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thens had of their Priesthoods.

P. 178 This Comparison urg'd to give ChriSians a true Light, and Notion of the Dignity of their Priefthood above the other, and of the Independent Nature of the Church as a Society diftin& from that of the State. p. 180 Some Reasons given why that Diftinction is fo little known. p. 181 This proud to be no new Notion from Apoftolical Writers. p. 182 The Bishop's Office diftinguish'd from that of Presbyters. p. 183 Wherein, and how far the Ecclefiaftical Government is more excellent than the Civil. p. 186 By the word Hierarchy is fignified. an holy Government, and by the Word Bishoprick (which is our Word for a Diocess) a Bishop's Principality, and the Bishops Chairs were always call'd Thrones p. 188 Bishops Ordain'd by the Apostles.

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piscopal Authority. P. 212 The Alerting the Independency of the Epijcopal from the Regal Authority never censur’d in those Days. ibid. The Opinions, and Do&rines, which the Fathers of the Latin Church deliver'd concerning Episcopacy, and it's Power. P. 213 Ambrofe's Treatment of the Emperor Theodofius particularly defcribed. P. 218 The Emperors look'd upon themselves as Laicks, and confequently fpecial Subjects of the Church. p. 222 The Distinction betwixt Clergy, and Laity as old as the firft Ages of Christianity. P. 224 §. VI. Spiritual, and Temporal Go

St.

vernours diftinguifl'd. p. 230 The Act of Parliament, whereby K. H. VIII. affumes the Title of Head of the Church, examin'd.

p. 241.

p. 234 An Obfervation upon H. VIIIth's Medal after he had taken upon him that Title. The Ecclefiaftical Commiffions, and Preferments given by that K. and Ed. VI. to Cromwell, and other Laymen, with the Prejudice thereby done to the Church, obferv'd. p. 242

The Inconvenience also brought upon the Church by the unexemplary Compliance of the Bishops in thofe two Reigns, reflected upon. p. 243 To affert the Papal Hierarchy, and exempt the Perfons, and Goods of the Clergy from temporal Tribunals, is an Ufurpation of the Church in any Chriftian State, P. 246 §. VIII. The Objellion from St. Matth. 20. 25, 26, 27, confider'd, and clear'd. p. 247 The honourable Titles given of Old to Bishops. P. 250, 251, doc.

CHAP.

CHA P. II.

The Objection, that the Afferting the Church's Independency on the State is a Presbyterian Do&rine, answer'd. p. 253 This Doctrine mifapply'd by the Presbyterians. p. 257 The Distinction betwixt spiritual, and Temporal Government made by Christ himself. P. 258 No found Doctrine to be rejected becaufe held by the Church's Enemies in other matters.

ibid. 267, 268. Nye the Independent's Sentiments of Church Power.

p. 259 The Sacrilege of the Presbyterians in affuming the Power of Ordination, &c. p. 261 Their extending their pretended Ecclefiaftical Power from Matters purely fpiritual to temporal Affairs an Ufurpation upon the p. 262

State.

copacy.

Bifhop Sanderfon's Opinion of Epifp. 263 Agood Drine's being abufed, or the Poflibility that it may be abused,

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SIR,

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CHA P. I..

Thank you for putting me in mind of what you think will be objected against the 4th Propofition in my rit Letter. You grant

I have fufficiently proved from Scripture that the Chriftian Church by its Conftitution is a Royal or Regal Priesthood, or facerdotal Kingdom; but that I have not prov'd from it, that the Minifters of the Church are Priefts, which you fay will be brought as an Objection by fome Men against the fecond Reafon which I give, why the Church is call'd a Royal or Regal Priefthood, to wit, because the Royal Priest or Sacerdotal King of it, Chrift Jefus, hath committed the Government and Adminįtration of his Kingdom to Priefts. You tell me thofe Men will be fure to obferve againft me,, that the Minifters of Chrift in the whole New Teltament are not once call'd Priefis, nor their Miniftry Priesthood; but that thofe Names or Titles grew into Ufe among the Ecclefiaftical Writers after the times in which the Scriptures were written. This,

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Sir, you fay, is exprefly affirm'd by Chemnitius, in the following Words. In the Writing of the New Teftament, the Name of Prieft and Priesthood is never given to the Ministry of the Gospel, but the Cuftom of calling the Miniftry Priesthood, and the Minifiers Priefts, came to prevail from the use of thofe Names in Ecclefiaftical Writers. And that Bishops are proper Priefts, you fay is affirm'd by a late Writer, to be abfolutely rejected by the whole Proteftant Communion. This Writer is feconded with great Affurance by another, who tells us, that when the Author of The Second Defence of the Church of England, deny'd Bifhops to be Priests in the proper Senfe of the Word, he spake in the Language that bath been current in this Church ever fince the Reformation. And for his own part, he faith, he can not conceive why the Author of the Regale and Pontificat afferted a proper Priesthood, unless it were to make way for a proper Sacrifice, and if that be the reafon, (faith he, very ignorantly) it is eafie to guess what Men would be at. Indeed, it is eafie to guefs from whom he borrow'd this Phrafe, and at his ill meaning in it, which doth not only reflect, as he intended, upon that learned Writer, but on the ancient Fathers and Councils, who thought the Holy Eucharift a proper Sacrifice, and upon our firft Reformers, as may be seen in our firft Liturgy, and upon those learned Bishops in both Kingdoms, who compiled The Liturgy of the Church of Scotland, and upon Bishop Andrews, Mr. Mede, and fome other very learned Men now living, mentioned in the

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a Examen Concil. Trident. de Sacram. Ordin. Cap. 1. P. 240. Second Defence of the Church of England, from the Charge of Schifm and Herefie. P. 8.

In a Book entituled, The Regal Supremacy in Ecclefiaftical Affairs, afferted in a Difcourfe occafion'd by the Cafe of the Regale and Pontificat.

Commonly called the First Book of K. Edward I.

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following Difcourfe. Nay he is fo very fuffifant as to affirm, that the Priesthood in a proper Senfe is not to be proved; and yet he brings no other Argument for his Affertion, but the fingle Authority of one Man, Dr. Outram, to whom he fends the Author of the Regale, as a Scholar to his Mafter, to learn the Difference betwixt a proper Priesthood, and the Evangelical Miniftry. And that he might oblige that excellent Writer to hearken to him with all Deference and Submiffion, as a Difciple, he tells him that he was as great a Man as this Church ever had. He was indeed a learned, and a pious Man, and an Ornament to the Church, and his Learning and Piety make me honour his Memory. Particularly he was well verfed in the Hebrew and Rabbinical Learning; but even in that, which was his chief Study and Talent, there were many eminent Men of the Church, who flourished before him, and in his time, whom he would have acknowledged his Superiours, as Mr. Nic. Fuller, Dr Pocock, Bp. Walton, Dr. Lightfoot, not to mention others. And as for the Knowledge of the Fathers and Coun

• De Sacrificiis lib. 1. cap. 19. §. 7. Fam vero quamvis S. Paulus tralatitio loquendi genere, &c. And now, though St. Paul ufing a Metaphorical Kind of Speech, affumes the Perfon of a Prieft, and although all Chriftians, upon the account of those spiritual Sacrifices which they daily offer unto God, are fometimes called Priests; yet it is to be noted, that no Minifters of the Gofpel, of what Order foever, are upon the account of their Office called Priests or Highpriefts. Which, I therefore obferve, that you may understand the great Difference betwixt the Evangelical Miniftry, and the Aaronical Priesthood: which chiefly appears in this, that the former is ordained for God in things pertaining to Men, but the latter for Men in things pertaining to God. From whence we may learn this alfo, that that hath chiefly to do with Men, but this to do with God: To this we may add, that the Priesthood of Chrift, and not the Evangelical Miniftry, fucceeds the Jewish Priesthood. So that now there is none but Chrift himfelf, who by Authority derived from God, is a Priest or Highpriest, that is, an Advocate for Men with God.

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