;
rnacy 6^ Rome, and P^r/V^ oithQVreslpyteyianf^ The "whole Cy^^i"
Church, the Armenians^ Georgians^ MingrelUns^ Jacobites^ the
chrifimn 6i %X* Thorn (U, and ^t,Jobn in the E^]t- Indies^ and o-
ther Orient d Churches, Then in Africa ^ the Cophties in Egypt ^
and great Empire of the AbyJ/ms in <jEthhpia, Thefe all are Epif-
copaly and never own'd the Supremacy of Rome: And ov^er reckon,
out of fight, all that difown Epifcopacy, and all that own the su-
premacy of Rome u'ith them.
III. Let me add, that among our Diffenters, every Clafs of
them does Condemn all the reit ; the Presbyterian Damns the
Quaker^ the Qjiaker Damns him, Independent^ Baptift^ &c. All
Damn one another, and Each denys the others Ordination or
Call.
So that, the Ordination of every one of them, is difown'd by
all the reft ; and all of them together by the whole Chrijiian World.
And if their Ordinations are not Valid, then they have no more Au-
thority to adminifter the Sacraments^ than any other Lay-men 5
and confequently, thet can be no fccurity in Receiving Baptism
from any of them.
IV. What allowances God will make to thofe who think
their Ordination to be good enough, and that they are true Mi-
nifiers of the Go fpel'^, and, as fuch, do receive the J^fr^;;^^;?^/ from
them, I will not determine.
But they have no reafon to exped the like allowances who are
warned of it before-hand, and will notwithftanding venture upon
it ; before thefe Diffenters have fully and clearly acquit themfelves
of fo Great and Univerfxl a Charge laid againfl: them; fuch an
one, as muft make the whole chrijiian World wrongs if they be
in the Right / Not only the prcfent Chriftian Churches^ but all the
Ages of chrifHanity fince chrijh Of which the Diffenters are de-
lir'd to produce any one, in any Part of the World, that were
not Epi[copal any one Conftituted church upon the Face of the
Earth, that was not Governed by Bifjops^ 6ift\nti from, and Su-
perior to PrejhyUrSy before tho F'atfdo is in Piedmont, tliQ B-'^gonots
in ErAnce^ the Calvinifts in Geneva^ and the Presbyterians thence
Tranfpianted, in this laft Age, into Holland^ Scotland and England,
V. If it (bou'd be retorted, that neither is the church of Eng-
land without Oppofers ; for, that th^:: Church of Rome o^^o^QS Her,
as do likewife out Diffenters.
E . Anf,
( 25 )
Jpf. None of them do oppofc Her, in the Poiat we are now
upon, chat is<the Validity oi Epifcopal Otd'mmony which th&C^firch
of Rome dojs own j and the Preshyterians dare not deny it, becauie
they wou'd (thereby) overthrow ail their own OrdmAtiom 5 foi:
the Presbyters who Reformed (as they call it, from Bijhafs^ i-ect*iv'di>
their Ordination from Bi[bops,
And therefore, tho' the Episcopal Principles do Mva/idate tiie
Ordinatio'/i by P' esbyterSy yet the Pre shy ter tan Principles dxj not //z-
I'aUaAte the Ordinmon by B'tjhaps i So that the raHMty of Epijcopal
Ordimtion- ifaiidsfafe, on all fides, even by the Confeilion ot tholb
who are Enemies to the Epifco^d Order : and, in this, the Bijhop
hive naoppoiers.
Whereas, on the other hand, the rdidity of the PresbyterU-a
OrdJifations, is ownM by none but themlelves; and they have all
the reft of the World as oppofite to them.
Therefore, to ftate the Cafe the moft Impartially . to receiva
Saptffmitomthci&Dij]e/2Urs^ is, at leaff, a hazard q{ mzny Tho ri-
fuhds to Or/e-^ as many as all the tQ^oi chrijiiamty^xQ more than
they : But to receive it from the B^jhops^ or EpijcopaiCXtigy^ has
no h.iz,ard at all, ^s to its Validity j even as own'd by i\it Presbyte^
m,»r/ themfelves.
. SECT. V.
The Perfonal Sandiity of the Adminiftrator of the Sa-
cramentSj tho highly Befjjjtte on his Part^ yet not ofl^c-
ceflity as to the P^eceivers, to ConDey to ' them the Beneiixs
of the Sacraments.
L " I ^ H E only Objection of thofe Qmkers.^ who are othervr ife
\^ conviac'd of the Oblig.^t'io??. of the S^cramer/ts^ is theTV^-
ceffty they think ther is of great /'^r/ijW Holineis in the Mmf"
mji'ratd-rs '^ without which, they cannot fee how the Spiritual Ef-
itd:s of the sacraments can be convey'd. But I wou'd befeech
them to confidcr, how, by this, inftead of referring the Glory to
C'hi. and iifje/7if2g the Perfcrf^.tnce of AU»^. which I charitably
pre-
(27)
prefume (and I am confident as to fome of whom I fpeak) that
it is their true and fincere Intention; but indead of that, I do,
in great Good-UJll> invite them to refled whither their well-in-
tended Zeal hasturn'd the Point of this QuelHon even to o-
ver-fliagnifie Ala^, and tr-ansfer the- Gloty of cod unto His weak
Inflrti^kent '^ 3s it' any uhe le'aC^Part) of the Divine Stxivj^ which
God has annexed to His Sacraments did proceed from His Adi^i-
fier. If this be not the meaning (as fureit is not) why fo much
lirefslaidupon the^^;?(:7/>yofthey^//>///^r.j?- asitthro'
their fower or holtnefs the Holj choji was gi verr '! "» « » ,': ■■_ v f ' ^"' ^ ^*
If. ^To obviate this pretence, our Saviour chrift chole a DeiU
ijoh^ vi. 70. j to be one of His Apofiles 5 and he was fent to Baptize
and w^ork Miracles as well as the reft : And thoi'e whom Jud.zs
did Baptize^ were, no doubt, as well Baptized^ and did partake
of the Communication of the spirit (according to their Prepara-
tion for it) as much as any w ho were Baptiz?.a by the other Apo-
files i> unlefs you will fay that Chrift Tent him to Baptize^ who had
no Authority to Baptize, and that none iliou'd receive Benefit by
his Baptifm, which wou*d be to Cheat and Delude the People;
and is a great Blafphemy againft Chrift y and a diftruft of His Power ,
as if it were Limited by the poor Inftrument He pleafes to make
ufeoflf, whereas,
IK. His Greiitnefs is often moft Magnify d in the meanefs of the
'jnftraments^y which He works. Thus He deftroy'd Egrpt by Frogs
and Lice 5 and the Philiflines by Emerods and Afne ; and fent
His Armies of Fltes znd Hornets to difpoffefs the Cayiaanites, Out
of the mouths of babes and Juckl/ffgs hafi thoti ordained
ftrengthy beciufe of thine enemies^ that thou mighteft '* ' ^"^' ^*
fiiU the enemy ^ and the avenger j u e. That the Enemies of God
might be confounded, when they fawHis great Power fixerted
by fuch weak and contemptible Inffrur/^ents, The Walls of J<f-
richo 'the Type of Spiritual wicked nefs) were thrown down by
the blall: of feven Rams Horn^^ when blown by the Priefis whom
He had Commanded: And He rebuked the Iniqj^i^y of Balaar^
by the mouth of an A[s^ to ihew that no Inftruments are Ineffectual
in His Hands 5 and made ufe of the mouth oi Balaam to Prophefie
of Chrisl: for thiscaufe, (siys St, Barnab.ts, m
his Catholick EptftU^ c. 5. did Chrisl choofe Men vt^^ 'rra^ avui^-
who w^ere Exceeding great Sinners to bs His A- rixv dvojuum-A^H^,
E 2 foftles'^
( 28 )
pcfiles'i to fliew tlie Greatnefs of His Povper and Grace*, and put
the Ineftimable Treafare of His Gofpel into Earthen rejfeis^ that
thePraife might be to God, and not to Men.
Iv". St, Paid rejoyced in C^r/T/ being Preached, tho'
Tbii. i. i^. ^^^ Cmcerely by thofe who did it 5 becau(e God can bring
Gooi out of Bvil'-i and by s^iok^AinftrumentSy Propagate His Goj-
fels turning their 7w^//c^ (even of the Z>m/ himlelf ) to the fur-
therance oUhe VAtthi Otherwifc tlie ^/-^j/?/^ cou'd have no caufe
to Rejoyce in- che Preaching ofmcked Men^ if none cou'd receive .
benefit by it. And he plainly fuppofes, i Cor, ix. 27,. That a Man
may fave others by his Preaching, and yet himfelf be a caff-awaj,
V. And fo far as we can know or judge anything, we fee daily
Experience of this ; That God has touched Mens Hearts upon
hearincT the Truth fpoken, tho' by Men who were great Hypocrites ^
and ve?y mcked. And what reafon can be given to the contrary i
Truth is Truth whoever fp.eaks it ; And if my Heart be preparedj
the ^W 5^^^ receives no evil Tincture oS. the Hand thatfowedit:
And who can Limit God^ that His Grace may not go along with
me in this ^
I have heard fome of the now [eparate Quakers confefs, that they
have formerly felt very fenfible Operations of the spirit y upon
the Preaching of fome of thofe whom they have fince Deteded of
gro\s Errors and Hyfocrifes 5 and they now think it ftrange. But this
were enough to convince them, that the wind btoweth where it iifl-
eth : otherwife they muft condemn thcmfelves, and confefs. that,
in all that time, they had no true Participation of the spirit of
Godj but that what they miftook for it, was a mcQt Deiufio»i Or
elfe contefs that by the Truths which were fpoken by thefe Afim-
jlers of Satan (for they fpeak fome Truths) God might work a
good Eff^^d upon the Hearts of fome iVelUdifpos^d, tho' then Jgao-
rant, and much Deluded People^ If not fo, we muft judge very
feverely of all thofe who live in idotntrom or Schifmatical Coun-
tries 5 ther ^NQtt great Prophets and^^j^^ Me» among the Ten Tribes^
And if the mrds, nay Miracles, of chrifi, did render the Hearts
of many yet more obdurate, even to fin againft the
Mmh. xii. frotn jj^iy q^ji . vvrhich was the reafon why He fometimes
0 V. 3 1. ygf^5'J jQ -vvork Miracles among them, becaufe there-
by they grew worfe and worfe , and if the Preaching of the Gofpet^
by tUe mouths oi.Apofilesy became the favour of Death to mcked
( 2p }
tnd u^iprepar^d Hearts, why may not the words of r?'.V/Ohave a
good Effed upon Jf^A?^/ and ^W Minds, tho' fpoken fjorn the
mouth of an Hypocrite^ or of Pet fons^ who, in other things, are
greatly Deluded} .
I have before mentlon'd the y/Izard Major fVeIr, who Bewitched
t^Q Presbytertaf?s'm Scetland^ jfince ihQ Refioration, I6d>0j as much
as Simon Mag^i4 did the Samaritans : And yet 1 fuppofe the more
moderate of the Qmkers will not raOiIy give all over to Deftru-
dion, who blindly followed him, and admir'd his c?//>/ ^ or will
liiy but that fome words of Truth he might drop, might have a
real good Effect upon fome well-nicAmng^ the' grofly Deluded Pqo^
ple^ who followed him. Two o^ ivir/de/sfvitchcs (fee tA^ Smh
in the Gya^s^ p. 300. 2^. Edit.) wqxq Preachers ?,mQnglhQ Quakers
for Twenty years together ; and thought to be as Potverful and
JjfeHing as any others.
VI. But, the Argument will'hold- ftronger againft them, asto-
the Sacraments, than in the Office of Preaching ♦, becaufe in Preach"
//?^ much depends upon the Quahfications of the Perfon^ as to/;?-
vention^ Memory^ judgment, dec. But in the Adminiftrationofan
Outward Sacrament^ nothing is reqiiir'd, as of Necejftty^ but the-
lawfulnefs of the.O;??/»/^<?;?^ by which fuch a Perfon does Admi-
nifter 5 and a fmall meafure of natural ox acqaird Parts is fufficient
to the Admini/i ration,.
Therefore let us lay no ftrefs upon the Inflru/^ent (more than
was upon the^^^^^ry of Jordan to heal Naarnan) but truft wholly
upon the Commif/ion^. which conveys the Fertue ftom God^ and
not from His Mintfters r That all the Glory, may be to God^ and not
to M^n.
'Tis true, the Perfinal Qua lificaf ions of the Indrument are Love^
ty and Defirahle • but they become a Snare, where we expedi any
part of the Succejs from them. This was the ground of the Co^
rinthian Schifm (i Cor, i. 11.) and, tho' unfeen, of ours at this
•Day.
VII. And the confequences of it, are. of m.^nifold and fatal i
Deftrudion. .• ; - •-
1. This unfett4esali the>4jf///r4;?i:^ wecanhave in God^sPromife-'
to affift His own Jnfi/t/ition ^ for, if the rertue^ or any part of it,
lies in the Holinefs of the Jnftruwent-^ we can never be fureofth^:
( 30 )
'E{feif>, as to ns ^ becaufe, we have no certain knowledge of the
Holinefs of another. Hjfff rites d^cewQ tvQngoo^ Men,
2. This wou'd quite difappoint the Fromt]t Chrift has made,
^/^/^/^. XXV ill. 2 0. To be with His Minii^ers^ in- the E>;;cCution' of
His Com million •, tohar^tize^ ^c, alwnyf^ even untb th^ endofthe
ivorld, -For, if the HoUnefso^ the In^rument be a /^ecejfary Qud.^
lificatron, this may fail, nay always muff fail. To far as we can be
[ure of it-, ond confequencly chr/fi has commanded Baptifm and
//^ Supper to continue, to the end of the wcrid, till his coming a-
gdnx, and, yet h^s^-not-atforded'^^^'^;?/ whereby they, may be con-
tinifd 5 which' BS^UWliot done, if the Holme fs of the ^dmimftra'
tor hQ^neciflAry QiialiHcation ; and tha: He has net left us d^cer-
tun Rule, whereby to judge ef the Ho/me fs of another: And
thus have you rendred the Command of chr/fi o^nonc EtJeClj thro'
your Tradition.
3. This is contrary to all God's former Inftitutions; Ihe rtichd-
nejs of the Priejis^ under the Law, did notexcnfe any of the Peo-
ple from bringing of ibzix Sacrifices to the Priefts : The Prtefis
were to Afifwer for their own Sin, but the People were not anfwer-
able for it, or their offerings the lefs accepted.
But we were in a much worfe condition, under the Gofpel-Jd-
winsft ration^ if the Effec'l of C^r/T/'s Inftitutions, did depend either
wholly^ or in part upon the Pergonal Holmefs of His Prtefis, This
w-i)u'dputus much more in their Power, than it is the Intention
of thofe who make this objedibri to allow to them : This mag-
nifies Men^ more ihan is due to them • therefore I \^'ill apply the
ApofiU\ words to this Cafe 5 Let no man ^lory in men •
^vho is Paul, < and who u Apollo / hat minifiers — fo .then^
neither is he thut pUnteth any thin g, neither he th. it water eth'-^ but
■Codwhogivethtlkifuredfe,' . - '^j . "• - ■,' ■-- "^i,
4. Ihis was Cwith others) the Error of the Pi^tfcktit^bcfna^ijis:,
thole Proud and Turbulent Sc^z/w^-^/V^j, the great Drfturl^ers oi
die Peace of the Church, upon an opinion of their own SanBify^
above that of other Men ; 'For which reafqri, they reje.^ed aW Bap^
tifn/Sy except what was performed by themfelves ^ and Re'h/ip'tiz\i
thofe who came over to them, from iht church t, for^they faid
that the Holinefs of the Adminifirator wa^ Ji-ccejfary tOvVards con-
veying the spiritual Graces of Baptifm: Thus they argu'd ; Qui
non hdhet quod Det^ (^mmodo Dat 1 i. e. Plowjhall a uUan give that
to
{ 31 )
ti> /tnoihery' which hth^iiop- himself f But Op f^tr/^s Adv. ramri}. If.
Anfwcrs them, th4t God was ibe Giver, and not Ed/z-^^J^'^fK p 87
Majjy l^idete Demn. e[je Dalorem, And he argues
that it .was prefen-ing Thnnfehes before God^ to think that the
VertMo^ B'ipsiirf^ did come Ixom Them 5 that they were nothirg
but A^'ffijtcrs rx f^Fork-r^e^- -y and that, ss when a cUri? wo^sVyca^
the./ff/fei;'/^: oi the Cif;:'//j came from the odf.hws jnfus'd, not item
the. vertae of t.h^ T^yer, So that in B^tifm the Ch.wgc of the 5?/^-
pizedy crilns fi^om the l^crtuc ot the Sacr/tmcfiT^ .no£ irom ih? --I'i-
?m^tJiraror : Ihat it was the mt^^r of Btpijm, which dids'.>',/Z», not
the Pei'fcxi whj apply 'd the jv-Aet,.. That ih^ Per[o}jal smflity. oS
the Adtninifiranr (igiiify'd nothijsgtQ the EficACy.o\ ihe S^cmment •
Therefore, fays \\q\ Nos operemm M jlle det^ qui f^ dat/trum
ejfe pfom^fi^. i e. Let m rvork^ thai Gm^ ivho h.rs promts'' d />, P* ^ •
W24;' bcflow'tbe Effefi ? And that when we work, HamAn-t '^rnt cpen^
fed Dei iti'ap Mu?ier.^., i,t. "Ihe ^.rk is Max'^s^ but the' C7^/^ is God^j,
And thence he • expofes .thcil Jam itlud qH&}n FM'udum. eH^
Ridiculous Principle oi \.\\q Do.^ ' qmdy qm{i &d chriam veJJ-ram^
natiftsy which iheyadvanc'd to Avcbis Um^er audittir^ hocmf^nm
g2i\n cJi*r)t to Them, Is Ives y that Baptifmutis, ejt Dafitii^ mn>Ac-'
the Gift in B^iptifm was oF the cipienti^ ? p. 8p.
Admin'tCtYAtor^ and not of the i2<?^fi:^r ; But he Ihews, that the
Gift was conferred by dd^ propottionably to xXxzFAtth ofth,e/:<f-
c-emjet, and not according to the Hxlinefs of the Admini^^rator^
The Difcourfe is large, to which I refer the Reader. I have'
given this. Tift of it, to lee thefe fee to whom I now write, that
they have (tho' unaware) {iumbl-ed up.^n the very Notion of the
Dp;?.i///^x,which divided themfjom the Cnholick church^^nd which,
with them,, has been, long lioe.v Exploded by the whole c/y^/y^i-
an World v '^vid [ hope this may bring thejn to a more fobsr mind ^
to confider //'£«? ivheMeySLnd-with. wbo'/<ithQy have fallen • and to
return again to the P^ace of the chi^rcb^ and the Parcicipaiion of
the Blcff'.^d Sz!:rA nents of ChriR^ and the Ineflimible Benefits which
He has promised ro the Worthy Receivers of thein.
L.tfly^ Let me obferve th.it this Error o[ th^ Dmatij?s and jg^-
kers, .bordcics near upon Popery^) nny raih^r feems .to exceed it.
For the chmch oi Mider:a Rcf/ie makes ik^l-^^iltdity of the Sacra-^
ments to depend upon the Jatenticn q\ the Priefi -^ but his Intention
is much more in his own Power ,* and ther are moccevident St^'hs
of ic thanofhis//i'//>/f'//. VIII. I
{ 32 )
VIII. I vvou'd not have the ^4^^r>f.imaglne that any thingl
have laid was meant in excufe tor the ill Lives of the c/^r^ of
the church o{ England '^ as i Ft he Diffemers were unblamable, but,
oux clergy wholly Proftitute to all wickednefs, and that for this'
caule, we plead againft the ^^;?f7/>; of the *4^w/7?//?r4/-<'r_, as Eflen-
tial to the Sicmment*
NOjThat is far from the Reafon : I do not love to make compari-
ioiiS, or Perlonal Heflcdions. If all Men be not as they fliou'd be,
pray God make them fo^ But I think ther is no mcdeft Di^enter
will be oflFended, if 1 fay, that ther are q^ ouv B/fhcps and clergy ^
Men, not only of Lea.rmng_^^ and moral Honejly, but of Devottony
'dndfphitffal lUmnination ; and as much of the Sobriety of Religion 5
and can give as many Sigris of it, Equally at leaft (to fpeak mo-
deftly) as any of our Di^fenters^ of what Denomination foever.
IX. And I hope, that what I have (aid will, at leaft, hinder the
Succejfion of the Bi{hop irom the Apoflles^ to be any Obje^iofi a-
gainft them: And they bang poflefsM moreover of all the other
Y^rete-tices ofour Dijjeraers^ the Ballance muft needs lie on their (ide,
and fecurity can only be with them 3 becaufe ther is doubt in all the
ether Schemes of the Dijferjtcrs^ if what 1 have faid can amount but
to a Dc'fibt, . If the want of Snuefjion and outward Commiffion, up-
on w^hich Chri/l ^nd His Jpofiles, and the v,'ho\QChriftian churchy
i-n all Ages, till the lafb Century --^ and in all Places, even at this
Day, except fome Ccrnen in the fVeB-^ and the A^ofaica/ Inftitu-
tion before them, did, by the Exprefs Command of God, lay
f^ great a flrefs^ if all this make but a Dojd^t (it is ftrange that it
ihou'd, at leaft, that it ihoif d not) in the mind of any confidering
Perfons^ then can they not, with i'^^rwr/^^, Communicate with
^nyoi outDiffentersi) becaufe, if he that Edteth and Doubteth is
Damned^' much: more he that iliall do fo in RcUgiom .
oOT.^iv. 23. n[^3tt:ers5 wherein chiefiy this Rule mull: (land, that
ivhat foever ii not of Faith i^ fi?/,
X. But now, to argue a little, ad hominem^ fuppofe that the
SticceJ/ionoiouY Bijhopi were loft , and fuppole, \v\\m\\Q Quakers
and <bme others wou'd have, that the Thread being broke, -we
niuft cafl a new knot;, and begin again, and make an Eftablilh-
ment amongft our felves, the beft we can. Well, When this
is done, ovght not that EJlabUfljment to be preferv'd < Ought eve-
ry one to break in upon it, without juft caiifeC Shoud every,
one
r 55 ;
one take upon him for her) to Preachy or Baptize ^ contrary to the
RuUs Eftabliih'd < This, I think, no Society of Men will allow ;
For, the Members of a Society muft be lubjeL^ to thei?«/^/of
xh&Sccietyy otherwileit is no Society : And the Quakers of Cyxce-
church-peet Communion ha-ve contended as Zealoully for this
compliance as any.
Now then, fuppofethat the confcientious Qmkers to whom I
fpeak, (hou'd lay no ftrefs at all upon the ^ucceffion of our
Bijhops 5 and confider our Conftitution no otherwife than of an Efla*
hlijhment by agreement amongftour felves-, yet even fo, by their
own Confeflion, while they can find no fault with our DoBrine or
jvorjhip, they ought not to make a Schifm in this C(>f7flauiio?f jVi'hich
they found Eflal^l/fljed ; and ihey ought to return to it ; and it a
new Kwt was caft upon the broken Thread oi Smceffion^ at the
Reformation {xom^opery^ that ;<:;;(?/ ought not to be un-lofed, with-
out apparent and abfolute Necejftty ; led if we caft new Knots eve-
ry Day, we fliall have no Thread, left un-knotted 5 and expofe our
felves to the Derifion of the common Adverfary.
XI. Confider the grievous Sin ol Schifm ;ind Divifion -^ it is ro
lefs than the Rending o^Chrifi's Body ; and therefore great Thi/7gs
ought to be born, rather than run intent 5 even all thifjgs^ except
only that which is apparently ///;/«/• and that by the Exprefs M^ords
o^ Scripture '-i and not from our own Imaginations, tho' never fo
ftrong. And tho' ther are fome Imperfetflions in our Reformation^
as to Difcipli/ie^ and all the High Places are not yet taken away
(the Lord, of His Mercy, quickly remove them) yet I will be bold
to fay, that in our Docirine., fVor]hip, and Hierarchy^ nothing can
be obje^^ed that is contrary to the Rule of Holy Scripture^ cr any
thing Enjoyn'd, which is There Forbid to be done : And nothing
lefs can warrant znySchijm againft our church,
XII. Now, to come to a Conclufion, upon the whole matter.
If you cannot get Bapt/fm as youwouM have it, take it as you can
get it. If you cannot find Men of fuch pcrfenal Excellencies as the
Jpofi^es^ take thofe who have the fame Comm\(fion which they had,
•deriy'd down to them by regular Ordination ; who Reform d from
./'o/jf.r;', and have been the E[lahlt(hed chitrch o^ih\^ Nation^ ever
iince : And moreover are as un-exceptionable, in their Lives and
<:onver[at!ons^2S2iny Q,K.\\e\s, Ihefe are all the fee uri ties you can
have (without new Miracles) for Receiving the s^cramerjts from
Proper hands. And therefore ther is no doubt but God will accept
F of
( H ;
of your obedience in Receiving them from fuch hands v much ra-
ther than your Difobeiiience of His Command to be Baptized^ be-
caufe you are not pleas'd with thofe whom His Providence
has, at this Day, left in the Execution of His Commiflion to
JBaptize 5 as if the weaknefs of His Mim(fer cou'd obftru(5t the Ope-
rations of His spirit^ in making good His part of the Covenant,
-which He has promifed.
XIIL Theris an Objection againf^i5ie////?», which is not worth
an Anfwer, but that I wou'd condefcend to the meaneft, and
leave nothing behind v^hich might be aftumbling block to any.
I have heard it urg'd, that theris no vifible Effeds Teen by our
Baptifms'-, that Men remain )Wtf/v^ and /i?^/^ notwithftanding ; and
therefore lome do conclude that ther is no vertue in Baptifm.
Anfw. To make this Argument of any force, it muft be prov'd
that /^f'/?^ do receive any Benefit by it. For, if/^«9^do receive Be-
nefit by it, and oth^ers do not, this muft be charged upon the Dif-
fofition of the Recipient , according to the known Rule, that rvhat-
foever is receiv'd^ is receivd According to the di[poJition of the Recei'
ver. Thus the fame Mecit is turn'd into good NoHrifbrnent in an
hedihy^ and into noxious Humors in a vitiated Stomach, Simon
Magus recciv'd no Benefit by his Baptifin 5 and after the Sop the
Devil entred into Judds 5 yet the other Apofiles received great Benefit
by it ; To fome it is the favour of z.//^,even the Com-
Gor^x. 1^. munion oi chrifl*s Body and Blood -^ to others ofc<?»-
demnationy who difcern not the Lord's Body in it, but
receive it as a common thing : Therefore we are commanded ta
examine our felves, to prepare our Hearts {ot the worthy Ke-
X
r. XI. 29
V. I
ceivingofit.
But fome fay, as the Jews to chrifty {hew us afign ; Tliey wou*d
have fome Miraculous Effeds, immediately to appear. Thefe are
Ignorant of the Operations ofthe^/'/V/r 5 and to thefe I fay, in the
words ofchrifl^ Joh. iii. 8. The wind bloweth where it lijleth^ anX
thou heareji the {land thereof but canji not tell whence it cometh or
whtther it gaeth j fi is every one that is born of the Spirit » It works
filently^ hvit powerfully t and i'"s Progrefs^ like the ^ron;/^^ of our
Bod/es, is not all at once, but by Degrees 5 whole w(7//V;; is Imper-
ceptible tu humane Eyes.
The true ufe that is to be made of thSs objeBio;t^ thatfo few
(and yet they are liot few who) receive the Ineftimable Benefits
which are convey'd in the sacraments ofchrifi's Inftitution, is this.
To
( 55 )
To take the greater Care, and the more Earneftly to beg the Af-
fiftancc of God*s Grace^ to fit and frefure us, for the worthy Receiv-
ing of them 5 but by no means tonegled them; For thofe who
refnfed to come to the Supper were Rejeded, as well as he who
came without a Weddhg Garment,
A SUPPLEMENT.
TH E ftrefs of this Difcourfe being Founded upon Epijcopacy -
zvi^long Quotations being improper in fofhorta method of
Argument as I have taken • to fupply that Defed, and, at the
fame time, to make it cafier to the Reader, I have added, by
way o{ supplement^ a ihott Index ox Collection o^ Author it ies^ in
the firft 450 Years after Chrtft^ for Epi[copacy^ with refped to the
Presbyterian Pretences, of making a Bifhop all one with a Presby--
ter^ at leaft with one of their yJ^(j/!^^r4/<>rj : And, in the next place,
I have (hewn the ^QTi^^ of the Reformation^ as to Epi[copacy^ Take
them as follows.
Some Authorities for Epifcopacy, as diftind: from and Su-
perior to Presbytery, taken out of the Fathers and Coun-
cils, in the firjl Four Hundred and Fifty Tears after Chrift*
A»no Domini 70. St. element Bl(hop oi Rome^indi Martyr, of whom
mention is made P^/7.tv. 5. in his ift. Epifl, to the Corinthians^
N. 42. p. 89. of the Edition 2X Oxford^ '^^11^
The Apoftles having Preached Kc&to %^^^ ht-n^^-^'; m^vt^v-
the Gofpel, thro' Regions and '2^,»c^^93Wo^' t^; 'Ac^Trp^V «^''??''',
Cities, did ConftitUte the firft "^'^KifjAuoMlic, -raf •ar^'sy^M^Tr, el^
Fruits of them, having prov'd ^Y.nncrni'Tt^c, Km Aicf^^va^ t^i" jua^-
them by the Spirit, to hi Bi(hops Aoj'twj' '7^aua^', n^?'^ ^ k^vm^,
and Deacons of thofe who Ihou'd ok yS ^^i 'TraAAt^v ^Qmys/li^ci'^io
V 2 believe %
( i^ )
believe •, and this, not as a new -srgi 'E-jh^ottw*' <c AuhJ)vm'* '^r'A%
ching, for many Ages before it i^ 'sra My<H -^ :>^et<P)i^ xz-ntj^fru
Was written concerning 5 /)??<;/'/ t^^ 'Eti^xott^s^ au^Vy -2^ ^;,^o/yicy{)_,
and De. com 5 tor, thus faith the y.^ 7^; ^■^y/^nc, ^v-P^ 3^ tj-/^.
ScripHre^ in a certain place, / mUconfiitute /^^ /> BiOiops
■'* ^ '^* in Ri^^hteetijnejs^ afsd their D^diConsin Faith*
onder is it then, that KawTi^aut^
» were Intrufted by 5*5; TnfEi^^irr?^ -s
(joa, inL-nrid, with this Com- Sj^ kcc-Apj^ Ti?
midijn, fhou'dConftitute thofe before fpoke off
i^^^. n. 44. And the J^ojiles Ko^ cl 'A7rv?v\^i i>M^v -y^i
knew by the Lord Jefm Christy ^'a 3" Kw^^/a y.^.ocv 'htrS x^-^,
that Cornells wou'd arife con- on '^e^/.^ t^ 3^ f oi'j'tttfcTi^ 4
cerning the Epifcopal Name (or 'EynTk-OTn};, ^^x nmoTiuj ^v rh a}-
Order ) and for this Cau'e, ha- rix^^ 'sy^yuMmv qv\y\^U^ -nK^^v
ving perfect fore knowledge (of yMh.^ rU ^^^i^/^/i/t/Ji'a^ , ^ ^.e-
theie things) they did Ordain 'Tzt^^ hnv^fjJjM '^^Su-^x'nv^ Z^m^^i^v
thofe whom we have mentioned yji'.>j.v,^jonv^ ^^x^i'^^iiv'^ i-T^pji hh-
before • and moreover, did Efta- yu^uccyuivoi aV^g^, r Ac-tr^pytctv
bliih the Conititution,that other <z,u7^\
approved M.^n iliou'd fucceed thofe who Dy'd, in their Office and
Miniftr) . ~
Therefore thofe that were T^^ h Kxra^^yivT^tt; \ss;r' SxJ..
Conftituted by Them, or after- vu^v^ jj /uht^^v up' ir^^xy iWoJ^
wards by other approved Men, ^x>v dv^-SJy , <Tu/jdC-^oKyiijdc;y,<; r^
with the Confent of all the 'EiocAruicu; Tmsv,^^ fi ^9irii^'\nffvci^ctc
neis, wiiuoucaii iidin 01 mui or Aoi^ ;tfj?J':<; 'vj3?r Tnci^rw^ rk^vc,
naughtinefs^ and have carry 'd k h^iycoi!;u3^ voyJlcy^p -^krli^oiXic^ '^
a gf)od Report, of a long time, Ac-irap^^'csc. d/uLa^.-rix y^ ^ iJuapat
from all Men^ I think cannot, ifj^v eW , ixv t-^q aX/x^^Tc^^ >>
without greatlnjuftice,beturn'd gpi'-c^ T^o^viyKovTzu; t^' h^^^cf,^4
out of their OiHce : For, itwiil 'f.-mmcoTni'^'h^mQclAoty^j. Mz^c^^oi
be n J fmall fin to us, if we thruft rj 'zst^-^umo^^^ifiq -zirpijS'j-Loi
thofe frrm their Bilhopricks omi-i^ i)Kctp7^v i ii^Mctv'ia^v i
who have Flolily and without dyd^v^x. b y)' (vp^f^tv^ j^^ ^
Blame offerM our Gifts (and Prai- dvr^^ (jiirztqhi^ ^^ '5 Ihvvuiv^
ers to God.) Bkffed are thofe a'o^r? tvttcu. ' o^2yS^rj ^^ -^
(37^ ) _ _
Priefts who are happily Dead, for ivUc, vju-^i^ fj^Tupdyin k^X-^^ 'zo-q*
they are not afraid of being E- Xn<^oy!^o'd^^y)c i^ a,,uiju-^c:)^ clv'^i^
je(ftt'd out of the Places in which Tiny^r.fj,^/,^ X'^iXd^yiz^,,
they are ConlHtuted. For^ I Linderftand that you have Dcpriy'd
fome, from their Minillry, %Nho bwhaved themielves un-re-prov-
able aniongft you.
Par. 40. To the H'^gh-PrieB T'2 ^^'Ap^^^^i'^'^ \oi('df')4.if
his proper Offices were appjjn- h^oyAi^yji dJi' (t''^l6 'hf^iL-iv t)\,;^j
ted-, the fncjls had their pro- 6 7zV(^ sTtcfiTa^.^^ ^^^*'^^ j'^V-^i/
per Order^ and the Levites their ^iz^-ca-Ui cJ7n:t<^Vj* Au^-zJ^, civ^^'
peculiar Services, or Deuoff- 5r(^ 5'''^ A«^V^<:c 'T^iiiy^.oLiw 'si^
pj''ps '^ and t\\Q Ltj/'pne/?, uhit ^aj'
was proper for Lay-men,
This, as before (liewn, St. clement 'M^'^Xf 6, to the Dinnbucioa
cf Orders in the C^r///^« Church 3 Bijhops, Priejis^ xnd De^co/j^\
And ihQ office o^xhQLeviteiy is here calTd by the Word Aiaxs^/y^
/. e. the Oliice of Deacons,
>4.D. 7 I. Sr,/^/?4////^,a Glorious hV (c dr-ml^JM^jj dp tz^ 'zs-x.^^-
AAtr/^rcfC^'^///5wasCcnitiruted, f'jl;juxn ^ «2^. ' Atto-jd^^dc^ %x^.y.-
by the Apofbks, B/fjcpcf A/sti- 7:9^.
cch^ and did thereby think that he fucceeded them (as all other
JB/fl?opsdo) in their full Apofic//cal OSice, Thence he falutes the
Church of the Tiall anSy in the FuUefs of the Apo/lolicalch.iraSfer ;
and in his Epiftle he fays to them.
Be fubjed to your Bilhop as to T^ 'E-mmy^Cf^ v:^'2oysedi oi; -zzS
the Lord Kt^if' '
. And to the Vresiyters^ as to K^' rrzS ^pi^^vr^io, oeq 'kTro-
the AfojHes of C//r.'/-— Like wile <^,\oic, 'U'th Xpij^^-— Af ^ <t '?^vg
the Deacons alio, being Almipers AixyjKv^ 'ovra.^ /Jivqvi^oovxoigoZ 'li-
ofthe My fteries of C^r///, ought ^j y^xQi'^vTo, r^Wcr 0,^21 yjnv —
to p'eafe in all things— Without X"^^"-^' Z^'^rc^t; *B^yA:o7z d:c?.i)J^-
thefether is no chu/ch of the E- iht inv ■ 6 'j iicfk ^v, ^1^
kd-Heis'^'ithoutjwho dees any '-^iv h. y»:-£).c, 5 'ETn^Tc^Tcy, (c 'r^
thingwiihout the5//Z?<?/>jand/'rf/- T\o\a-^xj'np'A)v^ y.cu^ t}]' AizKsmv n
lyters^ znd Deacons -^ and fuch an 7r^^--^o^' 6 ?si:vr(^ /x*/x.*t'2 r^
one is Defiled in his Confcience. au/j^il^'M.
Jn hk Ep/J?. to the MigntCuns, Kiq v/ubi'v q -Trsi-Ti jm) KctTa^o-:"
he tells them^ That they ought vC[^ -^ ri^mc^x 'S 'E-mntWH^ cl?^.Ax
not to defpife their ^//Z;^/' for his }^ yvJfjjLo' 0ioS n^Tfk ■sri^riM* *
ycuthjbuttopayhimallmannev iy.-TfzTr};^ a<.irj ^i^^ifjiMv k^^^;
. r 58 ; ,
of Reverence, according to the i'y^Mv kou ^vg iytavc, ^i^isZuri'
Coinmandment of God the l^a- ^ouq
ihcr. And as I know that your Holy Presbyters do
Therefore as Chrili did
noihiag ^'^(xm^ h o K^'^t©" ^^^ 5^
:iiher do ^-x^lq ou^> woiet, 'iira> jcaj vy.&i^
without the FatherSo nci
ye, w hcther iVe-i^jre-r, X^eacor)^ ^y^ r^ 'E7nax.(>7r^^ f/M^l u^Kr^v-
or Laick, any thing without the Tfp(^, yu^^l Atajov^, /x.y;^g Acm-
B.'jbop, yji;. >
Some indeed call him Bi/bop ; El nveg *£5V73xosrov f^u Xiy^cri^
yet do all things without him ^ '^^-'^ 0 dvirj t^vQ^ -zs-oiQa-iv —
but thefe fee .11 not to me to have ol ^^ 'S*%' ^ ci6j-«//&<^^)i'(9<,
a good Confcience, but rather to oAA' ele^j'j; '7^^fe; xc"^ /bcoppuvig 'it)
be Hypocrites and Scorners. juoi cpa^jvov'^,
I Exhort you to do all tilings in n^^ty<i^ iv q/ulovdU eiS axra-
the fame mind of God, the i?//"/^^/? ^dtmrs 7mi'ts/L 'zs-^'ri&iV '^atSK^J^-
Prefiding in the Place of c-v^^and ^-Ja tS 'E^<rfCQ7rti &!; rc'i^oy ©eS*
the Presbyters in room or the Col- ko), t^'' n^^a-Qv-ri'^M &?; tq-ttov awj'i-'
Lege of the A^o flies • and the D*^-^ • ^^^^ t^'' 'A^ojBAce;^' x<z) r ^icti^vocv^
cm^ m )ft beloved to me, who r t^to/ yXvKJWTVLroiv^ iriTnt^i^fAivoiv
are intrufled with the Miaiftry oi Aiaimikv 'Inat. X^'ira,
Je.fsi'S chrift.
He directs his Epiflle to the 'Ev m ycKTiw -mf 'l-msTtoTrcA)^ koj
Chi4>rch at i^iiladelphia, to thofe "^Ic, n^'c<T^vApi<;i ksu Aict}(c}voK;,
who were in Unity v/ith their BffJjoP and Presbyters and Deuons,
A/^dfays to them^m his Epiftle, "Omi y^io Xfng'Solaiv^ yT^i ^ rS
Thit as m^ny as are ofC^r///,ihele 'E^tzot^ottb eioi^'oot?; auv ijucizf Qri:^i)uP[ig
are M-ith the Jiffhop; and thofe fAdwcnv Sth t!w 'EvoTn-m i' txzM-
who lliali Repent, and Return to mct^^' ^^i^i 'Iwa xpt^S o^WVoj, ozy-
the Unit}^ of the churchy being 7>;^'-(ai^*t4ce)j/i« t&^j^ii' Iv r*) /Sao-iAe-io.
made worthy of Jefus Chrif^^\'^\ T'dXpi^g,
partake of Eternal Salvation in the Kingdom oichrift.
My Brethren^be not deceived, 'A(^tA4>o), /ulyi TxrXxva.^' el m
ifanyHiali follow himthat makes %(lp^^ «ijtoAb9<f, /3ao-A&lw Oca »
a 5f^i/???, he iliiil not Inherit the zM^o^OfjM.
Kingdom of God.
I Exhort you to pnrtakeof tlie uh^^kclXu^v v/uut<; fMoi Evxa,(n<^(x,
one Ef^chari/I-^i'oTC ther is one Body ^^5io9as/* yja. ^p 'b^v yi ctipr rS Ku-
of the Lord y^/^/<f5and one B/oi'<a' of f^'« 'Iki^S', kou h cu/n/ro a^.uci. to
His,which was (hcd for us 5 and vvii^ ^ocyi' hyu^V ^<; aai '^Afl^
oiicCiip — and om: A/tar ^ fother '^ig 7m7iv i^)6cp% — tv Jva-ixpip-
(39)
hXim Bijhop^ with his Preshyte" ^ov^ zcq ^l^'Em^o^^^ ^/xa, r^f
ry^ and the i>^4^o/*/, my Fellow n/'awrj^w, xai/ J'^? ^'^^ip^o*^ W?
Servants. (^iw^i\%q ^y. ,
Give heed to the Bificp^tnd to T^ 'tm'TKo'zsrco -sr^oc??;^??, ^-ji^ tzJ*
tht Presl^j/tery^ and to the Dea- n?i(j(SvTi^j^^ kcu TtT'; AizyJvoi<; —
cons — Without the Bijh.p do no- ;t^Jtk 'E'Tnix-jTra m^^p 'z^-oi^/^.
thing,
/?2 hU EfifiU to the Smyrneans, Tc^ %kiu^-rrt (pivyifi ca^ dp Juj
hefaySy Flee Divtfions >is the hn- a^y^^v, ^cLvJi^TsS^EmoTcQ-rco d^B-
• ginning of Evils, All of them Ab^-^^irej *5^ o XpjcV 'WS^ t^ "a-
rence the Deacons as the Inftitu- ;)5S/^ crnTTtoTn^ -n 'z^p^xr^r^ rdvir
tionoi God. Let no man da any yJyTU)v dg r 'Ey.z^/io^xy, iKown 0:-
thing of what appertains to the ^o(jx*Evxct^i7i(z. -^^y^odTi}., yi ^jt^ -r
C^'«r^^, without the 5;/"/^;?/', Let 'E-mr^^oTfov im^ ^ c^ a,v dvroc, e/n'^ L
thdiXSacram^f^thQjadg'dEffQdia' 4'^. 'Otti^ av cp^j/i-; 6 'B/TifTOo-^©-,
al and Firm, w^hich is Difpenced h&> tq 'sirXYi^(^ e^, ajWia o^a 5
by xhcBifh pyOt him towhom the Xfirk , '^^ *; h^ri"^ g-p^.Tiz.
Btfhop has Commited it. Where- 7m^i?t)K^v, Ovk IJov "^ ;^S^^ ^
evQt the Bijhop is^ there let the 'E7nx;^T8, ^ri B^t.-Mr^o^Py '^n^o-
People be ; as where chnji is, X^w imnX^v' aAA* o^ av h^vc^ ^c
there the HenvenlyHoJi is gather- ^>7 ;car ajx^hifTiv ©aSj tV^ djpxXU
ed together.ltis not Iawful,with- >i ;catj .-ggSc^d^o!^ ^j^ o av -^^cmli,
out the Btjhopi either to Bapt/ze^ 'Aa-TdlpiuLoLj ^ d^tojtov ^HTnjyto^
or celebrate the Oj^i!:^/: But what ^of, W to .9'io'srpe^V. rxpscr/SuT^^
He approves of, according to the ^.of, zau ra; Aia,K})rd<; r^-^trwu'^ Os-
good Pleafurc of God^thatis firrn Ab^.
and fafe, and fo we do everything fecurely.
I falute your moft woniiy Mij/jopj your venerable Presbytery^ and
the Df^^-tf^/ my Fellow Servants, r
J» his Epijiie to St, Policarp, Bi(lK)p ^/"Smyrna, and Martyr, rvho:^
together with himfelf^ was Dlfciplc tv St, John the Apoftie, and Evan-
gelift. Be gives the feDire^ions,
If any can remain inCha(lity,to EI nc, ^wjat'^ iv uyviU //iW',
the glory of the Body of theLordj '^tifjihjj '^ ffuf>yj<; rS Kv^j Iv a,-
let him remain withoutBoafting, houj^^c-Iol (M.viroD' ictv aao'JjJiilau^
ifheBoaft, hePeri(lies;and ifhe <lvnL)\<^' y^cu ectv yvoDcd^Vi 'srxlu) th
pretends to know more than the 'E'^s-ijyjTTQv^ i'^^p'^^, t^^Ui h'^
Bilho^-i
( 40 ) ■
5/2; /> he is corrupted.lt is theda- t^<"V >atAta<^« x^' ^ ^}^h<tuj^^ ^
t) botli of Men and Women that yvJoiJ^^ t 'h-zirtayj^bi rlw '{vMeriy
Marry, tobejoyn'd together by, 'Strojet-^, iVz o p'/',a(^>i ;^ Kjjpof,
the Approbation of the i5//i??. that v.ctJi fj^ kolt i-^ijv/uixp* Tm^-rzi d^
the M II riage may be in iheLord, nyJ.w QiS yi'lcX^
an J not according to ourovviiLufts. Let ail vhingi be done to the
Glory of God.
Give heed toyour Bi/Jjop, that Too ^E'^io-nlfss-^ 'zs-^gcrsr^n, llv<*
Cod may Har ken unto you : My tea) 6 0:o^ v//.ii\ etvii^^y lyu-^j^
Soul for theirsjwho fubjCi^ them- \ss^TTx.65Q}^ivotv 'E-zB-ir^^^^&jjnpea/^w-
fdv^es under the Obedience of rt^'i), A/Wvoj^' /xer <zvr£v fAoi
their Btfljopy Pres^yters^ and Dea^ ro ^^@^ '§m^3 ixuv 'ds^ 0j?.
um^ and kt me take my Lot with thtm m the Lord.
And he lays to Bifhop PoU- MA^^t'civdO ^ yvu)/utY\^ o-a yivicd^',
carp^ Lctjiothing be done xvithatit thy Sentence and approbation,
y^.D.i 8o. %x, IrerfdLUs^ Bilhop o^ Lyons ^ in France^ who was Difci-
ple of St. PolycAYp 5 he f]ourilM about the year ot chri[t \ 8o.
We can reckon thr.le Bijhops^ ^dvers, H^refe?. /. ^.c. j,
who 'have been Conltituttd by Habemtts munerare qui ab Jpo-
the ^/7^.f/r/, and their Succef- jlolis Infiituti funt Eptfcopi in Ec-
Tors all the way to our times, c-lefiis^ c!^ fucc efforts eorum u^que
And if the Apoftles knew hid- ad nos, Et f Recondita. myflertA %C'
den Myfterie-", they wou'd cer- i^ent. ApoHoli^ uel his maxime
tainly deliver them cliiefly to traderent ea^ quibtts etiam ipfas
thole, to whom they commit- Ecclefias comrmttebant ; quos ^
led the Churches themfelves, fuccejforesre/i^qriebant^fuum/p'o-
imd whom they left their own rtt*n locum Mxgi[ierii tradentes,
Succeffors, and in the fame Place liK 4. c. 63. Habemus fucccfftona
uf Government as tbenifelves. Efilcoporumqicib^isApo^olicumqu^e
---We have the Saccelfions of in unoquoque Leo efi Ecclcfum tra-
the B'ilh^ps, to whom the Apo- diderunti^yij 5;:c; 20. Omnisenim
llolick Church in every place ii{Hjeretici)'valde Pojleriores fu^t^
was committed. Al! thtfe (He^ qus.m Ept\cepi^ qmhus Aposhli tra-
• ret cks) are much later than the 'diderun-t Ecciefi&s.
Bifliops, to whom the Apoftles did deliver the Churches. >
The true Knowledge is the L. 4.c.<5. Agnitio\^erAefi^ A-
Do:lrin of tl e Ancftles, and ptftolorum Do5irina^ ^ Antiquus
the Ancient State of the Church, EcclepA Hatm, in univer\o Mun-
throhgh the whole World, do.^CbAra^er Corporis Chrifiife-
and the Chariifter of the Body candies fucce//?ones Epi '^ciporum^
of
( 41 ;
of Chrift, according to the Sue- qitibus illi eara 'qu<e hi um^uofj)
ceffion of the Bidiops, to whom I'coefi Ecclefiam tradUermstj qiu
they committed the Church fervenit uf'que adms.
that is in every Place ; and which has Defcended even unto us.
TertullUn^ A.D. 205. of thePrefcription o^Hercticks, a.d
c. 32. Let them produce the Ed^tnt ergo Origines Eccleftx-
Original of their Churches-, let rum [uxrum -^ evolvent ordtnem
them (liew the Order of their Bi- E^ifcoporum [mrsim ^ it a, ut per
Ihops, that by their Succeilion, ^mceffunes ab initio decurrernem^
deducM from the beginning, we ut frimm tile El)ifcop^ 'aiiquem
may fee whether their firit Bi- ex Apo-jiolis^ zel ' Apoffolicls 'vi^
(Iiop had any of the Apoftles or ris^ qtu t amen cum ApojhUs fer-
Apoftolical Men, who did hke^ fever averit ^ hdtterit Aiiciorem
wdfeperfeverewith the Apoftles, <&* Antece^orem, Hoc emm mc^
for his Founder and Predeceifor. do Ecclejia Apojhlic£ cenft^s faos
For, thus the ApoftolicalChur- defenmt : ficnt Smyrfieorum Ec-
ches do derive their Succeffion : cleju Polycarpum ah Johanne
As the Church of %myrm from conkcatHm refcrt 5 ficut Roma-
Polycarp^ v^homjohn {ihQh^o- norum, Clementem, a Fetro
ftle) placed there^; The Church ordinatum itidem^ Perinde ut'ique \
of Rome kom clement^ ^howSiSy d^ Ceterd> exhihent quos ab Afo~
in like manner, ordain'd by Pe- Jiolfs in Epifcopatum Confiitutos
^^r; And fo the other Churches Apoflolid [emmis traduces ha-
can produce thofe Conftituted in heant,
their Bt[hopricks by the Apofile^
c. ^6, Reckon over the Ape- Percmre Ecclefi.is Apoflolicctsl
ftolical Churches, where the ve- apud quas ipf^ adhuc Cathedra
ry Chairs ofthe Apoftles do yet Apopoior>!m ]uls locis Pr^tfident,
Prefide in their own Places. At Cotinthi, Philippi, Epheiiisa
Corinth-, Ph;llpl>i, Epkefusy Thej. Theflalonica, ^r.
fal&nica^ &c.
OfBaptifm, f. 17. Bandi i Bupti[mim) j^-^s habet
The High-Priefi^ who is the fumrp.m facerdos , qsi est Epif-
Bijfjopj has the Power of confer- copus , dehinc Presbyteri d""
ring Baptifm ; and under him Deaconi, mn tamen fme Epif-
the Presbyters and Deacons 5 but copi Authoritate,
not without the Authority of the Bijhop,
Origen, Names the di- ^X>,i\o ^ Or igenU Comment, in ^^
Oilnd Otdcrs oi Bi/hop^ Presby- Mdtt,Roihm:tgi[66S,Gr.Lat.p,2')$
G ttr
9
( 42 )
tsr ^ and Deaco/7, Such a Bi- oySv "5*5^^ 'E'^iaxs-n^ ^;^Aot>
Ih )p \ jays he^ fpcakhj^ ofo^e whp i'ppv gVi^i/^t^ — to q ouj\o koi^ tti^
jc'iti^ht vam O'iorj^ &C.) doth not Ti^ia-'^VTi^v JcosJ Aja;ti):'otj!' ep,:-7.
deiire a good Work and the Ibi^, p, z:^^^. oi'j'Q.g ■zK:^f(jM"c/^
lams is to be laid of Presbyters etc, Tmn'^djfjAvoi t2 Aacf 'ETr/cTTco^Taj
^cd Deacons The B'ljloofs and jcc^u^io-QvTc^oi. — p, 420 0 j>i^8-
Vresbyters who have the Chiei y^/.@^j i^rct) '^ oI/ul^ Qvofxd^i^^v ^
Place anfiong tht People. The Ttct^i^^dov e^ t?- 'ExA/!ai:e/? 'EW/io-
^.^^;yp/ is called Prince in the CW- -sroy p- 442. 'E^<fir«oVoi^j ^
t/:^^/ : And fpeaking of the In-e- ue^ia-ZvA^K; ^ Aic^r^voiq,
iigious c/^rg;;> hedireds it to thenr), whether Btjhois^.l^reshyters,
or Deacons.
4°' Sr. Cyprian Archbifliop of Carth/ige^ A, D. 240.
Our Lord, vvhofe Commands Edit. Oxon, Epjl. XXXIJI. L^ipJJs, .
we ought toReverence andObey, Doming nofter, cujus Pr^ecc^ia
being about to Ccnftitute the £- metuere&objiervare dehemu-s.Epif'
pifc&:pal HonouYj and the Frame copihonorem c^ Ecckfi^ [ke Ratio
ofiiis Church, faid to Peter, fsemdifponensJnEvangelio loquitur
Th.oU' drt Peter^kc, From thence C^ die ft Petro^ Ego dico tibi quia
the Order of Bifhops and Con- xxxts^tixus^^cjndepertemporum
(titiition of the Church does def- ^fiiccefftonum vicesEpijccprnmOr'
cend^ by the line of Succeflion, dtnatio & EccUfu Ratio decurrit^
thro' all Times and Ages^t ha tthe ntEccUfia juperEpifcopos Conjiitua-
Church fliou'd be buiit upon the tuY Divina Lege fundatum efty
Bi[bops — It is Eftabliflf d by the ut omnis aBhs EccUfi£ per Epif
Divine Law, that every Ad of ccpum Gubernetur,
the Church fhou'd be GovernM by the Bifliop.
7o Cornelius//^^;? Bifhop 0^ Rome* Ep. XLV.Cornelio,
We ought chiefly (my Bro- Hoc enimvelmaxime^ Prater j
ther) to Endeavour to keep ^ labora?rms ^ Uborare debemt^ ^
that Unity wliich was Enjoyn'd ut Unitatem a Domino^ (jr per A-
by our Lord and His Apofllesto fofiolos^ nobis Succefforibus tradi-
Vis their SucceiTors, to be careful- tam^ quantum pojfumus obtinere
ly obferv'd by us. curenim^
The Deacons ought to re mem- Ep. ill. Rogatiano.
ber that it was the Lord who Meyniniffe autem Diaconi de*
chofe the Apoflles^ that is, the bent quoniam Jpoftolos^ id e-Ji
Bijhops. Epifcopos Dominus Elegit.
Chrift faid to the Apojlles^ Ep. LXVI. Florentio.
and by that, to ali Bilbops or Go- Vi^it chrijlus ad Apoplos^ ac
pernors
{ 45 )
n:ernor5 oFHis Church, who fuc- fer hoc, ad omnes Pr^^cjttos] qtn
ceed the Apoftles\ by vicarious Apofloli4 "jkurut ordimtio/^e jucce-
Ordination, and are in their dunt^ Qlu vgs audit, me aii-
»*fteadj He that heareth yotf^ hear- dit.-
eth me.
For from hence do Schifms Ibid,
and Herefies arife, and have ari- I/ide enim Schifmntn ^ H£re*
{qQj while the Bijhop^ who is [es ort.^ c^ orimtur^ dmm Epific
Oae , and Cover ^oar oi the pus qttiunm eji^i^EccUfm Vra-eCt^
Church, by a proud Prefumpti- [tiperba Pr^jamptione contemni*
on is Pefpis'd^ and that Man who tur^ ^ homo digfinttone Del he-
is Hdnour'd as Worthy by God, - noratm^ Indignus hmiimhm jftdi-
is accounted unworthy by Man. catffr.
Nor areHerefies fprung up, Ep. LIX. Cornelio.
orSchifms arifeii from any other Neque enim almnde lUrefei
Fountain than from hence, that ohort^i [unt^ aut natu funt fchif-
Obedience is not paid to the mata., quam inde qmd Sacerdoti
Vrieflt^i QoA'-i and thatther is Dei non obtemperAtur i, nee unus
not one Friefl at a time in the in Ecclefta ad tempm Sacerdos,
Church, and one Judge for the & ad tempus Judex vice Chri-
time in the Place of Chrift. To fti cogitatur : Cai ji lecmdam
whom if the wh©le Fraternity Magifleria Divim cbtemperaret
did obey, according to the Di- Fraternitas umverpi , mmo ad-
vine Oeconomy, none wou'd /ver\us facerdotum Collegium
dare to move any thing againft quicquam moveret^^ vioore
thQ Sacerdofa/ Co/Udge-'— It is UQ' /^/^/?tf Epifcopos agere oportet —
celTary that the Bijhops fliou'd ex- quod fi itx res eft ut Nequiffimo'
ert their Authority with full Vi- rum timeatur Aadacia , c^ qmd
gor — But if it is fo, that we are Mali vere at que aqintate m»
afraid of the Boldnefs of the po([um^ Te merit ate ^ Defpera-
moll Profligat •, and that which tio^e perfciant ^ aclnm eB de
thefe wicked Men cannot com- Epifcopatus 'ui^ore ^ d^ de Ec-
pafs by the Methods of Truth clefit gtthernanddi, Imlnni ac Di-
and Equity, if they can accom- vino, Potefiate. Nee chriftiani
plilh by their Rafhnefs and Def- ultra aut dmare aut ejfe jam pof-
pair, then is ther an end of the [umm^ fi ad hoc "jentttm e?t^ ut.
Epifcopal Authority^ and of their Perditorum Minas atque Infidias
Sublime and Divine Power in pertimefcamm — •
Governingof the C^//r^^. Nor
can
r 44 ) _
can \vz rern\ia chrli'lU''is any longer, if it is come to this, that
we lliou'd be afriiJ of the Threats^ and Sf^ares of the kicked—
— Th^ Advcrfary of Chrift, — chri(li Adverfarius c^ EC'
and Enemy of H s. C.hurch, for cleji£ ejn^ Inimicm^ ^d hoc Ec-*
this end ftrikes at ihQ Bifhop or cle(i£ Prsepofitum Jua infeflAtio^
^/^Z^;' of iheC/V^^/'f^, with all his ne perjeqaiti^r^ ut Gubernatore
^4aHce, thit the Co .ernor h^'vc)^ \^uhUtOy_ atrocim Atqite "v'tolentim
taken away, he might Ravage circa. EccUfu N^ftfragia graffe.-
the more Violently and Cruelly tar,-—
upon the Sliip-wieck of the Church-
Is Honour then given to God, Honor ergo djitar uet^ qHA>u
when the Divine Maj'^fty and do fie Del AlajefiM & Cenfnra
CenPare is fo Defpifed, that Ccntemmtur-"- ut fropomtiir a
thefe Sacrilegious Perfons fay; Sacrilegis at que dicatiir ^ ne I-
donot think of the Wrath of ta cogitetur Dei ^ ne tlmeatur
God, be not afraid of His Judg- jHdicmm Domini^ ne ptdfetttr
menr, do not knock at the Door ad Ecctefiam chrifli , fed fuLU-
of the Church ; but without a- ta Vosn'uentU^ nee ulU Exomclo-
ny Repentance, or Confeffion of geft Crimmk faBa, Defpe^k E-
their Crime^ Defpifing the Au- pifcopis Atque CalcAti^ , pax a
thority of their B/fbops^ and tram Presbyteris reri^is faliuihf^s p;-^.
pling it under their ^t^ty a Falfe dicetur ?
Peace is Preach'd to be had from the Presbyters {scilicet) in their ta-
king upon them to Admit thofe that were Fallen into Communion
or the VcAce of the chmch^ without the Allowance of the Bifljov,
ibid.
They imitate the coming of Antichrifitjam propinqtixntis ad-
Anti-Chrifl: now approaching., ventum imitantur.
Ep. LXXx/Succe/To.
Vderiin (the Emperor' wrote Refcripfffe valerian'^m ad Sena^
to the Senate, that the Bifb'pSy tumf ut Epifcopi^^presbyterijcjr
and the Pres'^yters, and the Dea- Diacones in continenti animadvert
ff^/?j ftiou'd be profecuted. tantur.
Firmilianus Cypriano. Ep.
The Power of Remitting Sins,.. LXXV. p. 225.
was given to the ^^^f*;?//^/, and J^oteftas ergo Peccatorum remit-
to the BfJJjjps, who have fucceed- tendorum ApoJiolis data efl~. 0^ £.
ed them by a vicarious Ordina- pifcopis qui eis. Ordmatione vica^
tion. riafuccejferunt.
What I
Wlial Dm
fear from the Difpleadirc of
God, when foiTiS Preshyters^
neither mindful of th« Gofpel,
nor of their own Stadon in the
Church, neither regarding the
future Judgment of God, nor the
Bi[J:>of who is fee over them,
which was never done under
our PredecelTorSj with the Con
( 45 )
r oimhc we to Ep. XVI. p 55. CyprianusPres-
byceris C5e Diaconibus.
(yipd e;-7i:7i verkuhim m^tucre
ti'.m dt^hemiis dc Ojje-^jfa Domini 5 ■
qm^do aliqrii de lores' yt ens ^ ncc
EvAngelii^hecLcci {hi memores,[cd
nepe fittiirurn Domini Jtidiciumf
neqm f'oi fr^pvfuum Hpifcopum
cgitAntcij qii:)d nanquAm om-
tempt and Negied of their Bi- eji^ cunCQKtmr^ctia Cv" Cor/tem^-
(Jjop^ do arrogate all unto them- tu P)\^pofintotn>-n fihi-'^'e/idiceyitl
reives';' I couM bear with the Contuf^H-lixm- li\)\\Qot)U\.i^ noffri.
Contempt oi our Epijccfai x'^u- dij]lmd.ire a-fcrre iwlfu-m- .
thority,butther is now noroom jed dtJpniuUHdi nau bens r/on-
left for D iflem bH n g , d^c. £ft.
! Optatus MitevitAmf^ Bifliop 0^ Mileve^ or MeLt m NitmidU la'
Africa, K,D. 35). •: ..- auv^v . .. .; :■ ' . ^
In his 2d. Eock againft Parme- I. 2. Contra Pirmenianum.
maf7. The Church hasher feve- CerLt Mrmhra, ^ua h^t^et.Ec-
ral Members, Bijhops^ Presbyters^ r/^/i^^ B pi: copos, Presbyter os^Di---
I)^4w>^j-,and theCompany of the aconos, (d^turh-im Fidelim^,
FaiihfuL
You found in the Church,- Inveniflis Diaconos, Pre5byte-
DeaconSjPres' yterSj Bifiops^ you ros^ Epifcopos /^^//f/x Laieojya^-.
have made them L^y-fne-a--, ac- hojcite ics af^im^is evertiffe,
knowledge that you have Subverted Soulb.
Sr. Ambroje'^iih-yp q{ MiUf, O^ofdam delit JPoJloUs^ .qmf. A
dam i-rophctas, crc. Apafloli y
Epircopi /?//^A: Prophets ExpU-.
natores '(unt Script mum jicut A-
'^d.Xy^x^—.Ev Angel; llx Diaconi /^^/,
■ ' ' '^' ' Na-n /-y
A. D. 370. upon Eoh^ ivvii.;.
S.pejxking of the fever al Orders of
the chwch. And he ga.ve fome-
Apofl:les,and fome Prophets, and
Evangelifls, See. Saysy that by /icut fnit Phiiippus
the Apofiles thci'e were meant Epilcopo omnes ordines fit>i(\
quia Prince ps S^cerdos e[ly h;>
e(ij Princeps r// Sacerdotun:!-,. ^
Propheta, & Evangelilta,, o'
CcUem adirnpiendA ojjioui T.c^
clef/€-. iu
the Bijhops ^ by ~ Vrcphets^ the
Expounders of the Scriptures .
and by the Eiangelip^ the Dea-
cops. But fays that they all
met in the Bijhop . for that he
was tl^ chief Vrteji^ that is,
MintjUrio
( ¥ ) '
(A// ^.y the nl^ of the /V/>/f/,snd both VYophet-mA EvimeMx^
kjpply all ihe Oftices of the Church for the Ministry of the Faithful
An^ ufonv<:or,^iv 28. r.ys CfutinEcclefu Apoftolos"^.:
tut Chrift Conflitiued the A^^o. foit- /;./ w- EpiibopL
jtles Head, m the chtirch'^ and that thefe are the Bi^ljop,
And upon r. 29. ^r^ ^// Afo^ Verum eft, quia \n Ecclefta umts
ples^ I.e. all ntQ not Apoft/es. Epifcopiisr//.
This is true (jays he,) becaufe in the Church theris but one Bi
And becaufe all things are QaLt ahunoDeo ?atre Cunt om-
from one GodthcPaiher, there- nia, ^ingulos Epifcops, (I 'lis Ec^
fore hath lie appointed that one clefis Pr^^effeDecrevi/
^^hop fl]ou'd Prefide over Each Church
In his Book of the D;omty of De Dignat. Sacerdor. c. .. ut
thQPnefiM.c.^. delays, Vhat cflefidcremus mhil effe m hot:
ther IS nothing in this World to femlo E^cellentms Sacerdotibus
be found more £.v.^//^;;nhan the nM ^uhlmlm E^ikom me-
yrte^ts^ nothing more Stiblme rirk ^ "
than the Bifhops, '
And ipea^ingof what was Incumbent upon the feveral Order.
of tile CW^, he does plainly diftinguiih them : For, fa vs he in
the lame place 5 /^ "c, in
trotn a Bifiop another from a reqmrit Dcm ^AliuiquJi^K^
VredyterwoA<,r from a D«««, bytero, 6- dM ami k Deacono
and anotlier from a L^y-mM. & a/iud qmd;. Laico
0. Sr.7m'»;, A. D. 580. In his Commenv upon the Ep.to Titu. -
Wiienic began to be faid, / Fojf^u.^^, muhnirque us 'am.
every one thought that thofe chri/ii, IN TOTO ORgE nT
whom he Baptized, belonged to cnr«^ efi, ut unus de Presbi
himlell^and not to Chrift; it was teris EleBus f^^perpc^eretur c2'.
mat one Cnoien from among rentur.
SisKXt^Iy.'''" """^ "^"'' that .he Seeds of ../.y;^
In hx^Epift to Evama^. A Marco Ev.^r,.eM, ad He- "
HeracL^, and Dio^jyfi^ the 5/- pos, PresUf-^rj A;,ryL: n, /J
( 47 ;
always cliofen out one from a- da collocntmn Epifcopum NomtnA-
mong tliemfelves, Vv'horii hav- h^nt.
ing piacM in an higher Degree than the reft, tliey called their
Bt^bof. ^ _ •
He that is Advanc'd, is Ad- Qui prove hitury a MimriadMa-
vancM from lefs to greater. jus p-ovebitur.
The Greatnels of Riches, or Potent;^ Dnit'urum ^ Pauper-
the Humility ofPoverty does not i^atis Rumtlit.n^ [uhltmioYum vei
make a Bi\ljop greater or leis, fee- inferior em Epiicopum mn facit^
ing alloi them are the SHcceffors Cetertim O^M'^fj-Aportolofum Suo-
of I h c At opes, ce (fores fiint.
That we may know the Apo- lit fciamus Traditiones Afoficd;^
ftolical Oeconon.y to be taken ca6\umttxs deieteri Teft.imentoz
from the Pattern of the Old Te- ^W Aaron, e^ V-ilii t'jVijr ntq"^
{lament; the fame that AAYon^ Levitse in Templo fticrtmt^ hoc
and his 5(?;5?i5 and the Levites fihi fpifcopi, Presbyteri, c^
were in the Te^npUj the Bifhops DeaConi , vendicent in £cde-.
Vresbyters^ and Dencom are in fia.
l\iQ Church o^chr iff. ^
To Nepotiamis. Ad Nepotianum.
Be fubjed to your Bifloop or Efio fi^jecfus Poatifici tuo -, d^-
chief-Priefi •, and receive him as q^nafiAnlmi Parentem fufcipe,
the Father of your Soul.
Againd ihQ Luciferiam. yi/i'Z'^rf. Luciferianos.
Thefafetyof theCh.depends Ecclefne falits in fummi Sa-
upon the Dignity of the High- ctxdoih Di^^jitate pendet^ cmni-
Priefl<i to whom unlefs a fort of fi exors qn^Um d^ ah omnibus ■
abfoluteand eminent Power be Emtnens dcturPotcfiasy tot in Ec-
given above all, therwilibeas cU{ia efficientur Schifmnta, qmt
many Schifms in the Church as Saccrdoics, inde venit^ ut fine E-
ther are Priefls. Thence it isj) pifcopi jufjlone neque Presbyter
that without the Command of neqne Diaconus /W babe ant B^ip-
the Bifljop^ neither a Vresbjter^ tizar^di—'-Adeos qui per Prcsby'
nor a Deacon^h^vt Power to Bap- teros €>'' Diaconos CUpt-z-itt funf^
tize And the Bifbop is toim- Epifcopus ad Invocationem fanfri
pofe his Hands upon thofe who spirit ns nmmtm Impcfiturus ex^
are Baptized by P^'^^^y/'^r^orDf 4- c^irr^t,
cons^ for the Invocation of the Holy Spirit.
And Comforting Heliodor^s^ a Epitaphium Nepotiani a Helio«
Bijhop^ upon the Dsath o^Nepo- dorum* epifcopum venerehAtur--^
tiii}>-
K 4^ )
tkn his Vreshyter and h'.s Ne- . Jn /'///'//V^? Epifcopum, domi Pa-
phew, he Commends Nepoti^^n in inm mverat'—imer Presbyteros
\.h:it\iQ Reverenced his Bijhcp, He c^** Ce-aquales^. iprirtMs in opere-,
Honoured Heli'Aorus^ in publick &:c.
Si$ h\s Bijhop^ at home as his Father. But among his VreslyUrs
and Ci?-^^//^/j-, he was the Hi ft in his Vocation, c^fV
Uj^on the eoth, of /p. He calls Prmcipes futiiros Ecclefx Epil-
tbe future 5/,/'/;^'/'^, Primes oiilio, co^O'i No mm AV.t^
Church.
Of the Ecclefiaftlcal Writers. in fcript, Ecclejiaji, De Ji-
Concerning James. cobo.
y^;?;^/,atief the PaiTionof our Jacobus pofl Pajfionem Domwi
Lord, was immediatly, by the ftatim ab Apoflola Hierojolmomm
Apoltlcs, crdaJned Bifliopof J^- E^piiico^us^eji ordimtus,
rtifalem. The like he tells of the firft Btjhops of other Places,
Epid". 54.againfl: Af(22.^^;?A^/. £/>. 54? ^''/^^''^Montanum.
With us the Bifljops hold the AptU ms ApoHolorum locum
Place of the Apo files, Epifcopi tenent,
. St. Auguftine Bifloop o^ Hippo in Africa^ A. D, 4^©. Epiftle42.
The Root of the Chriiiian So- Radix chrijliana Societati4 per
ciety is d-ffus'd throughout the {edes Apoftolorum c^ Succeffiones
World, in a riue Propagation, Epikoporum certa per orbemj^rc
by i he Seats of the ApuJUes^ and p^'igatione diffunditur,
the SucccfTion of the Bifiops,
Q^e[i» ietey.d^ r*ovi7'e/l.]<[,97* Nemo fgn:rat SalvatoremEplf-
Tlier is none but knows that copos Ecclefils Jjsjiitnifj'e'^ipfe enim
our Saviour did Conftitute Bi- priufyjam Ccelos Afcenderet^ JmpO'
fijops in the Churches ; for be- Pie^s Mafms Apoftchs ordinavit
fore HeAfcended into Heaven, ^^j Epifcopos, ^//-^^'4^a-;> Clarus
He laid His Hands upon the ^- I iVmfcuIa/;?? C<3/?f/7/(jCarth3g./Jr-
pofiUs and Ordained them Bi-^ petit Auguft. de Baprifmo contra,
jhops, Donatift.
L7.C.45. The Sentence of Ma. tfeflA-efl fententU Domi^.
our Lord Jefus Chrift is clear, ni mjiri Jefu Chrifti ApoJioUs
whofent His ApoftleSiandgave fms mittcntis ^^ & tpfis folis
to 7 />^;» ^/<?^>^ vhat Power which Votefiater;t a Patre Jibi tradi-
,He had Received from His Fa- tam permittenti^ -^ quibus nos
ther j
( 4P )
Father • to whom we have Sue- nos Sticceffimus^eadem Pctejfate Ec
eeeded, Governing the Church clefiam Domini Gubemmtes,
of God by the fame Power.
EP. 162, [peaking of the Biiliops heifzg calPd Angels. Rev.z. he fays,
Bv the voice o? God, the Go- Divinnvoce j'uh nomthe Ange»
tf^rnor of the Church is Praifed, // Uudaur PnepofttHs Ecclefu,
under the Name of an Angel.
OfthervordiofourLord^Stvva.^^. De verbis Dominty Serm 24.
If He faid to the Apoftles a- sifolis Apojhlts dixit. Qui vos
lonQy he that de [fife th you^dejpifeth fpernic, me ipernit, jper»ue nos x
me then defpife us : But if thofe si mtcm Sermo Ejfts fervenit ad
words of His come down even nos^ c^vocavit nos. e^ ineorum
unto us and that He has Called /oco Con/tituit nos^ vjdete ne fper-
us, and ConftiiUted us in their natis nos.
Place^ fee that you do not defpife us.
AgAinft Faupis, Contra Faufl. Lib. 55. cap, ult.
We embrace the Holy Scri- Scriptmam am*)le^imur quaab
pture, which from the Times of Ipfus Wefentia Chri/ii temporibttSy
the Prefence ofChrift himlelf, perDifpenfationesApoflolrHm, ^
by the Dilpofition of the Apo- Cdtera^s ab eornm fedibus Succef-
ftks and the Succeflions of other fiones Epifcoporum, ufyue ad h£c
^//^<?/>j from their Seats, even to tempora toto Orbe terrarum cit-
thefe Times, has come down to ftsdita^cowmendata. cUn fie at a per-
us, fafely kept, commended and venit,
honoured through the whole £arth.
Lib, 2 . contra Liter a:s Petiliani
y^^^,t/«y? Petiiian. C51.
What has the Chair of the Cathedra quid ttbi fecit Eccief a
Church of Rome done to thee, in Romans in qua Petrus fedit,& in
which Peter fat, and in which, qua hodie Anaftafius/^^f^ ; aut Ec*
at this day, Anafia{im{MS\ or of 'cleft^i Hierofolimitans in qua '^^^
the Church of Jerufalem^ in cobusjedtt^ ^ in qua hodie Jozn-
which J^ui/^j did fit^and in which nts fedet, \yid, contra Crefcon.
John does now fit. /. 2. c, 57.]
Againji Julian. Contra Julianum, /. 2, cap, ulr.
Irenxus, Cyprian, Reticius, Jrenaas^ Cyprianus^ Reticius^
Olympius, Hilary, Gregory, Ba- olympius , Hilarius , Gregorim^
H fiU-
( 50 ; .
fil, John, Ambrofe — thefe were Bdfilif^s, JoAnnes^ Amlrofmy ifii
Bijbops^ Grave, Learned, a-c, erant Epifcopi , DocJiy Graves^
8cc. in EccUfui Kegimine cUri,
Qtiefiions tfpon the Old Tefta-
ment. Queft. 35. Quefi, ex vet, Teji,m.i^,
The King bears the Image of Dei enim Imaginem h'det Rex,
God^2iS the Bijljop of c/^r/yf. There- ficut c^ Epifcopus Chridi. ^am-
fore while he is in that Station, dm ergo in ea trtiditione eji^ Horn- '
he is to be Honour'd, if not for randm eU^ fi mn propter fe, vet
himfelf, yet ff>r his Order. propter Or dinem.
Let this liifBce as to the Teftimonies of particaUr Fathers of
the Church;, tho' many more may be prodac'd, inthat compafs
of time, to which I have confia'd our prefent Inquiry. And
now (that no Convii5lion might be wanting) I will fee down fome
of the Canons of the Comuilsm thole times, to the fame puroo/e •
whereby it will appear, that Epifcopuy^ as dijiinB from^, and [(l-
perior to Vreshytery^ was not only th.:^ Judgment of the firft Glo-
rious 5.1/';?^/ and A^^r/yrj 01 Chrifl; but the current D^^r/>, and
Goternment of the churchy both Greek and Luttrty in thofe early
Ages oichriptAnitj,
In the Canons of the ^/)<?/?/i?/, the diftlndion of i^i/^^?^, Presbyter^
and Deacon is fo frequent, that it is almoft in vain to give citations.
The i/. and ^d, Can, fliew the difference to beobferv'd in the Or-
dainwg of tht:m.
Leta5.^^();»beConrecratedby '^^A^ott^ x<^^o^v^(^ iW
two or three Bifiops, 'E'm(r^j7mv ^vo -J r^cev.
Let a Presbyter and Deacon be nfi^^vrvpi^ xszn^ {vlt; 'E-ttitk^-
Ordained by one Btfhc>p, ^ -stb ;c.<l/>o'5^e^co, t Aicl>coy(^,
See the fame Diftindion of thefe Orders. Can, 5.4, 5,6, 7 8.
17,18. 25. 27,28,2P. 32,33. 35. 42. 44,45. 51,52,53. 65!
68j 69, 70. 83. Can. 15. (hews the Jurifdiction of the Bifhops over
the Presbyters and Deacons,-
If any Prrsbyter or Deacon^ or '""£< 77^ 5TfeaCv7i|0(^,^ A<iJ;(5^'(^, -J
any of the C/mV;?/ Order, iliall oV^f >^7i^A^7is75^KAj;^{;^;/,W
leave his own Pariih, and go x^ictqrkouj'S nafiouzp, o^Ui-Aauv
to another, without i\\t Bi [hop's d7ri\^yi^ h^ '^v-rA^q /uuiTzt^qiict^
Return,perfiftifig in his Infolence KCL^j^fjuiva v.vrov rS 'EmtryJ^-^ a/yiJ
and
C 5] )
and ditorderly Behaviour, but he ezTUi.z?i^^v b« v-ss-h^i^-'^ i7r,,uir,«<y
fliaii be reduc'd there to Com- tv, ajnt^c^a: d^g XaiyJ; f.d'?ci o^^-J,^
municate only as a Lay-m^i}u Kov-'uvdru).
And Ca^?, '^i.l^ any PresLjter^ ''Et n- ^pi(T^'j-7r-p(^ yMct^^Pfo^Yi--
defJDifing his own Bi'hcp^ ihall acLc, t2 j% '£7^07^ jW-^ , p^&gj.^^*
gather Congregations apart,and va^dyyi^ xq^ jvoix^Ji^iov ir.^oi ^^J|^,
ered another Altar, his Bifhop /t^nd^ei' Ttxli-puy^^c, t2 'LTnsjc^Tra
not being Convitl of Wicked- iv ivui^J.a. y^cq h^uouz^iw ., %a^-
nefs or Irrehgion, let him be piicd^x cec ^i^px(^- Ti;^-^>;@o y^
f;y, who (hall joynthemielves to k^/^ h^dO-A^du kcu Ti^rM ^^kA-activ
him (lull be Excommunicated. rS 'Eynr^^vra yii'lodn^
But, let this be after the firft, fecond, aid third Admonition of
the B^lhop,
Ca/?.:^g. L^t the Preshtersznd Ol ^^irj^uri^oi k-A AidHsvciy"
Pt^4<:tf//i^ do nothing without the a^C/ yvMjLtr.g Td '^mtmoTT'd fJ.Y^h
Confent of the Bi[Ijop ; for it is i'srjTsAG^Tj.^, dvrlc, ^^ '^vq imri-
He to whom the People of the g-^'fAiv^ ^\alv rSKv^i^, naui^
Lord are committed, and from \^^ i^jt! -ivx-^y d^r^Zv aC^v (Ittw,*
whom an account of their Souls 'nj^-W-w^^'i^'
will be Requir'd. >
Ct;?. 41. We Ordain the Bi- x^oo^'i^-utAV'r^ETrC^jTio'^ovi^^T.a.v
fic'p to hive power of the Goods i'x^ctv "^^v 4' '£;c«A/iaix? 'Zi-^xyjA-
of the Church— And to Admi- rjev -r- x.cq^-'rSiq ^lOjULii on; h^
nider to thoie w ho want, by the UfncrCv'Ai>:x)v koa 'Ataxsvcdv ii^iyo^n'
hands of the /'rfi^/f^r/ and z:)^^- -^^^iSzi^. " ,
cons.
Ca:4» 55. If any Clerpyman ''Ef •n; KA«pi;<^^>S2.'.^«T•'E7^c^7i6-
{]l.■lll Reproach his i?//^^'/', let him •srcj/, «a;ut.;.t4doe). "Apzovi-e^ T^i
be'DeposVi; ^ov,rhofi jbalt no^ ra AaS c^/g^.i^ic^jri;^;.
^enk Evil of the Ruler of the People,
After the Camm oiWiQ Apofiles^ I produce next a Great Ccun-
vU oi 87 Biihops held nt Carthage^ in the Year of chnfr^ 256,
under b\. CypriAr*, Archhifli p of "^hat Pia; e, vhich is Publifii d
in St. Q/TM^/s Works before qaoj^dv p. 2 2-$>;- where he tells us,
f hit be fides the Brfhops, ther Ept^u]4_phrimi'^cmn Vnsl^yte-'
met thtre be th Presbyters and rU d^ DU€miyfi>i'^<^*
Deacons., and great Numbers oftheL.t/>r,
( 5^ )
The Council of ^lihrk in spAw^ about the Year of ci^r/}? 305,,
Cap. iS.and.ip.
BifhopSy "^resbyters^ and Dea^ Epifcop^ Vresbyteri^ ^ DUcO'
eons are Nam'd diftin<5l. And ni^ &c. ^on eji S^resbyterorumy
c. '^^z.Vresbyters and De acorns are /?«/■ Dinconorum Communhnem ta^
forbid to give the Conrimunion libus pr^dare debere^ nifi fisjuffei
to thole who had grievoufly of- W/ Epifcopm,
fended, without the Co mm and of the Biihop. .
c. 75. Ofthofe \\ ho ftall fal- Si qm Epifcopum^ Vresbyte-
fly accufe a JBiJhp^ Pjesbyt^r^ or yum^ vet Diacomi/u faljis Crimim^
Deacon, bus appetkrity &c. ,
c. 77. It is ordained that thofe Si quis Diacontis, fine Epifcop»
who are Baptized, by a Deacon y 'vel ^resbytero aliquos Baptiz^ave-
without the Bijhp orVresbyter, rit-^ Epifcopus eos per Benedi^io-
ihall afterwards be Confirm'd by. nemperfUere debebit,
thQ Bijh'jp,
The Council of ^r/^j in France^ about the Year o{ chrifl ^og,
c. 18^ Itisordain'd that the Dtf'^c^/?/ fliou'd be fubje^l to the ?r^/»
hytersi And C ip.
That the Presbyters fliou'd be Presbyter I fine Confcientk Epif--
fubjed to their Bi[bop, and do copi nihil faciant.
nothing without his confent.
The Council of J/7c^ra^ A. D. 3 1 J.
c. I. and 2. Having Prohibi- 'Ei juLip'^i nvlq 7^ 'E'dria'i^'sf^v
ted thofe Presbyters and Deacons r^^^g avuui^tj'.iv t^^vuxrov nvx rj'
who had, in times of Perfecuti- -m'^^ctjnu TxrpofsT^^^^ ^^^ ijip^oav
on, Offer'd to Idols, . from the 7s-h(ov 77 ^i^ovcu tj a<puif>^v, i^r
Execution of their Office, fays^ dv^;^ ^ rlcui^Hf^zv,
that notwithftanding the Bifhop may Dilpence with them if ho
fees their Repentance fincerej for that this Power islodf^'d in
the Bifhop.
The Council of Laadiceay A. D. 321.
Can, 41. That no clergy-man '02t J ^ei'lipuriKouri K\yi^tcc»
ought to Travel,, without the ai^dO )ci?\ivor.i(jcq 'ETria-tf^j^ah^i^^v, .
confent of his Bifhop,
Can, 56. That the Vresbyters 'O-n i' ^a npia/Svripi^^ ts^ t^
ought not to go into theChurch, d«^a tS 'E'^oTto-sa-i^ ^iivauf (c xa3?^
and fit in their Stales, till the 5/- iiSuj h -n^ (^^vutri, aAAa y^ rS
f hop come^ and to go in with the 'E'OT<r;^7ra «V/feyay.
Stfhop,
( 5S)
The Firft and Great Council of Nhe, A. D» S^f,
Can. 1 6. That if any {^reshy- ^ fAc-Qvripct ri daoe^^caci ol d'-'aytt)"
ttrs or Deacons leave their, own ^.h'd^i 'i' Sxz^^mctQ, tioctf^a::^ h}i^}
Churches, they ought not to be o^(^\H^iv^ iv i-npciizaAn'^^ — —
receiv'd into another Church: d'j^Zc^^jujTc.nv'n^vpcc^vtziTVifT'rzf
And that if any ihali ordain Rich ^rs^^ h^.^Pifovm^y.c^ ^wpo^^j j^^ ht
in h»s Ch. as belong to a nother, tR <ju-n^ lyxMmct., yJn (pj-^vMctU'^iMfki
without the con lent of his pro- ra i^Va 'E7na;(c;a-a-— cLyjj^(^^
per Bifhpj let fuch Ordination ecw -^ ;^C'ifo'5>i'/^.
be void.
The Council of Ga^gra^ ^16, .^
Can. 6» If any have private 'Ei ti^^s^^ tIw hxX'^J.^'J z<tr
Meetings out of the Church, i^ictv hz^/^a-dll^- jutyi ct'j^^i'-^
without their Pr^/'^^^r, let *eni 7(^ rS ^^icr^vripa^ kj^-^^vJ/A'Jj 5"-
be Anathematized by the Sen- ''B'^ka-)(oar^^clvz^i/ucii'sz.),'
tQUCe of thQBiJho/;»
Cafi.jAfd.ny will take or give of '^E] n; z^^7r^:^o^j:>% hk^''^(na^f(aq
the-Fruits offered to the Church, l}sA<i ?ictju,^cli'&iVy n^i^iv^ f^,^ t^
out oftheChurch,without leave hzMylobc,. -©^^ yvlfjlw rS 'tTri^-
of the Bilhop^ let him hQ Ana^ yjTrH—^'ApSi/jdcL s'^. ■
thema, .
The Council of Amhchy A. D. 341. A«2
Can.^, If any Vresbyter or Efr<^ n^io-Zi^r'^^ n A'AyjOv^
"Beacon, leaving his own Paridij y(,aTuX<^'7miv r icwt^ ^aL^o'TuoLv. &l^
fhall go to others •, and refufeto \rrc^<tv ciTrsAQj^, tX jua^l^. KctX^vn
return, when his own Bifhop r:/ B7ri(T^u r^ i^/u) i^ccvi?^^!/ d^
fhalllummon him, let him be r n^^ifu^^^' r UvtU k^ 'r^^tuSyri ■
Deposed r juih xssrotM.s^i-'" mivrtX^q dur^p kzc-o
Can, ^. If any 5i/i^ij^< being h; t/$ 'ETne-^cs-'Ser'^- vW ^i^t>o'<:5a
Depos'd by a Symdy or a Vresby- )ictjz>:^^z^(^.gf ?} U'^iT^vr^fi^, ^ Aicc'
ter or Deacon being Denos'd by y^v(^ ^^) f 'i^{ci 'E77;(7;(^V«, "^A-
his own proper Bljhop, fliall pre- juri^Qii}; ri tt^^^o^^ rri<; Aetra/j^j-'c^,
fume to exerciie his Function, /uiA^^\''^'<ntza].ct?xaiot)g^fjui^y'^^?io^ceg
let no room be left them, either %u>(^v t/^^v,
for Reftauration or Apology.
Can, 5. If any Vreshyter or Ei tic, ■n^<i'j^6n^(^ yj &iclfm(^ ■
Deacon^dcfpiCmgh'is own Bijhopy yt^ct<:p^ovY\9'cu, rS Bmcfft^^oo 78
(hall feparace himfelf from the f^/ou, dcpci^ia-iv iGLvrlv -rlric, Exzhyi*
Church, and gather a Congre- oict^, >^ 0ioc (rtwyi^yii ic^&vff'ia'
Ca}7, 59. That one Bilhop Avva'^Q ^ic, 'E^/o^o^^ mX\^
ni.iy Oi'dain many Vreshytcrs ; %&<ooTot'eiJ' npeo-our^^oy^* nfHa-QvTi-
but 'that it was hard to find a f (^ o creo^'E^^o'^toj^V c)^T«^''&t(^
Presbyter who was fit to b;i mads ^^o-x^^'^^^; li^oni'^.
Cm. 6$. Thit a Clergy man^ K^^j^^kov r^jr^Emrjij-uroov k^ij^
being Condemned by the Bi- fc^rzt'S'iH.xoJiplat lA i^^'oLj r ctu-
fhops^ cannot be delivec'd by that roi' i\n -rnxo^ ^ dxTcP^naict^j t,i vyiv^-
church to which he did belong, ^gi', ^i-n'hTt^ oiaHrn'Ji'Ay'^p'jtiTrti^t*'
cr by any Min wbatlbever. £/t^^x&i^^ Trvm^,
Citr?, 12^. i hat /Y^-'f/'y/i^rj and ITpccrCuTjpoi, ^ Aictjcovoi^ cv 0^4
Veacor.s may Appeal ircm their i'/^^v cLjiiaij^ ^ }av th^-^ ^^pa t8^
own >S/Y/7^/' tothe Ncighbcuring idYa; 'E-TnoTtoVb^ /u.iju<:pc»}V7^^ oj
I?;' //^(;^j,choren by content of their y^utr^y-^g ^^whus-^i tutzdv dytfod^
own Bijhop, and from them to awv^^ Hj izt fMTu^v rn-nk'y 'srBxrc^-
th(^ Vrlr/?ate QX Provincial Synod ^ sz^mv oi .mt^ cll"P^ if^- QujL/cdjViaivT
b.it not to any Trans-rniirine cr *^*'ie)^ ewr^^ '^•mayia-^uiv 'sst9G'?,3.iJu-
yurmi-gri Jurifdiction , under l2.aiC(Mpoi' .ixv'^ ^ a-i?* cw':rjS Ujcx*
pain of Excommunication. >ii(7fc^oc^ JfXri^mcni^^ /a« c^^caAecwv^),
The Council of chdcedon.^ being the Fourth General Council
A.. D. 451.
C-^/^.p. Ifany c/^rg'y-w^^have Et n^ 'K\i\ZAm ^^ ;cA>ig^xov
a "Caufs of complaint againft 'z^^yuut tyoi^ /uyi i-^aoe.'m.Xi/jbTmv^
another Clergy-rnan ^ let him lau nr ou^iov 'E'ss-fa-KOTrov ^ (c cBn
.not leave his own proper Bi- Koc]uuf(J ^izx^^a, juvj HctTzi^i^-
pjypj and have Recourfe to the tsd « Q ti^ v7»^ tko'to ttqi^
SecuLir CourtS'-Whoever does nm, KxvcvikzI:; imViJurji^ \j3«ra;cG^-
otherwire (hall be put under tlie (^,
Cano-iical Cenfures.
Can, 13. That a Forreign SsVj^c xA^y^^tb^ (c dyol^cat; in
C/^/'^)'-»/4>^^ and not known.ihall crj^^ ttoM, ^'Ix'^^^Tiy^vy^.fx-
not ofRciate in another City, fjAr-joy rQ fsii^ 'ETria^iaTiis fjL-f\c)CA'jei;
without Commendatory Letters' /.tJ/^'a/^tSA&fTbp^e^y.
from his own Bijho^,
Ca?j*
( 57 ;,
Can, 18. If any of the clergy E)1tvi^ rolvu/j K^^ne/ao} ^ Moi-
(hall be found Confpiring, or d^cvr^g ivpiS-^ip ^ (J^^oavw^csi ^
Joyning in Fraternities^ or Con- <i>pci.^iXi^o'^7i;^}i zcL'nt<r>idij(^- ^vc^ivoi^
trivingany thingagainil the 5/- -nc, 'c'c^iTnowoig^ ^ cn:yy.?^y,^Kr'i^^
fhops^ they fhall fall from thefr ^'t7xn^iru)^'m^nrsQlii^ii^x^jXH.
own Degree.
Ca», 29. To reduce a Bijhoj/ '^Trlaxo'^ov q^<; upi^^v-nn^ ^xL
to the Degree of a Vresbyter, is fxlv <3^ip^v'\ip'^mxU'0.v ,
Sacrilege,
Thefe Authorities are fo plain and full as to prevent any Ap-
plication, or Multiplying of further Quotations, which might
eafily be done : For;, if thefe can be anfwer'dj fo may all that
can poflibly be produced, or framed in vv^ords.
And ther is no Remedy left to the VresbytertAns^ and other
DiiTenters from Epifcopacy^ but to deny all thefe by whole- fale,
to throw off all Antiqmy, as well the firft Ages of Chriftianity,
even that wherein the Apoflles themfelves Liv'd and Taught^ as
all fince ; and to (land upon a New Foundation of their own In-
vention.
. But this only (hews the Defperatnefs of their Caufe, and the
Impregnable Bulwork of Epifcofacy ; which (\ muft fay it) ftands
upon To Many^ clear, and Authentick Evidences^ as can never
be overthrown;, but by fuch Topicks as mufl render Chriflianity
it felf Precarious.
And if from the Etymology of the Words Bl\hop and Vreshper]
any Argument can be drawn (againft all the Authorities Pro-
duc'd) to prove them the fame, we may, by this way of Rea-
fbning, prove Cyrm to be Chrifl^ for fohe is (?alPd, //^.xlv. i.
Or if the Vreshyteriam will have their Afoderator to be a Bi-
(hop^ we will not Quarrel with them about a word. Let us then
have a Moderator^ fuch as the Bifhops h^foYQ defcrib'd, viz.. A
Moderator^ as a (landing Officer, during Life^ to whom all the
, Presbyters are to be obedient as to chrifl^ i,e, to the Moderator^
as Reprefenting the Perfon of ChriB: That nothing be done
in the church without Him: That He be underftood as the
Trinciple of Unity in His Church 5 fo that, they who unjuftly
breik off from his Commumony are thereby in a Schism : That
he fliew his Snccejjio:^^ by Regular Ordination, convey'd down
from the Ap'^fiks, In fhortj that He have all that cbara^er dind
I Attthff'
C 5<5 ; ^
Cir. 59. That one Bijhop Lvvct^h &i^ 'E^/a^toT?^ tttAAk?
m^y ordain many Vresbytcrs ; ^Gt/Jorot-eiv u^ia-^uri^oug' nftio-CvTi^
but "that it was hard to find a ^(^0 '^^'E^^o-KOTniv cfkty\^^<^
Presbyter who was iit to be made ^v<rxi^'^^ iv^o-k^^^.
a Bijhof. ^ _^^^ ^ ,
Ci». 6'), Thit a clergy man^ KA»jf/«^i"rJr'E':T:j7£o3J-ce;i/ ;t|>i^
being Coiidemncd by the ^i- Hj^rct^w^oL^kvlct^ ^fJ>A ii^^-c^rcuj-
fhops^ cannot be dclivec'd by that toc sirs jtw^' 'j^ c'zpcAnoio^;, -,;$ vTtv^-
church to which he did belong, %€^ t^tTi^ira o/a^Ji^Ts 'Av9p:e)^b ^»-
cr by any Mao whatloever. i>L^iz^:bci^ Trvmg,
Carh iz6.\\\at Prefbrters ^nd U(>ea<^vTip9i, 't Aicckovqi^ at ai^^
Veuans may Appeal frcm their i'^'-av <zjTJcq^y.iav m^^ \\,^pii r^;
own ^i/^W*to the Neighbouring ^/^^ 'E'TnaTtoVa; ^^(^(^ct)^!^^ o«
j?.'//?;i;r?/,choren by content of their y9un'2i"n<; *E7ricr}<s7isi rnTznv ctK^od'
own Ei'jhdp, and from thsm to Gtov^^ Kj nz iJA.TZLly miuv 's&xroo'
the Primate OtJ^rovincial Synod t^ azooiv ol .?rx^* ew'^ if^ Qiujo^i tcnvT
b.!t not to any Tr an s-m urine cr <^~*>)>' ojjt^^ '^ino^^'rrcav 's;C9(T?v^ytt-
r^rraigit Jurifdiction , under f^avQ^oi' .Iclv/^ % a's;* cw't/j Ukx-
l^ain of Excommunication. ^im^oq^Xriowcnv^ fAo/^y-cLXir^v^^
(w-i^/) i7rcipy4oijv, 'urC^c, '^ ra, tA^u r^ .SrrcAaoor^ 0 BbA'Y^o(^ o«;£aA<faJ,
The Council of chalcedony being the Fourth General Council
4. D, 451-
a Caufe of complaint againft 'zs-^yjLtct. s'pxx, //« i-^^xrztXi/jL'mtv-
anoiher Clergy-.ma}i , let him Ltu -r oi^&iov 'E-zd-jWo^t-qj' , ^ c^^
not leave his ov\n proper Bi- 'A.ocfM>(j. ^izci.?^^!^ jurj pc^.Tzz'^fs^'-
pj^^pi and have Recourse to the tzd « j^ "^i^ v7»^ tkcIt^x sroi*
SecuLir Courts- -Whoever does mtci, Kai'cyi»c7; iTnlt.i/.ioi; Ozj^x&t-
otherwife ihall be put under the 0%),
Canonical Cenfures.
Cafi, 13. That a Forreign S^Vj^c xA?7^)tb^ (& dyvol^ca^ cj»
Clergy-mafiy and not known.fhall 6r?£^ ':;r^M, (^Vi^^si svi^nT^vy^./jL-
not officiate in another City, fjAr^v r^jWa 'E^rjtjKsVb //t:/](^~;Ai);
without Commendatory Letters' /-t'?3V/>C'5A&iTbp^feij'.
.from his own ^///^o^.
Ca»^
Can. 18. If any of the Clergy E!i%v^ rolviw ka^^^o/ fj Moi-
(hall be found Confpiring, or d^oimg ivpiS-^ip ;) Qia.ouyvjiclcoi n
Joy fling in Fraternities.^ or Con- 'i'pa^ixlpy'n^^vi yiCL-nta-Kdj^^ rvoevop'
trivingany thingagainil: the 5/- t?^ 'c^/.r^^^roj^, >i ^Tr-'^j'-Ayj^/AccI?,
JhpS:, they ihall fall from their d^^'^i^ircn^T^yJn rSoi-Ada ^x^/uS.
own Degree.
Can. 29. To reduce a Bijhop *E7ri(rK0'!srov elg npc^^viipn /Bx9^
to the Degree of a Presbj/ter, is fxlp (pip^v'Up'.mXlx'^^v.
Sacrilege.
Thefe Authorities are fo plain and full as to prevent any Ap-
plication, or Multiplying of further Quotations, which might
eafily be done : For, if thefe can be anfwer'd, fo may all that
can poflibly be prodac'd, or framed in words.
And ther is no Remedy left to the Vresbyteriam^ and other
DilTenters from Epifcopacy^ but to deny all thefe by whole-fale,
to throw off all Antiquity, as well the firft Ages of Chriftianity,
even that wherein the Jpoftles themfelves Liv'd and Taught, as
all fince ; and to (land upon a New Foundation of their own In-
vention*
• But this only (hews the Defperatnefs of their Caufe^ and the
Impregnable Bulwork of Epifcofacy ; which (\ muft fay it) ftands
upon To Many^ deary and Authentick Evidences.^ as can never
be overthrown, but by fuch lopicks as muft render Chriflianity
it felf Precarious.
And if from the Etymology of the Words T\'tlhop and Vreshper.^
any Argument can be drawn (againft all the Authorities Pro-
duc'd) to prove them the fame, we may, by this way of Rea-
foning, prove Cyrm to be chriji^ for fohe is (»alPd, //^.xlv. i.
Or if the Presbyterians will have their Moderator to be a Bi"
(hop^ we will not Quarrel with them about a word. Let us then
have a Moderator^ loch as the Bifhops before defcrib'd, viz>. A
Moderator., as a {landing Officer, during Life, to whom all the
Presbyters are to be obedient as to chrtft^ i^e. to the Moderator^
as Reprefenting the Perfon of ChriJl : That nothing be done
in the church without Him : That He be underftood as the
Principle of Unity in His Church 5 fo that, they who unjuftly
breik off from his Commimony are thereby in a Schifm : That
he iliew his StccceJJion, by Regular Ordination, convey'd down
from the Apofiks, In fhort. that He have all that character and
I Attths'
( 5» ;
Authority^ which we (ee to have been Recognlz'd In the Bifiops^
in the very Age of the JtoflUs^ and all the lucceeding Ages of
Ch'ijiia/iity-^ and ihen call Him Moderator, SttpermtEndent^ or Bl-
Jkp : For, the Conteft is not about the N^f^te^ but the Thi/?g.
And if we go enly upon the EtymoLgy of the mrd, how fliall
w'e prove Presbyters to be an Order iu the churchy more than Bi-
jhopsi as AthjinA(hfs(MioDr(i:o}iti{is of thofe who perfuadedhim
not to accept of a Bllb-prick,
why do they per^ii^ide yotfi ?fot to Aid It av fj^QuMvovm, gvi juyi avri-
he 4 Bl/hop^ when they themselves 7^^^cLvi^a\ (j2 t^ 'Ett/^^ctt^'^, cw(s\
'willh.ive Freshyt&rs'l ^iMv^^i'zc-iv nfi(^'o^'Apovi;^
I V/ill end this Head, with the Advice of that gt^n Father to
this fame Dr^uoJtim,
If the Government of the 'Ei q t^ 'E'^K^m£vyi Aicirzitln;
Chuichesdonot pleafeyou^and chc dpio-K^ otj, ^^e vofxiX^^c, ^ t?
th t you think the office of a Bi- ^^.Triixomc, Ae^rap^^w^ ymhlv iX^^^t.
/Z;/?/' his no Reward, thereby ma- dhhy. Kx'O^cpft.v^v rS vxoTze. Sta-
king your felf a Defpiler of our Ta^ctjulvn Xc^T?jp(^ Tn^olmatx, mv~
Suvtotir^ who did Inftitute it 5 toj', '23^;i«Aa), //?} '(^ioduTzt Ao;^'-
1 befeeeh you fur mile not any Ipv^ ///v;^^e af £;^icy '^^^tf tz^cJW cw^/3ji-
fuch ihingb as thefe, nor do you ^JJovroov. ^ '^a^icc A^aoi-Aov
Entertain any who advife fuch tu^tu, a y^o Kvp(^ hu, T^i/ 'A^-
things •, for that is not worthy ^?\w -nivTruiocj &;% >czAa acui
of Draconttm : For what things /Si/SoLjce, juivi,
theiorddid Inftitute byHis^-
foflles, thofc things remain both Athanaf, Epift. zdDracopit.
good and {'vre,
II. Having thus Explained thofe Texts of Scripture which fpeak
of EpifcopAcy^ by the Concurrent fenfe of thofe who liv'd with
the Apofiles, and were taught the Faith from their Mouths* who
liv*d zealous CorjfefforSy and dy'd glorious Martyrs of chrift 5 and
who Succeeded the ^/•^/^/ in thoie VQvy Churches where .them-
felveshad fat Bif ops : Andhavir;g deduced their Teftimonies, and
of tho/e who Succeeded them do %n for Four Hundred and Fifty
Years after chrift (from vi hich time, ther is no doubt rais'd againft
the Univerial Reception of £/??7^('/'49') and this not only from their
Writings apart, but by their Camns and Uws^ when Aifembl'd
togCvherin Council.^ which onewou'd think fufficient Evidence,
againft none at all on the other fide, that is, for the Succeffton of
Churches
( 5P )
chtiiches in the TresbyterUn, Form, of which no one Inftancccan
be given, Co much as of any one church in the world (b Deduc'd,
not only from the days of the AfoflUs (as is Ihcwn for Epifcopacy)
but before C^/i^/^, andthofe who Reform d with him, about i6o
Years laft part: I fay, tho'what is done is fufficient to fatisfie any
Indifferent 2SidiUn'hjA\s* d.^\xdigm^K\x^ yet ther is one T^/zV/' yet be-
hind, which, with our Vt^enters^ w eighs more than all Fathers
and Councils , and that isjthe late Reformation^ from whence Tome
Date their very chrifiinnity. And if even by this too Epifcopacy
fliou d be mfneffed and Approv'd^ then is ther nothing at all in the
World left to the Oppofers oi Epif^^opacy^ nothing of Antiquity^
Precedent^ or any Authority but their own wilfd will againft all
Ages of the whole Cathdick churchy even that of the Reform xtion
as well as all the Reft.
Let us then Examine. Firft, iox iht church o^ Engimd^ that is
thrown off clearly by our Difjenters, fox that was Reform d under
epifcopacy ^ and continues fo to this day.
And as to our Neighbour Nation of Scotland, where the ?r^i-
hyterians do boaft that the Reformation was made by Presbyters 5
that is moft dearly and Authentically Confuted by a Late Lear-
ned and worthy Author (already mentioned) in his Fundamental
charter of Presbytery^ Printed i^pj. fo as to flop the Mouths of
the moft Perverfe, who will not be Perfuaded tho' they are Per-
fuaded.
Go we then abroad, and fee the ftate of the Reformed Chur»
ches there.
The Lutherans are all cut off, as the Church of England-^ for
they ftill Retain Epifcopacy, as in Denmark, Sweden^ &c.
Ther remains now only the Calvimfts, Here it is the Presbyter
rims fet up their Reft ! This is their ftrong Foundation I
And this will fail them as much as all the other; For, be it
known unto them (however they will receive it) that Ci/t/z/^him-
felfj andBeza, and the reft of the Learned ^^/^'r.^/^ri- of thsir Part,
did give their Teftimony for Epifcopacy as rnucji as any. They
counted itamoft-unjuft Repro^tch upon them, to think that they
condemned Epifcopacy-, which they fay they did not throw off, but
couM not have it there, in Genev,",^ without coming under the
Papal Hierarchy: They hi^}\\y Applauded a.nd Congratulated thQ
Eplfcopdr Hierarchy oi the Church of England, as in their leve-
( 6o)
f al Letters to Q. Eliz^heth, to the Arch-hifljop Q^CAftterhttry^ and o-
thers of our E ^^glijh Bifh >ps : They Pray'd heartily to God for the Con-
tinuance andPreibrvation of it : Bemoan'd their own unhappy Cir-
camftioccs, that they cou'd not have the hke, becaufe they had no
AdagiflrAtcio Proted them ^and wiflied for Epi[copacy in ihtvcChi^rch-
es^ the want of which they own*d as a great DefeH: •, but call'd it their
Misfortune rather thin their Edult. As the Learned of the French
Htoomts have hkewife pleaded on their Behalf.
As for their Excufe. I do not now meddle with it, for I think
it was not a goo i one. They might have had B/Jhops from other
Places, tho' ther were none among themfelves, but thofe who
were Vopiflj : And they might as well have had Bi/Jjops as Preslyy-
ters^ without the Countenance of i\\Q Civil- Magi flrate. It might
have rais'd a greater Perfecufion againft them 5 but that is nothing
as to the Truth of rhe thing. And if they thought it a Truth^ they
' ought to have fufferd for it.
But whatever becomes of their E>:cii[e^ here it is plain, that they
gave their Sti'ffrage for Epifcopacy ; whicji who h pleafes miy fee at
large in Dr. D/^rel's f^iew of the Government ayid fVorfhip in the Refoy
med churches heyond the Seas^ (who was himfelf one of them)
Printed. 1667.
So that our Modern Vres(;yteri.ins have departed from cdvin as
well as from Luther^ in thtir Abhorrence of Episcopacy, from all
the chrijlian Wot Id^ in all Ages 5 and particularly from all our late
Reformers, both of one fort and other.
Cahin wou'd have Anathe/natiz,*d all of them, had he liv'd in our
times. He fay*s ther were none fuch to bt^ fijund in his time,
whooppos'd the Epi[copd Hierarchy^ bat only the Papal^ which Af-
p'lt^d to ^nUniverJa/ Supremacy in the ^^^ of Rome over the whole
Crahdick Church, which is the Prerogative of chrifi alone. But,
fays he,
If they wou'd give us fuch a Taiem [i nobis HkrarchUm ex-
Hierarchy^ in which the BijJjops hibeant, in qua fie Emineant Epif-
ihou'd {'^ Excell, as thit they did copi, ut chrifto fkheffe non Recu-
not refuie to be (ubjed to Ci^^//, fent^ d^ ab lib tanquirn unico
and to depend upon Him, as Capitependeant^ ^adlpfum re-
their ('«/;' Head, and refer all ro ferantur^ &c. Tum vero nulU
Him 5 then Iwill confefs that non Anath'mate dignos fatear f
they are worthy of all Ana- qui e runt qui non Earn Reverean-
*Ii/?.i„jte if iriT/ ■{llf'^n <holl r**a fr/.ir (^svyt/i^tn ft4LO r\haAiOvifin nUidftf.
found , who will not Reve- 'vent, Cahm. De necefj^t^t, Ec
rence it, and fabmit themfelves cU[, p^eformAnd,
toir, with the utmoft Obedience.
See, he fays, // ^«/ erunt^ if ther Ihall be any fuch, which fuppofe
that he knew none fuch , and that he owu'd none fuch amofigfi: hi
Reformers : And that if ever any fuch lh>)ifd arifs, he thought the:
were no y4/?4/^^^><?/^ which they dici notdeferve, who lhou'drefu(i
to fubmic to the Epifcopai Hierarchy^ without fuch an Wdicrfa
Head, as Excludes chriji from being the only Univerfal Hta^ ^ fo:
if ther be another^ (rho fubfiitute) He is not only, 1 bus He is callec
the chief Bffhop^ but never the only B'fbop^ becaufe ther are other:
deputed under Him. But He calls no BijJjopthQ Umverjai Bi[fjop
or Head of the Catholick churchy becaufe He has appointed no Sub-
fiitHte in that [t^freme Office ; as not of UmvcrJAl Kwg^ fo ne:
ther of Univerfal Bi/Jjop.
And -Bf^^iuppofes asPoGtively as Calv'm had done, that the
w^ere none who did oppole ihQ Epijcop.il Hierarchy v^'ithout fuch 21
Univerfil Head now upon E:.n\i • or that oppoa'd the Order ol" Epif
copacy 'y and condemns them as A/^^-;i??^;^j if any fuchcou'db
found. For thus fays he.
If ther be any (which you Stf.npi/itautcm{qmd[anemih
fliall hardly peRvade me to be- non fii\,iie ^erfuafens) qui omnen
lieve) who rej.d the whole EptfcopGrumordinemRejicimty ab
Order of Epifcopacy, God forbid fii ut quifqaam (atis Ltnas rnerjti
that any Man, in his wits, fm ..ribif'S diorum a([entiatur,Bez:t
lhou*d alTent to the M^dnefs of ad Tr aB.it ,de Mimjlr.Ev,Grad,ii^
fuch Men. H.idrian,Sara\BelgdEd!iam»c,l
And particularly as to the church oi England^ and her ///>r^r
chy of ArchbifJjops zvA Bijhopi^ he fays, that he: never meant to op
pugne any thing of thatf, but calls it a fio-guUr Blejfng of God
and rvifhes that fbe may ever en- Eruatur Une ifla ftngidnri De
joy it, beneficentta^ qtu utinam (it ill
Verpetua, Ibid. c. 18.
So that our Modern Presbyterians are dilarm'd of thePreceden
of Calvin J Bez.a^ and all the Reformers abroad ; by whofe Senteno
they are An^tthematiz.^d^ and counted as Alad-men.
Here then, let us confider and beware of the Fatal Progrefs o
Error ! Calvin and the Reformers wiih him jet up Presbyterian Go
vernment, as they pretencled, by Necejfity\ but dill kept up am
Pro
(6z)
ProfefsM the liighefl Regard to the Eplfcopal charaShr md Auth*
rity : But thole who pretend to follow their Example, have utter-
ly Abdicated the whole Order o^ Epijcopacyy as Anti'ChriJ1:Umi\d
din InfupportableGrievame\ While, at the fame time, they wou'd
(eem to pay the greateft Reverence to thefe Reformers • and much
more to the Authority of the Firli and Purest Ages of Chrift'tAnity 5
whofe Fathers and Councils fpoke all the Hi^h things, before Quo-
ted, inbehalf of£/'/7^«f^9'5 far beyond the Z,^;?^^^^^ of our later
Apologifts for that Hierarchy •, or what durft now be Repeated, ex-
cept iirom fuch unquejiionable Authority^
In this they imitate the hardnefs of the Jervs^ who Built the
Sepulchers of thofe Prophets j whom their Fathers flew ^ while, ac
the fame time, they Adhered to, and out -did the Wickednefs of
their Fathers^ in Perfecuting the SucceQors of thofe Prophets.
F 1 ^ IS.
ERRATA,
PAg. 5. col. i. Lit. r. Mim%aiv- p. 39. col. 1. 1. i®, n.r. All of you follow yourBl-
(hops. col. X. penult, r. Uv p. 40. 1. 16. A. D. 180. (hou'd be on the Margent ; p. 41.
col. 2. 1. 3. dele — after npi^yrifm' and r. g^H^. p. 44. col. 2. 1.14. r. Ira. p 4f . col. a.
1.18. r. (cripturarum, p. 47. col. z. penult, r. ad Heljcdorum. p. y r. col. i. 1. 1 1, iz, 13, 14. r.
As likewile Cuch other Cler^jf, and as maay as fliall join with him : but the Lay-men lliall
be Excommunicated.
ADVERTISEMENT.
WHereas I have plac*d the Jvoflolkd Canons in the Front
of the Cornells before Qyoted, I thought fit (to pre-
vent needlefs Cavil; to give this Advercifemenr, that I do
not contend, they were made by the ApflUs themfelves. but
by the Holy Fathers of the churchy about the end of the sc-
cmd and beginning of the Third Century^ as a Su^^maryo^ihat
Difciplwe, which had been tranfmitted to them, by lui-mter-
rupted Tradition, from the Apo[}les • whence they have judly
obiainM the Name of The ApofioLcal Canons-^ and^ as fuch,
have been Received and Reverenc'd in tlie fucceeding Ages of
Chriftianity.
The Councils Quoted after thefe Canons^ bear their Proper
Dates 5 and ther can be no Cor.tefl: about them.
And what is Quoted of St. Ig/iatttts and the other Fxthers, is
from the molT: Uncontroverted Pares of their Works, to obviate
the Objetflion of Ir.terfolationsy and Additions^ by. the Noife of
which our Adverfaries endeavour to throw oif, or enervate their
whole Authority ; and quite co dif-arm us of all that Light
which we have from the Primitive Ages of the ch/irch ; be-
caufe it makes all againft them. Though they fail not to Quote
the Fathers on their (idc; whenfoever they can Screvv^ them to
give the leaft feeming Countenance to their Novelties and Er-
rors: Yet Boldly KQjQCt them All, when brought in Evidence
againft rhem^ and that they can no otherwife ftruggle from un-
der the weight of their Authority.
^ Catalogue of Books Printed for Charles Brome at the Gun at
the PVeft-Erjd of St, Paul'/ Church-yard.
TH E Snake in the Grafs : Or, Satan transfurm'd into aa
Angel of Light. Difcovering the Deep and Unfu(pe.^tL'd
Subtilty which is couched under the Pretended Simplici-y of
many of the Principal Leaders of thofe People call'd Quakers.
The Second Edition, with Additions,
Some
Some Seafonablc Reflexions upon the Quakers Solemn Prb-
ttllation againit George Ketth^s Proceedings at THrmr\'H(tUy 29.
April 169 J. Whicli was by them Printed, and fent thither,
as the Reafons of their not Appearing to defend thcmfelves.
Herein annexd Verbatim By an Impartial Hand.
Satan Dif-rob'd from his Difguife of Light: Or, the Qiia-
kers Laft Shift to Cover iheir Monftrous Herefies, laid fully o-
pen. In a Reply to Thomas Ei/rvcod\ Anfwer (Publiflied the
End of laft iMcnth) to George Kehh\ Narrative of the Procee-
dings at Turnerh-mll^ June 11. 1696, Which alfo may ferve
for a Reply (as to the main Points of Dodrine) to Geo, white-
head\ Anfwer to Ihe Snake in the Grafs 5 to be Publifhed the
End of next Month, if this prevent it not.
A Difcourfe proving the Divine Inftitution of Water-Bap-
tifm : Wherein the Qiiaker- Arguments againft it, are Colleded
and Confuted. With as much as is needful concerning the
Lord's Supper. ThefeFour Books are Written by the Author of
The Snake in the Grafs.
The Quakers fet in their True Light, in order to give the
Nation a clear fight of what they hold concerning Jefus of
Nazareth^ the Scriptures, Water-Baptifm, the Lord s Supper,
Magiftracy, Miniftry, Laws, and Government : Hiftorically col-
lided out of their moll approved ^Authors, v/hich are their beft
tjConflruing- Books, from the year of their Rife 1^50, to the year
^f their Progrefs 1696, By Francis B»gg,SQi),
An Eiiay concerning Preaching: Written for the Dlredion
of a Young Divine, and ufeful alfo for the People, in order to
Profitable Hearing.
Crums of Comfort , and Godly^ Prayers ; With Thankful
Remembrances of God's wonderful Deliverances of this Land.
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