408 The LIFE of the ILL Churches with a Presbytery under them, z. and General Bishops over thefe Billióps, were both proved yure Divine, yet our Diocefans are proved to be contra jar Divi- num. 2. To the Latitudinarian and involuntary Conformifis, who plead that no Church- Government, as to theform, is of Divine Inftitution, they answer ; a:This is to condemn themfelves, and fay, [Becaufe no Form is of God's Inffitution,there- fore I will declare that the Epifcopal Form is of Divine Inftitution j: for this is part of their Subfcription, or Declaration, when they Profefi, Affent, and Confent to all things in the Book of Common Prayer and Ordination : And one thing in it is in there words, (withwhich the Book beginneth) [ It u evident to all Men, dili- gently reading holy Scripture, and ancient Authors, thatfromshe Apoftles time there have been thefe Orders of Minifters in Cbrifl's Church, Bifhops, Priefh, and Deacons : which Offices were evermore bad in fuck reverend efhmaticn, &c.] So that here they declarethat Bithops and Priefts are not only diftinht Degrees, but diftina Orders andOffices, and that fince theApoftles time, as evident by Scripture, &c. ( when yet many of the very. Pupils Schoolmendodeny it). And the Colle& in the Ordering ofPrieffs runs thus, [Almighty God, giver of allgood things, who by thy holy Spirit barb appointed divers Orders of Minilìers in the Church]. So that to plainEnglilh they declare, That [Epifeopacy even as a.difliniiOrder, Office, and Fun5tion (for all thefe wordsare there) is appointed by the Spirit of God ; becaufe they believe that no Form is fo appointed. z. That which Mr. Stillingfleet calleth [ A Form] is "noneof the Subftanceof the Government it felf,,nor the Offices in the Church : He granteth that I. Worship- ping Affemblies areof Divineappointment ; z. That every one of there mull have one or more Paftors who have power in their Order to teach them, and gobefore them in Worfhip,and fpirituallyguide or govern them. But t. Whether a Church (hall have one Pallor or more ; 2. Whether one of them shall be in fome things fubjeét, to another ; ;. Whether confiant Synods (hall be held for concord ofAffo- ciatedChurches ; q. Whether in there Synods ,one shall be Moderator? and how long ? and with what Authority ? ( not unrealonable ), thefe he thinks are left un- determined And I am of his mind ; fuppofing General Rules to guidethem by as he doth. But theMatter (and Manner) of Church -Difcipline being of God's ap. pointment, and the Nature and Ends ofa particular Church, and the Office of Isogon (as well as the Form of the Church Univerfal), it is pall doubt that nothingwhich fubvertethany of thefe is lawful. And indeed, if properly no Form of Govern- ment be inilituted by God, then no Formof a Church neither : for the Form of Government is the Form of a Church ( confdered infenfu politico , and not as a meer Community). And then the Church of England is not of.God's making: Q eft. Who thenmade it ? Either another Church made this Church ( and then, what was that Church, and whomade its Form, and fo ad Originem)or noChurch made it : linoChurch made the Church ofEngland, qua jure ? or what is its Au- thority and Honour ? If the King made it, was he a Member of a Church or not? If yea, r.There was then a Church-Form before the Church of England ; And who made that Church ufque adOriginem. ? If theKing that madeit was no Memberof a Church, thenhe that is no Member of a Church,, may Militate a Church-Form ; but quo jure? and with what Honour to that Church? But it is certain that a par- ticular Congregation with its properBtfhop or Parlors is a Church-FormofChrist's Inlritation. 4 154 Il. The Second Controverfie is about-the Obligationóf the National Vow or Covenant o And here there is a Lawmade, That every Man (hall forfeit all his Efface, and be perpetually imprifoned, who affirmeth, [Thai there is any Obligation ON him, or any other, from this Vow, 'to endeavour any alteration of Government in the, Church]. So that thofethat think there is fuch an Obligation dare not affirm it : And therefore almoll all that writeor fpeak on the other fide againit the Obligati- on, remainunanfwered ( fave what Mr. Crofton , Mr. Cawdry , and fome others lightly have done ), becaufe they mutt be anfwered at fo dear a rate. Ifuppofethe Reader willnot take my words as Affértory, but as Hifterical herein, acquainting you what it is that flicks with the Nonconformifts, and maketh them that they dare not fay this Oath bindeth none, for fear of God, as they will not, fay t hat it binderb any for fear ofConfifcation and Imprifonment. 4 ;55. And heretrft they premife thefe General Suppofitions,whichfhonldmake all Men exceeding tender of venturing further than they are fare the ground is firm. 4 354.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=