baptism were done, then the faithful are consigned | above presbyters, for in Scripture they could never or confirmed.h do it; and this is it which we call episcopacy. St. Cyprian relates to this story of St. Philip and the apostles, and gives this account of the whole affair: "Et idcircò quia legitimum et ecclesiasticum baptismum consequuti fuerant, baptizari eos ultrà. non oportebat; sed tantummodo id quod deerat, id à Petro et Johanne factum erat, ut, oratione pro eis habitâ, et manu impositâ, invocaretur et infunderetur super eos Spiritus Sanctus. Quod nunc quoque apud nos geritur, ut qui in ecclesiâ baptizantur, præpositis ecclesiæ offerantur; ut per nostram orationem ac manûs impositionem Spiritum Sanctum consequantur, et signaculo Dominico confirmentur," i St. Peter and St. John, by imposing their hands on the converts of Samaria, praying over them, and giving them the Holy Ghost, made supply to them of what was wanting after baptism: and this is to this day done in the church; for new baptized people are brought to the bishops, and by imposition of their hands obtain the Holy Ghost. But for this who pleases to be further satisfied in the primitive faith of christendom, may see it in the decretal epistles of Cornelius the martyr, to Fabianus, recorded by Eusebius; in the epistle written to Julius and Julianus, bishops, under the name of St. Clement; in the epistle of Urban P. and martyr; in Tertullian," in St. Austin," and in St. Cyril | of Jerusalem, whose whole third Mystagogique catechism is concerning confirmation. This only: "the catholics, whose christian prudence it was, in all true respects, to disadvantage heretics, lest their poison should infect like a pest, laid it in Novatus's dish as a crime, "He was baptized in his bed, and was not confirmed," Unde nec Spiritum Sanctum unquam potuerit promereri; Therefore he could never receive the gift of the Holy Ghost:" So Cornelius in the fore-quoted epistle. Whence it is evident, that then it was the belief of christendom, that the Holy Ghost was, by no ordinary ministry, given to faithful people after baptism, but only by apostolical or episcopal consignation and imposition of hands. What also the faith of Christendom was concerning the minister of confirmation, and that bishops only could do it, I shall make evident in the descent of this discourse. Here the scene lies in Scripture, where it is clear that St. Philip, one of the seventytwo disciples, as antiquity reports him, and an evangelist, and a disciple, as Scripture also expresses him, could not impose hands for application of the promise of the Father, and ministerial giving of the Holy Ghost, but the apostles must go to do it; and also there is no example in Scripture of any that ever did it but an apostle, and yet this is an ordinary ministry which “de jure” ought, and “de facto" always was continued in the church. Therefore there must always be an ordinary office of apostleship in the church to do it, that is, an office SECTION IX. And Superiority of Jurisdiction. THIRDLY: The apostles were rulers of the whole church, and each apostle respectively of his several diocess, when he would fix his chair; and had superintendency over the presbyters and the people, and this by Christ's donation. The charter is by the fathers said to be this: "Sicut misit me Pater sic ego mitto vos;" "as my Father hath sent me, even so I send you." a Manifesta enim est sententia Domini nostri Jesu Christi apostolos suos mittentis, et ipsis solis potestatem à Patre sibi datam permittentis, quibus nos successimus eâdem potestate ecclesiam Domini gubernantes ;" said Clarus à Musculâ, the bishop in the council of Carthage, related by St. Cyprian and St. Austin.b But, however, it is evident in Scripture, that the apostles had such superintendency over the inferior clergy, (presbyters I mean and deacons,) and a superiority of jurisdiction, and therefore it is certain that Christ gave it them, for none of the apostles took this honour, but he that was called of God, as was Aaron. 1. Our blessed Saviour gave to the apostles "plenitudinem potestatis." It was "Sicut misit me, Pater," &c. "As my Father sent, so I send you, my apostles, whom I have chosen." This was not said to presbyters, for they had no commission at all given to them by Christ, but at their first mission to preach repentance; I say no commission at all; they were not spoken to, they were not present. Now then consider. Suppose that, as Aerius did deny the Divine institution of bishops over the presbyters "cum grege," another as confident as he should deny the Divine institution of presbyters, what proof were there in all the Holy Scripture to show the Divine institution of them as a distinct order from apostles or bishops? Indeed Christ selected seventy-two and gave them commission to preach; but that commission was temporary, and expired before the crucifixion, for aught appears in Scripture. If it be said the apostles did ordain presbyters in every city, it is true, but not sufficient, for so they ordained deacons at Jerusalem, and in all established churches, and yet this will not tantamount to an immediate Divine institution for deacons; and how can it then for presbyters? If we say a constant catholic traditive interpretation of Scripture does teach us that Christ did institute the presbyterate together with episcopacy, and made the apostles presbyters as well as bishops; this is ad Episc. Tuscia et Campon. Isidor. Hispal. de Eccles. Offic. lib. ii. c. 26. true. But then, 1. We recede from the plain words of Scripture, and rely upon tradition, which, in this question of episcopacy, will be of dangerous consequence to the enemies of it; for the same tradition, if that be admitted for good probation, is for episcopal pre-eminence, over presbyters, as will appear in the sequel. 2. Though no use be made of this advantage, yet to the allegation it will be quickly answered, that it can never be proved from Scripture, that Christ made the apostles priests first, and then bishops or apostles, but only that Christ gave them several commissions, and parts of the office apostolical, all which being in one person, cannot by force of Scripture prove two orders. Truth is, if we change the scene of war, and say that the presbyterate as a distinct order from the ordinary office of apostleship, is not of Divine institution, the proof of it would be harder than for the Divine institution of episcopacy. Especially if we consider, that, in all the enumerations of the parts of clerical | offices, there is no enumeration of presbyters, but of | apostles there is; and the other members of the induction are of gifts of christianity, or parts of the apostolate; and either must infer many more orders than the church ever yet admitted of, or none distinct from the apostolate; insomuch as apostles were pastors, and teachers, and evangelists, and rulers, and had the gift of tongues, of healing, and of miracles. This thing is of great consideration; and this use I will make of it: That either Christ made the seventy-two to be presbyters, and in them instituted the distinct order of presbyterate, as the ancient church always did believe, or else he gave no distinct commission for any such distinct order. If the second be admitted, then the presbyterate is not of immediate Divine institution, but of apostolical only, as is the order of deacons; and the whole plenitude of power is in the order apostolical alone, and the apostles did constitute presbyters with a greater portion of their own power, as they did deacons with a less. But if the first be said, then the commission to the seventytwo presbyters being only of preaching that we find in Scripture, all the rest of their power which now they have, is by apostolical ordinance; and then, although the apostles did admit them "in partem solicitudinis," yet they did not admit them "in plenitudinem potestatis," for then they must have made them apostles, and then there will be no distinction of order neither by Divine nor apostolical institution neither. I care not which part be chosen, one is certain; but if either of them be true, then since to the apostles only Christ gave a plenitude of power, it follows, that either the presbyters have no power of jurisdiction, as affixed to a distinct order, and then the apostles are to rule them by virtue of the order and ordinary commission apostolical; or, if they have jurisdiction, they do derive it "à fonte apostolorum," and then the apostles have superiority of jurisdiction over presbyters, because presbyters only have it by delegation apostolical. And that I say Ephes. iv. 1 Cor. xii. d Lib. i. Hist. c. 12. et Lib. ii. c. 9. e Hæres, xx. truth, (besides that there is no possibility of showing the contrary in Scripture, by the producing any other commission given to presbyters, than what I have specified,) I will hereafter show it to have been the faith and practice of christendom, not only that presbyters were actually subordinate to bishops, (which I contend to be the ordinary office of apostleship,) but that presbyters have no jurisdiction essential to their order, but derivative only from apostolical pre-eminence. 66 2. Let us now see the matter of fact. They that can inflict censures upon presbyters have certainly superiority of jurisdiction over presbyters, for "Equalis æqualem coercere non potest," saith the law. Now it is evident, in the case of Diotrephes, a presbyter, and a bishop would-be, that, for his peremptory rejection of some faithful people from the catholic communion without cause, and without authority, St. John the apostle threatened him in his epistle to Gaius, διὰ τοῦτο ἐὰν ἔλθω, ὑπομνήσω avrov, &c. "Wherefore when I come, I will remember him ;" and all that would have been to very little purpose, if he had not had coercive jurisdiction to have punished his delinquency. 3. Presbyters many of them did succeed the apostles by a new ordination, as Matthias succeeded Judas, who, before his new ordination, was one of the seventy-two, as Eusebius, Epiphanius, and St. Jerome' affirm, and in Scripture is expressed to be of the number of them that went in and out with Jesus; St. Clement succeeded St. Peter at Rome: St. Simeon Cleophas succeeded St. James at Jerusalem, St. Philip succeeded St. Paul at Cæsarea; and divers others of the seventy-two reckoned by Dorotheus, Eusebius, and others of the fathers, did govern the several churches after the apostles' death, which before they did not. Now it is clear that he that receives no more power after the apostles, than he had under them, can no way be said to succeed them in their charge or churches. It follows then, since (as will more fully appear anon) presbyters did succeed the apostles, that under the apostles they had not such jurisdiction as afterwards they had. But the apostles had the same to which the presbyters succeeded, therefore greater than the presbyters had, before they did succeed. When I say presbyters succeeded the apostles, I mean, not as presbyters, but by a new ordination to the dignity of bishops; so they succeeded, and so they prove an evidence of fact, for a superiority of jurisdiction in the apostolical clergy. Now, that this superiority of jurisdiction was not temporary, but to be succeeded in, appears from reason, and from ocular demonstration, or of the thing done. 1. If superiority of jurisdiction was necessary in the ages apostolical for the regiment of the church, there is no imaginable reason why it should not be necessary in succession, since, upon the emergency of schisms and heresies, which were foretold should multiply in descending ages, government and superiority of jurisdiction, unity of supremacy, and coercion, was more necessary than at first, when extraf De Script. Eccles. in Matt. vide Irenæum, lib. iv. c. 63. Tertul. de Præscript. ordinary gifts might supply, what now we expect to | tle," although they signify mission or legation, yet, be performed by an ordinary authority. in Scripture, they often relate to the persons to whom 2. Whatsoever was the regiment of the church they are sent; as in the examples before specified. in the apostles' times, that must be perpetual, (not "Ayyeλo kavr@v: "Their angels.”—'AñóσTOλOL so as to have "all" that which was personal and 'Ekkλŋotwv : "The apostles of the churches.”— temporary, but so as to have "no other,") for that, "Ayyeλos Tñs 'Epnoikns 'Ekkλnoias: "The angel and that only, is of Divine institution which Christ of the church of Ephesus ;" and divers others. Their committed to the apostles; and if the church be not compellation, therefore, being a word of "office," in now governed as then, we can show no Divine au- respect to him that sends them, and of "eminence," thority for our government; which we must con- in relation to them to whom they are sent, shows tend to do, and do it too, or be called usurpers. that the angel was the ruler of each church respecFor either the apostles did govern the church as tively. 2. Because acts of jurisdiction are concreChrist commanded them, or not. If not, then they dited to him; as not to suffer false apostles; so to failed in the founding of the church, and the church | the angel of the church of Ephesus, which is clearly is built upon a rock. If they did, as most cer- a power of cognizance and coercion " in causis tainly they did, then either the same disparity of clericorum," to be "watchful" and "strengthen" jurisdiction must be retained, or else we must be the things that remain; as to the angel of the governed with an unlawful and unwarranted equali- | church in Sardis, γίνου γρηγορῶν, καὶ στήριξον τὰ ty, because not by that which only is of immediate λoná: "The 'first' is the office of rulers, for they Divine institution; and then it must needs be a fine watch' for your souls;" and the second, of apostles government, where there is no authority, and where and apostolic men. Ἰούδας δὲ καὶ Σίλας τοὺς ἀδελno man is superior. φοὺς ἐπεστήριξαν: "Judas and Silas confirmed the brethren;" for these men, although they were but of the LXXII. at first, yet by this time were made apostles and "chief men among the brethren." St. Paul, also, was joined in this work, dinρxeTo έTIOTηpiwv Tàc 'Ekkλŋoias: “He, went up and down confirming the churches." And τὰ λοιπὰ διατάξοpa. St. Paul. To confirm the churches, and to make supply of what is deficient in discipline and government, these were offices of power and jurisdiction, no less than episcopal or apostolical; and besides, the angel here spoken of had a propriety in the people of the diocess; "thou hast a few names even in Sardis;" they were the bishop's people, the angel had a right to them. And good reason that the people should be his, for their faults are attributed to him, as to the angel of Pergamus, and divers others, and, therefore, they are deposited in his custody. He is to be their ruler and pastor, and this is called "his ministry." To the angel of the church of Thyatira, oldá σov rà ẽpya, kaì tùy diakoviav, "I have known thy ministry." His office, therefore, was clerical, it was an angel-minister; and this, his office, must make him the guide and superior to the rest, even all the whole church, since he was charged with all. 3. We see a disparity in the regiment of churches warranted by Christ himself, and confirmed by the Holy Ghost, in fairest intimation. I mean the seven angel-presidents of the seven Asian churches. If these seven angels were seven bishops, that is, prelates or governors of these seven churches, in which it is evident and confessed of all sides there were many presbyters, then it is certain, that a superiority of jurisdiction was intended by Christ himself, and given by him, insomuch as he is the fountain of all power derived to the church; for Christ writes to these seven churches, and directs his epistles to the seven governors of these churches, calling them angels; which it will hardly be supposed he would have done, if the function had not been a ray of the Sun of righteousness; they had not else been angels of light, nor stars held in Christ's own right hand. This is certain, that the function of these angels, whatsoever it be, is a Divine institution. Let us then see what is meant by these stars and angels. "The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks are the seven churches." h 1. Then it is evident, that although the epistles were sent, with a final intention for the edification and confirmation of the whole churches or people of the diocess, with an "attendite quid Spiritus dicit ecclesiis ;" yet the personal direction was not to the whole church, for the whole church is called the candlestick, and the superscription of the epistles is not to the seven "candlesticks," but to the seven "stars,” which are the angels of the seven churches, viz. the lights shining in the candlesticks. By the angel, therefore, is not, cannot be meant, the "whole church." 2. It is plain, that by the angel is meant the governor of the church; first, because of the title of eminency, the angel kar' oxir, that is, the messenger, the legate, the apostle of the church. "Ayyeλoi kavr☎v. For these words, "angel" or apos 66 Ut puta, viduarum collegium, et diaconorum, et cœnobium fidelium, &c. 3. By the angel is meant a singular person, for the reprehensions and the commendations respectively, imply personal delinquency, or suppose personal excellencies. Add to this, that the compellation is singular, and of determinate number, so that we may as well multiply churches as persons; for the seven churches had but seven stars, and these seven stars were the angels of the seven churches. And if by seven stars they may mean seventy times seven stars, (for so they may, if they begin to multiply,) then, by one star, they must mean many stars; and so they may multiply churches too, for there were as many churches as stars, and no more angels than churches; and it is as reasonable to multiply these seven churches into seven thousand, . 66 66 as every star into a constellation, or every angel into | and comprehensive clauses as were imaginable; for, a legion. by virtue of it, they received a power of giving the Holy Ghost in confirmation, and of giving his grace in the collation of holy orders, a power of jurisdiction and authority to govern the church: and this power was not "temporary," but "successive" and 'perpetual," and was intended as an "ordinary" office in the church, so that the "successors" of the apostles had the same right and institution that the apostles themselves had; and though the personal mission was not immediate, as of the apostles it was, yet the commission and institution of the function was all one. But to the seventy-two Christ gave no commission but of "preaching," which was a very limited commission. There was all the immediate Divine institution of presbyterate, as a distinct order that can be fairly pretended. But yet further, these seventy-two the apostles did admit "in partem solicitudinis," and, by new ordination or delegation apostolical, did give them power of administering sacraments, of absolving sinners, of governing the church in conjunction and subordination to the apostles, of which they had a capacity, by Christ's calling them at first "in sortem ministerii;" but the exercise, and the actuating of this capacity, they had from the apostles. So that, not by Divine ordination, or immediate commission from Christ, but by derivation from the apostles, and, therefore, in minority and subordination to them, the presbyters did exercise acts of order and jurisdiction in the absence of the apostles or bishops, or But besides the exigency of the thing itself, these seven angels are, by antiquity, called the seven governors or bishops of the seven churches, and their names are commemorated. Unto these seven "St. John," saith Arethas,m churches, reckoneth iσapilμovs ¿pópovç 'Ayyéλovç, an equal number of angel-governors;" and Ecumenius, in his Scholia upon this place, saith the very same words, "Septem igitur angelos rectores septem ecclesiarum debemus intelligere eò quòd angelus nuntius interpretatur," saith St. Ambrose; and again, "Angelos episcopos dicit, sicut docetur in apocalypsi Johannis."n Let the woman have a covering on her head, "because of the angels;" that is, in reverence and in subjection to the bishop of the church, for bishops are the angels, as is taught in the Revelation of St. John. "Divinâ voce sub angeli nomine laudatur præpositus ecclesiæ," so St. Austin: "By the voice of God, the bishop of the church is commended under the title of an angel." Eusebius names some of these angels, who were then presidents and actually bishops of these churches. St. Polycarp was one to be sure," apud Smyrnam et episcopus et martyr," saith Eusebius. He was the angel of the church of Smyrna; and he had good authority for it, for he reports it out of Polycrates, who, a little after, was himself an angel of the church of Ephesus; and he also quotes St. Irenæus for it, and out of the encyclical epistle of the church of Smyrna itself; and, besides these authorities, it is attested by St. Ig-in conjunction consiliary, and by way of advice, or natius, and Tertullian.s St. Timothy was another angel, to wit, of the church of Ephesus; to be sure had been, and most likely was still surviving. Antipas is reckoned by name in the Revelation, and he had been the angel of Pergamus; but before this book was written, he was turned from an angel to a saint. Melito, in all probability, was then the angel of the church of Sardis. "Melito quoque Sardensis ecclesiæ antistes, et Apollinaris apud Hierapolim ecclesiam regens celeberrimi inter cæteros habebantur," saith Eusebius." These men were actually living when St. John writ his Revelation; for Melito writ his book de Paschate, when Sergius Paulus was proconsul of Asia, and writ after the Revelation; for he writ a treatise of it, as saith Eusebius. However, at least some of these were then, and all of these about that time, were bishops of these churches; and the angels St. John speaks of, were such who had jurisdiction over their whole diocess; therefore these, or such as these, were the angels to whom the Spirit of God writ hortatory and commendatory letters, such whom Christ held in his right hand, and fixed them in the churches like lights set on a candlestick, that they might give shine to the whole house. before the consecration of a bishop to a particular church. And all this I doubt not but was done by the direction of the Holy Ghost, as were all other acts of apostolical ministration, and particularly the institution of the other order, viz. of deacons. This is all that can be proved out of Scripture, concerning the commission given in the institution of presbyters; and this I shall afterwards confirm by the practice of the catholic church, and so vindicate the practices of the present church from the common prejudices that disturb us; for, by this account, episcopacy is not only a Divine institution, but the only order that derives immediately from Christ. For the present only, I sum up this with that saying of Theodoret, speaking of the seventy-two disciples. "Palmæ sunt isti qui nutriuntur ac erudiuntur ab apostolis. Nam quanquam Christus hos etiam eligit, erant tamen duodecim illis inferiores, et postea illorum discipuli et sectatores:" "The apostles are the twelve fountains, and the LXXII. are the palms that are nourished by the waters of those fountains. For though Christ also ordained the LXXII. yet they were inferior to the apostles, and afterwards were their followers and disciples." I know no objection to hinder a conclusion; only two or three words out of Ignatius are pretended against the main question, viz. to prove that he, although a bishop, yet had no apostolical authority, oux is áñóσтоλos diaráσooμai, “I do not command s De Præscrip. u Lib. iv. c. 26. Epist. ad Polycarp. this as an apostle, (for what am I, and what is my father's house, that I should compare myself with them,) but as your fellow-soldier and a monitor."y But this answers itself, if we consider to whom he speaks it. Not to his own church of Antioch, for there he might command as an apostle, but to the Philadelphians he might not, they were no part of his diocess, he was not "their" apostle, and then because he did not equal the apostles in their commission extraordinary, in their personal privileges, and in their universal jurisdiction, therefore he might not command the Philadelphians, being another bishop's charge, but admonish them with the freedom of a christian bishop, to whom the souls of all faithful people were dear and precious. So that still episcopacy and apostolate may be all one in ordinary office: this hinders not, and I know nothing else pretended, and that antiquity is clearly on this side is the next business. For hitherto the discourse hath been of the "immediate Divine institution" of episcopacy, by arguments derived from Scripture; I shall only add two more from antiquity, and so pass on to tradition apostolical. SECTION X. So that Bishops are Successors in the Office of Apostleship, according to the general Tenent of Antiquity. 1. THE belief of the primitive church is, that bishops are the ordinary successors of the apostles, and presbyters of the seventy-two, and, therefore, did believe that episcopacy is as truly of Divine institution as the apostolate, for the ordinary office both of one and the other is the same thing. For this there is abundant testimony. Some I shall select, enough to give fair evidence of a catholic tradition. St. Irenæus is very frequent and confident in this particular, "Habemus annumerare eos, qui ab apostolis instituti sunt episcopi in ecclesiis, et successores eorum usque ad nos.--Etenim si recondita mysteria scissent apostoli, his vel maxime traderent ea, quibus etiam ipsas ecclesias committebantquos successores relinquebant, suum ipsorum locum magisterii tradentes:" "We can name the men the apostles made bishops in their several churches, appointing them their successors, and most certainly those mysterious secrets of christianity which themselves knew, they would deliver to them, to whom they committed the churches, and left to be their successors in the same power and authority themselves had." a apostles did found them, and apostles or men of apostolic authority still do govern them."b St. Cyprian: "Hoc enim vel maximè, frater, et laboramus et laborare debemus, ut unitatem à Domino, et per apostolos nobis successoribus traditam, quantùm possumus obtinere curemus:" "We must preserve the unity commanded us by Christ, and delivered by his apostles to us, their successors." "To us, Cyprian and Cornelius," for they only were then in view, the one bishop of Rome, the other of Carthage. And in his epistle ad Florentium Pupianum : "Nec hæc jacto, sed dolens profero, cum te judicem Dei constituas et Christi, qui dicit ad apostolos, ac per hoc ad omnes præpositos, qui apostolis vicariâ ordinatione succedunt, Qui vos audit, me audit," &c. "Christ said to his apostles, and in them to the governors or bishops of his church, who succeeded the apostles as vicars in their absence, He that heareth you, heareth me." d Famous is that saying of Clarus à Muscula, the bishop, spoken in the council of Carthage, and repeated by St. Austin: "Manifesta est sententia Domini nostri Jesu Christi apostolos suos mittentis, et ipsis solis potestatem à patre sibi datam permittentis quibus nos successimus eâdem potestate ecclesiam Domini gubernantes. Nos successimus :" "We succeed the apostles, governing the church by the same power." e He spake it in full council in an assembly of bishops, and himself was a bishop. The council of Rome under St. Silvester, speaking of the honour due to bishops, expresses it thus : "Non oportere quemquam Domini discipulis, id est, apostolorum successoribus detrahere:" must detract from the disciples of our Lord, that is, from the apostles' successors." 66 66 No man St. Jerome, speaking against the Montanists for undervaluing their bishops, shows the difference of the catholics' honouring, and the heretics' disadvantaging that sacred order. Apud nos," saith he, "apostolorum locum episcopi tenent, apud eos episcopus tertius est:" 'Bishops with us [Catholics] have the place or authority of apostles, but with them [Montanists] bishops are not the first but the third state of men." And upon that of the Psalmist, "Pro patribus nati sunt tibi filii," St. Jerome, and divers others of the fathers, make this gloss; "Pro patribus apostolis filii episcopi, ut episcopi apostolis, tanquam filii patribus, succedant:" "The apostles are fathers, instead of whom bishops do succeed, whom God hath appointed to be made rulers in all lands." So St. Jerome, St. Austin, and Euthymius, upon the 44th Psalm, aliàs 45th. But St. Austin, for his own particular makes good use of his succeeding the apostles, which would do very well now also to be considered; "Si solis apostolis dixit, Qui vos spernit me spernit, spernite nos; si autem sermo ejus pervenit ad nos, et vocavit nos, et in eorum loco constituit nos videte ne spernatis nos."s It was good counsel not to despise bishops, for they being in the apostles' places and offices are concerned and protected by that saying, "He that despiseth you, despiseth me." I said it d Epist. 69. e Lib. vii. c. 43. de Baptis. cont. Donatist. Epist. 54. 8 De verbis Dom. serm. 24. |