Sect. VIII.
A third Confession, of Timothies being an Archbishop. Of the qualifications, 1 Tim. 3 2. belonging to Bishops. Of the Bishops being worthy of double honour, though he never preach. Of the word, and Doctrine. Of the Presby∣tery, 1 Tim. 4. Of Rebuking and receiving accusation against an Elder.
THe third Confession is, [ Num. 1.] that Timothy was Archbishop of Ephesus, that when Paul sets downe the qualifications of Bishops, though he mention none but such as are common to a Presbyter with a Bishop, yet he is to be understood to speake of Bishops in a Praelaticall sense, and not at all of Presbyters; And when he saith the Elders that Rule well are worthy of double honour—, this is, saith this Author, the Bishops that Rule well—thereby holding out this great errour, that a Bishop that Ruleth well is worthy of double honour, though he never preacheth; And when St. Paul bids Timothy not neglect the gift that was given him by the laying on the hands of the Presbytery, that is, saith he, of Episcopacy; And when the Apostle char∣geth him not to rebuke an Elder,—and not to receive an accusa∣tion against an Elder,—this is to be understood of Bishops, saith he, and not of meere Presbyters.
To this accumulative crime affirmed to be confest by me in so many particulars, [ 2] I answer by avowing my Confession thus farre, 1. that I take Timothy to have been BishopPage 113 of Ephesus, and conclude it from 1 Tim. 1. 3. then that E∣phesus was a prime Metropolis of Asia, from the testimonies of Pliny and Vlpian, and generally the Antient Church-wri∣ters: And from those two put together, I hope I may gaine li∣berty to confesse, that Timothy was Archbishop of Ephe∣sus.
Secondly, [ 3] That Paul 1 Tim. 3. 1, 2. speaking of Episcopacy, as of a good worke or office, and the qualifications required in the person to be promoted to it speakes of a Bishop in the Prae∣laticall sense; so I am sure Chrysostome doth understand him, and the testimony was lately cited out of him, and Theodoret that understands it otherwise, yet applies it first to Bishops, and saith on that occasion, that their degree in the Church is su∣perior to that of Presbyters. And if no higher qualifications be required of a Bishop, than are fit to be required of a Presby∣ter (which yet I no where say, and the argument taken from the no-other qualifications here specified, than onely for the Bishop and the Deacon, are of no force to induce it, both be∣cause it is a negative argument, and there is another reason for the omitting Presbyters, because in this infancie of the Church there was not any such need of them, the Bishop with his Dea∣con, one or more, were sufficient in every City, and besides the qualifications assigned the Deacon, may be common to him with the Presbyter, as well as those assign'd the Bishop) yet that is no prejudice to the superiority of the office, or to my interpreting that Text of the Bishop; For sure I may as con∣veniently say, that the Bishop is named without the Presbyter, at a time when there were Bishops, but as yet no Presbyters in the Church, and that when there were Presbyters instituted, their qualifications were to be regulated by the rules given of Bishops, as it can be imagined to be fitly said by them, that the place is meant of Presbyters (when the Apostle names Bi∣shops expresly, and when by many other evidences we know, that then there were Bishops, but by no footsteps can discerne that then there were Presbyters) upon no other reason, but that the qualifications are common to Presbyters.
Thirdly, For the mention of the Elders that rule well, 1 Tim. 5. [ 4] 17. I doubt not but it may very commedicuoly be inter∣preted Page 114 of the Bishops through all his Province, for as there the style is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, praeside or rule, so 'tis certaine, that in the use of the Church this was the title of the Bishops, as hath for∣merly been shewed out of Justin Martyr and others, and the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉double honor〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the priviledge of Primoge∣niture, being assigned as his portion, is an evidence there∣of.
And the inconvenience that is here urged against that inter∣pretation, [ 5] is perfectly of no force. For 1. if from hence it might be concluded that a Bishop is worthy of double honour, though he never preacheth, then from their interpreting it of the Presbyter, it will as much follow to be their o•inion, that the Presbyter is worthy of double honour though he never preach.
But then secondly the truth is, [ 6] that neither of these conclu∣sions follow either the one or the other interpration, for the first phrase of labouring in the word, and the other of labouring in the doctrine (which by these are confounded, and so exprest undistinctly by preaching) denote two severall things; the former the planting of the faith where it is not yet received, which is constantly exprest by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, preaching the Gospell, and the word; the latter signifies taking paines in a Church already gathered, for the confirming and farther instructing of believers. And then as he that doth one of these, may yet possibly not doe both, occasion not re∣quiring, and so not be so eminently worthy of the double ho∣nour, as he that actually doth both; so certainly, he that rules well in any Church, and beside the care belonging to rule, un∣dergoes that other double hard travell (so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies) of preaching the faith to Infidels, and confirming, and instru∣cting believers, doth very highly deserve the double honour and alimonie; And this as it is the exact meaning of that Text, so it utterly supersedes all force of this objection or exception a∣gainst our understanding it of the Presidents or Bishops in the Praelaticall sense.
Fourthly, [ 7] For the word Presbytery, 1 Tim. 4. 14. by which they say, I understand Episcopacy, I answer, that I interpret it of some combination either of Apostles or Apostolical persons and Page 115Bishops,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Theodoret's phrase, such as were vouchsafed the Apostolicall grace, i. e. of Paul assuredly, 1 Tim. 2. 6. and perhaps of Barnabas, perhaps of some other Apostolical person with him, in like manner as both Peter and John style themselves 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Elders, and *Ignatius styles the Apostles〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Pres∣bytery or Eldership of the Church, and as of Ignatius himselfe S. Chrysostome affirmes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that the hands of more Apostles than one were laid on him, in his ordi∣nation to the Bishoprick of Antioch.
To which matter the Scholion of Chrysostome is expresse, [ 8] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he speakes not here of Presbyters but Bishops, adding the reason, because Presbyters did not ordaine Bishops, and so Theophylact and Oe∣cumenius.
[ 9] Lastly for the other two places of not-rebuking and receiving an accusation against an Elder, though in those places it were clearely for my interest to interpret 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Presbyter in our moderne sense, for then as*Epiphanius saith, there is an evidence of proofe that the Bishop hath power over the Presby∣ter (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) Timothy over the El∣der, saith he, but never the Elder over Timothy: Yet I con∣fesse my selfe inclined by other considerations to foregoe that advantageous sense of the place.
Because Timothy being placed in the prime Metropolis had power over the Bishops of lesser Cities, [ 10] and that, as hath oft been shewed, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as well as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 power of •udging as well as of ordeining Bishops, which is* elsewhere evidenced to be the opinion of S. Chrysostome, in order to the understanding of this place. And so still the crime is not very great or re∣proachfull, which I am said to have confest, it amounts no higher than the former confession had done, that Timothy was Archbishop of Ephesus; and yet this you see without any necessity to extort it from thee, save that of speaking freely what I conceived most probable; For otherwise nothing could be more for the advantage of the maine cause I defen•, than that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Elders should signifie Presbyters in these two places.
