Hiera dakrya, Ecclesiae anglicanae suspiria, The tears, sighs, complaints, and prayers of the Church of England setting forth her former constitution, compared with her present condition : also the visible causes and probable cures of her distempers : in IV books / by John Gauden ...

CHAP. VIII.

NOr are these novell undertakers ever more ridicu∣lous,* 1.1 than when they sow pillowes under their own rustick arms and others elbows, excusing, yea abetting their illiterate rudeness, and idiotick con∣fidence, with the primitive plainness and simpli∣city of the Apostles, when Christ first chose them, who were Fishermen, Tent-makers, or the like.

Which is truly, but very impertinently alledged, as any parallel case with these impotent and pragmatick intruders; unless they could manifest to the world (which they never yet did, nor ever will) such miraculous endowments, such power and anointing from above, as came upon the Apostles, which in one moment was able to furnish them with more sufficiency and authority, than all study and industry can ever do any of us; which are the now ordinary means appointed and blessed by God, succeeding in the place of miraculous gifts, where Churches are once fully planted, and Christianity setled. To all which the constant testimony of an uninterrupted Ministery and holy succession of ordained Bishops and Presbyters, from the very Apostles, as they from Christ, is a more pregnant witnesse and convi∣ction, than any new miracles could be, much more than any such pit∣tifull accounts can be, as these wonders of ignorance and arrogancy can give to the world, of any extraordinary matters they say or do, either as Ministers or Christians. The best of some of whose lives would deform (I fear) the golden legend, which seems to be written by a man of a brazen forehead, a leaden wit, and an iron heart.

We (the despised Clergie of England) do profess to use, and pray God to bless our long preparative studies, meditations, writings, readings; also our immediate care & concomitant labours in this kind, habitually to fit us for that dreadfull work, and for every actuall dis∣charge of it. We find these methods practised by the most famous lights of the Church, recommended by S. Paul to Timothy,* 1.2 though a person in some things extraordinarily gifted, that he should attend di∣diligently

to those exercises, that his profiting might appear. We do not now expect fire from heaven with Elias, to come down upon our sa∣crifices; but we are glad to take the ordinary coals of Gods altar, which may, by his Word and Spirit going along with our pains and prayers, both enlighten our minds and kindle our hearts, so as to make us burning and shining lights in Gods house, which is his Church.

Truly those proud and poor wretches, who know no coals, but those of their own chimney-corners, may possibly have a few embers on their hearths, or in their potsheards; they may, like dark lanthorns, have a bit of a farthing-candle in them, that shines with a little dim and dubious light on one side onely; as in the smatterings of some plain primer-knowledge, which they have gathered either by superfi∣ciall reading the Scriptures, or by hearing some Sermons heretofore from the able Ministers of England, or by gleaning a little out of the plainest of their writings: but 'tis most apparent, that on three sides of them, (that is, for Grammaticall skill, historicall know∣ledge, and polemicall learning) they are so horridly black and dark, that they seem fitter implements to bring in such ignorance, irreve∣rence, Atheism, superstition and confusion, as shall quite put out the Christian and Reformed Religion in this nation, (reducing all to pristine darkness, deformity and barbarity) than probable ever to be either propagators, purgators, or preservers of it; which had long ago been over-run with the rank weeds of Idolatry, Heresie, Schism and Apostasie in all the world, if God had not in the place of primitive miracles supplied the Church with such Ministers, both Bishops and Presbyters, whose admirable learning, undaunted cou∣rage, indisputable authority, uniform order, and constant succession, was beyond any miracle; which did at once both wonderfully attest and mightily preserve the sanctity, mystery and majesty of Christian Religion, from the subtilty of persecutors, the sophistry of Philoso∣phers, the contumacy of Schismaticks, and contumelies of Here∣ticks; being too hard (by Gods assistance) for the malice of men, and the wiles of Satan.

All which are then (under severall new notions and disguises) pro∣bable to prevaile over this or any Christian Church, when such liberty shall be used by vulgar spirits and inordinate minds, as shall not onely diminish and abate,* 1.3 but quite in time destroy and vacate the divine reverence and inviolable sanctity of religious mysteries and holy ministrations; which will inevitably follow, where the Catho∣lick order and divine authority of Ministers derived through all ages, is not onely questioned and disputed, but denied, despised, variated, prostituted, usurped, by whosoever list to make himself a Minister in any new way; which cannot be true if new, nor authentick if it be exo∣tick, unwonted in the Church of Christ, either broken off, or diffe∣rent from that primitive commission and constant exemplification, or Catholick succession, which was owned and observed in Bishops and Presbyters throughout all the Christian world.

For my part, I abhor all intrusion and obtrusion of dangerous Novel∣ties,

both from Papists and Separatists, either in Doctrine, Disci∣pline, or Government of the Church: and those I account dange∣rous, yea detestable Novelties, which not upon any plea of ignorance or necessity, but meerly out of wantonness and wilfulness, seek to al∣ter the sacred streams and currents of Ecclesiasticall power, authority and order, from those fountains where Christ first broached it, and those conduits by which the Apostles derived it; which unquestiona∣bly was by Bishops and Presbyters.

I know, that the sacred office and Angelick function of the Evan∣gelicall Ministry, as it is from my Lord Jesus Christ, and is in his name and stead; so it ought to be managed, reverenced, esteemed,* 1.4 transmitted, and undertaken among all true Christians,* 1.5 as a visible supply of Christs absence in body; as an authoritative embassie or de∣legation from Him; as a sacred dispensation of that Ministry to his Church, by chosen and duly ordained men; setting forth his Hi∣story, his Precepts, Promises, Sacraments, and other holy Instituti∣ons, together with the Ministrations and Gifts of his holy Spirit, by which he promised to his Apostles,* 1.6 to be with them to the end of the world, in that holy work wherein he employed them and their lawfull successors,* 1.7 to be his witnesses among all nations whither he should send them.

So that every true Minister (as with the ancients Mr.* 1.8 Calvin ob∣serves) in his proper place and order (as Bishop or Presbyter) is first a Prophet, to teach and instruct in the truths of God, that part of Christs Church over which he is constituted: next, he is as a Ruler,* 1.9 Shepherd, and Governour over them in the Lord,* 1.10 to feed and guide them in that holy order and discipline, which becomes the lesser and the greater, the single and sociall parts of Christs flock, according as they are under their several care and inspection: lastly, every true Mi∣nister is in his proper station to perform in Christs stead those offices of his Evangelicall Priesthood, which he hath assigned to be dispensed for his Churches good; as the solemn consecration and celebration of that Eucharisticall memoriall of the great oblation of Christ to his Father upon the Cross, for the redemption of the world, by which all mankind is put into a conditionall capacity of salvation, and upon their true faith and repentance, Christs body and blood, with all his me∣ritorious benefits, are evidently set forth, signally confirmed, and per∣sonally exhibited, in that great Sacrament and most venerable myste∣ry, to every worthy Receiver. He is further to offer up upon the altar of Christs merits the spiritual sacrifices of the Church, in prayers,* 1.11 praises, thanksgivings, alms and charities. Besides this, there is in the true Pastor or Minister of the Church of Christ, according to their proportion and degree, their line and measure (as Bishops and Presbyters) a power of mission and propagation,* 1.12 in order to maintain that holy succession of an Evangelicall Priesthood which Christ Jesus hath appointed; and which the Apostles, with their successors, the Bishops and Pastors of the Church, in all the world, have to this day continued, without any interruption, or any variation, as

to the maine, of the power and practise of Ordination.

So then, as these three offices are eminently in Christ, as the great Prophet, Prince and Priest of his Church; to all which he was conse∣crated by the mission of his Father, by his own Blood-shed and Pas∣sion, also by the anointing of his eternall Spirit, which filled him with all divine Graces, ministeriall Gifts, and miraculous Power, ne∣cessary for so great a work: so the Lord Christ being absent in bo∣dy, but present in his power and Spirit, had derived and committed the outward ministeriall execution of these his offices, to chosen and ordained men,* 1.13 as over-seers and workers together with Christ, of them∣selves but earthen vessels, yet the fittest instruments for the present dispensations of his Gospel and grace, which yet are to be carried on, according to the first appearance of Christ in the flesh, in such darkness, weaknesse,* 1.14 and meannesse, as may most set forth the present excellency of Gods gracious power, and set off the future manifestations of his glory to his Church; which even in this inferiority and obscurity of the Gospel, hath yet, as three that bear witnesse to its truth in hea∣ven, the wisdome of the Father contriving, the love of the Son effecting, and the power of the holy Ghost applying Evangelical mercies to poor sin∣ners;* 1.15 so it hath three that bear witnesse on earth to that glorious truth and mystery of the Gospel, the water of Baptism, which sprinkles to Regeneration, the blood of the Lords Supper, which feeds and re∣freshes believers, also the Spirit of ministeriall Power and Authori∣ty, which hath been, and still is, from Christ continued in all true Christian Churches. As the first three are one in an essentiall unity of divine nature, so these later three (as S. John tells us) agree in one, that is, in one Soveraign author Jesus Christ, and in one sacred order and office of Church-Ministry, or Evangelical dispensations, succes∣sively derived from the Apostles, Elders and Deacons, by a power and commission peculiar to those who are duly ordained to be Christs Deputies, Lieutenants, and Vicegerents in his Church, for those holy offices and divine ministrations; whereto they are severally ap∣pointed in an higher or lower degree, as Apostles or Elders, as Bishops or Presbyters,* 1.16 as Pastors or Teachers; either over-seeing, as Ru∣lers and Guides, or attending, as Deacons and Servitors.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The pretensi∣ons of Intru∣ders to excuse their wants. Apostolos in perversum ae∣mulantur. Tert. de praes. l. 30.
• * 1.2

  1 Tim. 4.13, 14, 15, 16.
• * 1.3

  Si constat id verius quod prius, id prius quod & ab ini∣tio, id ab initio quod ab Apo∣stolis; pariter utique constabit id esse ab Apo∣stolis traditum quod apud Ec∣cles••as Aposto∣lorum fuerit sacrosanctum. Tertull. adv. Marci. l. 4. c. 5.
• * 1.4

  2 Cor 5.••0.
• * 1.5

  Tota in Aposto∣los potestas Do∣minici trans∣fertu••. Hilar. in Mat. c. 10.
• * 1.6

  Mat. 28.20.
• * 1.7

  Verse 19.
• * 1.8

  Chrys. in Joh. 20.21.
• * 1.9

  Heb. 13.17.
• * 1.10

  Quia Christus visibili praesen∣tia inter nos non habitat, ho∣minum ministe∣rium adhibe••, quasi vica••iam operam; non ad eos jus suum transferendo, sed ut per manus ipsorū suum ipse opus ••g••t. Cal. Inst. l. 4. c. 3. sect. 1.
• * 1.11

  Rom. 12.1. Heb. 13.10. 1 Pet. 2.5. Heb. 13.15.
• * 1.12

  Acts 14.23. 1 Tim. 3. & 5.22. Ti. 1.5.
• * 1.13

  Act. 20.28. 2 Cor. 6.1. 2 Cor. 4.7.
• * 1.14

  1 Cor. 2 3.
• * 1.15

  1 John 5.7, 8.
• * 1.16

  1 Tim. 3.13. Ephes. 4.11.