answer.

a

not hereby the truth to find any less favoùr than in other causes it doth, where we do not therefore judge heresy to to have the better, because now and then it allegeth that for itself, which defenders of the truth do not always so fully Let it therefore suffice, that Aerius did bring nothing unanswerable. The weak solutions which the one doth give, are to us no prejudice against the cause, as long as the other's oppositions are of no greater strength and validity. Did not Aerius, trow ye, deserve to be esteemed as a new Apollos, mighty and powerful in the word, which could for maintenance of his cause bring forth so plain Divine authorities, to prove by the apostles' own writings that bishops ought not in any thing to differ from other presbyters? For example, where it is said that presbyters made Timothy bishop, is it not clear that a bishop should not differ from a presbyter by having power of ordination? Again, if a bishop might by order be distinguished from a presbyter, would the apostle have given as he doth unto presbyters the title of bishops? These were the invincible demonstrations wherewith Aerius did so fiercely assault bishops. But the sentence of Aerius perhaps was only, that the difference between a bishop and a presbyter hath grown by the order and custom of the church, the word of God not appointing that any such difference should be. Well, let Aerius then find the favour to have his sentence so construed, yet his fault in condemning the order of the church, his not submitting himself unto that order, the schism which he caused in the church about it, who can excuse? No, the truth is, that these things did even necessarily ensue, by force of the very opinion which he and his followers did hold. His conclusion was, that there ought to be no difference between a presbyter and a bishop. His proofs, those Scripturesentences which make mention of bishops and presbyters without any such distinction or difference. So that if between his conclusion and the proofs whereby he laboured to strengthen the same, there be any show of coherence at all, we must of necessity confess, that when Aerius did plead,

a 1 Tim. iv. 14. With the imposition of the presbytery's hand. Of which presbytery St. Paul was chief, 2 Tim. i. 6. And I think no man will deny that St. Paul had more than a simple presbyter's authority, Phil. i. 1. To all the saints at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. For as yet in the church of Philippi, there was no one which had authority besides the apostles, but their presbyters or bishops were all both in title and in power equal.

there is by the word of God no difference between a presbyter and a bishop; his meaning was, not only that the word of God itself appointeth not, but that it enforceth on us the duty of not appointing, or allowing, that any such difference should be made.

scopal regi

gainsaid by

ed reforma

X. And of the selfsame mind are the enemies of govern- In what rement by bishops, even at this present day. They hold, as spect epiAerius did, that if Christ and his apostles were obeyed, a bi- ment is shop should not be permitted to ordain; that between a pres- the authors byter and a bishop the word of God alloweth not any ine- of pretendquality or difference to be made; that their order, their au- tion at this thority, their power, ought to be one; that it is but by usurp- day. ation and corruption, that the one sort are suffered to have rule over the other, or to be any way superior unto them. Which opinion having now so many defenders, shall never be able while the world doth stand to find in some, believing antiquity, as much as one which hath given it countenance, or borne any friendly affection towards it. Touching these men, therefore, whose desire is to have all equal, three ways there are whereby they usually oppugn the received order of the church of Christ. First, by disgracing the inequality of pastors, as a new and mere human invention, a thing which was never drawn out of Scripture, where all pastors are found (they say) to have one and the same power both of order and jurisdiction: secondly, by gathering together the differences between that power which we give to bishops, and that which was given them of old in the church; so that, albeit even the ancient took more than was warrantable; yet so far they swerved not as ours have done : thirdly, by endeavouring to prove, that the Scripture directly forbiddeth, and that the judgment of the wisest, the holiest, the best, in all ages, condemneth utterly the inequality which we allow.

ments in

disgrace of

regiment

XI. That inequality of pastors is a mere human invention, Their argua thing not found in the word of God, they prove thus: 1. "All the places of Scripture where the word bishop is used, or any other derived of that name, signify an oversight by bishops, as being a in respect of some particular congregation only, and never in mere invenregard of pastors committed unto his oversight. For which tion of man, cause the names of bishops, and presbyters, or pastoral el- found in ders, are used indifferently, to signify one and the selfsame Scripture, thing. Which so indifferent and common use of these words

and not

answered.

Titus i. 5.

1 Tim.

for one and the selfsame office, so constantly and perpetually in all places, declareth that the word bishop in the apostles' iii. 5. writing importeth not a pastor of higher power and authority over other pastors.

Phil.

i. 1.

1, 2.

1 Pet. v. 2. "All pastors are called to their office by the same means of proceeding; the Scripture maketh no difference in the manner of their trial, election, ordination: which proveth their office and power to be by Scripture all one.

Answer.

3. "The apostles were all of equal power, and all pastors do alike succeed the apostles in their ministry and power, the commission and authority whereby they succeed being in Scripture but one and the same that was committed to the apostles, without any difference of committing to one pastor more, or to another less.

4. "The power of the censures and keys of the church, and of ordaining and ordering ministers (in which two points especially this superiority is challenged), is not committed to any one pastor of the church more than to another; but the same is committed as a thing to be carried equally in the guidance of the church. Whereby it appeareth, that Scripture maketh all pastors, not only in the ministry of the word and sacraments, but also in all ecclesiastical jurisdiction and authority, equal.

5. The council of Nice doth attribute this difference, not unto any ordination of God, but to an ancient custom used in former times, which judgment is also followed afterward by other councils." Concil. Antioch. cap. 9.

6. Upon these premises, their summary collection and conclusion is, "That the ministry of the gospel, and the functions thereof, ought to be from heaven and of God." John i. 23. "That if they be of God, and from heaven, then are they set down in the word of God; that if they be not in the word of God (as by the premises it doth appear (they say) that our kinds of bishops are not), it followeth, they are invented by the brain of men, and are of the earth, and that consequently they can do no good in the church of Christ, but harm."

Our answer hereunto is, first, that their proofs are unavail

a So that it appeareth that the ministry of the gospel, and the functions thereof, ought to be from heaven: from heaven, I say, and heavenly, because although it be executed by earthly men, and ministers are chosen also by men like unto themselves, yet, because it is done by the word and institution of God, it may well be accounted to come from heaven and from God. T. C. lib. i. p. 13.

able to shew that Scripture affordeth no evidence for the inequality of pastors: secondly, that albeit the Scripture did no way insinuate the same to be God's ordinance, and the apostles to have brought it in, albeit the church were acknowledged by all men to have been the first beginner thereof a long time after the apostles were gone; yet is not the authority of bishops hereby disannulled, it is not hereby proved unfit, or unprofitable for the church.

i. 20.

1. That the word of God doth acknowledge no inequality of power amongst pastors of the church,―neither doth it appear by the signification of this word bishop, nor by the indifferent use thereof. For, concerning signification, first, it is clearly untrue that no other thing is thereby signified but only an oversight in respect of a particular church and congregation. For, I beseech you, of what parish or particular congregation was Matthias bishop? His office Scripture Acts doth term episcopal: which being no other than was common unto all the apostles of Christ; forasmuch as in that number there is not any to whom the oversight of many pastors did not belong by force and virtue of that office; it followeth that the very word doth sometimes, even in Scripture, signify an oversight such as includeth charge over pastors themselves. And if we look to the use of the word, being applied with reference unto some one church, as Ephesus, Philippi, and such-like, albeit the guides of those churches be interchangeably in Scripture termed sometime bishops, sometime presbyters, to signify men having oversight and charge, without relation at all unto other than the Christian laity alone; yet this doth not hinder, but that Scripture may in some place have other names, whereby certain of those presbyters or bishops are noted to have the oversight and charge of pastors, as out of all peradventure they had whom Rev. St. John doth entitle angels.

2. As for those things which the apostle hath set down concerning trial, election, and ordination of pastors, that he maketh no difference in the manner of their calling,-this also is but a silly argument to prove their office and their power equal by the Scripture. The form of admitting each sort unto their offices, needed no particular instruction: there was no fear, but that such matters of course would easily enough be observed. The apostle, therefore, toucheth those things wherein judgment, wisdom, and conscience, are re

ii. 1.

quired; he carefully admonisheth of what quality ecclesiastical persons should be, that their dealing might not be scandalous in the church. And, forasmuch as those things are general, we see that of deacons there are delivered, in a manner, the selfsame precepts which are given concerning pastors, so far as concerneth their trial, election, and ordination. Yet who doth hereby collect that Scripture maketh deacons and pastors equal? If notwithstanding it be yet demanded, "Wherefore he which teacheth what kind of persons deacons and presbyters should be, hath nothing in particular about the quality of chief presbyters, whom we call bishops?" I answer briefly, that there it was no fit place for any such discourse to be made, inasmuch as the apostle wrote unto Timothy and Titus, who, having by commission episcopal authority, were to exercise the same in ordaining, not bishops (the apostles themselves yet living, and retaining that power in their own hands) but presbyters, such as the apostles at the first did create throughout all churches. Bishops by restraint (only James at Jerusalem excepted) were not yet in being.

3. About equality amongst the apostles there is by us no controversy moved. If in the rooms of the apostles, which were of equal authority, all pastors do by Scripture succeed alike, where shall we find a commission in Scripture which they speak of, which appointed all to succeed in the selfsame equality of power; except that commission which doth authorize to preach and baptize, should be alleged, which maketh nothing to the purpose; for in such things, all pastors are still equal? We must, I fear me, wait very long before any other will be shewed. For howsoever the apostles were equals amongst themselves, all other pastors were not equals with the apostles while they lived, neither are they any where appointed to be afterward each other's equals. Apostles had, as we know, authority over all such as were no apostles; by force of which their authority they might command and judge. It was for the singular good and benefit of those disciples whom Christ left behind him, and of the pastors which were afterward chosen; for the great good, I say, of all sorts, that the apostles were in power above them. Every day brought forth somewhat wherein they saw by experience, how much it stood them instead to be under controlment of those superiors and higher governors of God's house. Was it a thing so behoveful that pastors should be